Head of Program Delivery at Lely in Maassluis, ZH, nl

Company Description

Founded in 1948, Lely is committed to a sustainable, profitable, and enjoyable future in agriculture. Driven by the challenges faced by farmers and the needs of cows, we develop high-quality robots and data systems that improve animal welfare, flexibility, and productivity on dairy farms. Our mission is to support sustainable food production.

For more than 30 years, we have been a global leader in the sale and service of automated systems for successive generations of dairy farmers. Every day, we inspire our colleagues to offer customers innovative solutions and to be a reliable partner for long-term advice and support. With our state-of-the-art Lely Campus in Maassluis and a global network of dedicated Lely Centers offering customized sales and service, Lely is active in more than fifty countries.

Job Description

How do we ensure that complex product development programs are delivered effectively, with the right capabilities, processes and ways of working in place? As Head of Program Delivery, you define the strategic direction for how programs are delivered across Lely. You are responsible for developing the people, capabilities and ways of working that enable our teams to deliver innovative products and continuously improve how we work. As a member of the Product Development Management Team, you also contribute to shaping the broader strategy and direction of Product Development.

As part of a newly established department, you have the opportunity to shape how program delivery evolves across Lely. You will help bring together the strengths of Stage-Gate project management and Agile ways of working, creating an approach that combines structure and clear decision-making with flexibility, collaboration and continuous improvement.

In this senior management role, you lead a growing multidisciplinary organization through a team of currently five direct reports, with an indirect organization of approximately 50–60 FTE. As the organization continues to grow, the leadership team is expected to expand. You work closely with other competences and the Business Teams to establish a consistent and effective approach to program delivery across Lely. You focus on aligning ways of working, strengthening collaboration and ensuring that teams have the capabilities, processes and resources they need to deliver programs successfully.

Your main responsibilities include:

• Defining and implementing the strategic direction for program delivery across the Competence Center and Business Teams, while contributing to the broader Product Development strategy.
• Leading and developing the Competence Center through a strong leadership team, with a focus on talent development, performance, recruitment, learning and development, and a clear leadership structure.
• Strengthening collaboration with Business Teams and other competences to establish effective and consistent ways of working for program delivery across Lely.
• Driving continuous improvement in program delivery by combining the strengths of Stage-Gate project management and Agile ways of working, and encouraging the adoption of tools, technologies and processes that improve performance and knowledge sharing.
• Ensuring effective knowledge development and sharing, lifecycle management and documentation at project, product and competence level, in line with relevant legislation and quality standards.
• Taking responsibility for strategic workforce planning, resource allocation and the Competence Center budget, while developing external partnerships to strengthen delivery capabilities.

Qualifications

You are a strategic and people-oriented leader who knows how to develop the capabilities, structures and ways of working needed to deliver complex programs successfully. You have experience leading through other leaders, developing teams and building strong relationships across a complex product development environment. You can translate strategic objectives into clear priorities for the organization, while enabling teams to take ownership of their work and continuously improve how they collaborate and deliver.

In addition, you bring:

• A master’s degree in a relevant field.
• Preferably around 10 years of relevant professional experience, including at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Strong leadership skills and experience developing team leads, project leads and multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience with program or project delivery in a complex, cross-functional environment.
• The ability to develop a strategic vision and translate it into practical plans that strengthen program delivery and support business objectives.
• Strong stakeholder management and collaboration skills, enabling you to connect Business Teams, competences and other stakeholders within and beyond Product Development.
• Strong coaching skills, with the ability to support team leads in their development and help them become effective leaders and coaches themselves.
• Experience with resource planning, budget responsibility and balancing capacity, costs and delivery needs.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, combined with a results-oriented approach.
• The ability to create a safe and open working environment where people communicate effectively, exchange constructive feedback, take ownership and strive for high standards.

Additional Information

Working at Lely means contributing to sustainable progress within one of the most innovative organizations in the Netherlands. You help make the agricultural sector more futureproof, and we ensure you have the space, resources, and support to do so.

• An international work environment that values collaboration, initiative, and diverse perspectives.
• A culture that encourages learning, experimentation, and ownership of ideas.
• Excellent employment conditions, including up to 7 weeks of vacation per year and a strong pension scheme.
• A salary range of €6950 - €9950 gross per month. The package includes an electric car and a (maximum) 20% bonus.
• Full ownership of your own development, with access to a wide range of courses through the Lely Academy.
• Daily access to outstanding sports facilities at the Lely Campus: an indoor gym, outdoor padel courts, basketball and volleyball courts, table tennis, and table football. You can join Hyrox workouts or sign up for personal training and challenge your colleagues during an active break.
• Fresh coffee and tea from our own barista (with milk from our own farm) and a healthy, affordable company restaurant.
• A healthy work-life balance thanks to our hybrid working policy: you work at least three days a week on Campus, with flexible hours and plenty of opportunity to spend additional time onsite (between 06:00 and 20:00).
• A free shuttle bus that takes you to and from the metro station in Maassluis, ensuring your workday starts and ends smoothly.
• And of course: we love to celebrate! Whether it’s an anniversary or the annual Christmas party. At Lely, we know how to do it.

We are also proud that our vision and efforts have been recognized with the Rotterdam Entrepreneurs Award 2025.

Recruitment & selection agency, consultancy, and/or staffing agency?

We appreciate the interest, but we recruit all our candidates directly. We understand that as intermediaries, you want to present candidates for our great positions and contribute to our ambitions, but this is not how we have set up our recruitment process. This means that all unsolicited profiles offered on Lely vacancies will be treated as direct applications.