Managing Director Oldenzaal • DUPP

Aliga Netherlands BV () is a food-tech company (founded in 2016) that develops, cultivates, produces and commercialises functional, protein-rich Chlorella ingredients for food, feed and dietary supplements. The headquarters and R&D are currently based in Denmark, but the company is in the process of centralising its activities in Oldenzaal, where production is already taking place. The 2022 acquisition of the Duplaco facility, with fermentation and spray-drying capabilities, expanded capacity and positions Aliga as Europe’s largest microalgae producer. The company is entering a key growth phase, evolving from start-up to an established producer at scale, with an entrepreneurial, pragmatic, and collaborative culture. To drive the company’s next phase of growth, we are seeking an ambitious, results-driven Managing Director with proven experience in leading teams and scaling-up operations. Strong leadership is needed to steer the organization through scaling its operations, strengthening its market position, and ensuring sustainable performance. A clear strategic direction, operational excellence, and a cohesive, high-performing team will be essential to turning this growth potential into long-term success.

• Responsible for defining and executing long-term growth strategies and building a company culture that facilitates volume growth and enhances competitiveness
• Lead, mentor, and inspire the employees across Production, Sales, Finance and R&D, fostering innovation and strong partnerships while aligning with strategic objectives
• Strengthen operational performance through process optimization, lean operations and efficient resource allocation
• Collaborate with the commercial team to accelerate customer acquisition, ensuring effective supply chain and stock management
• Oversee financial performance, reporting, budgeting and profitability (P&L responsible), supporting sustainable business growth
• Ensure regulatory compliance and high-quality standards, and guide the approval of new ingredients and products
• Manage investor and partner relations and represent the company with customers and authorities
• Report to the non-executive board of directors. 

• Master’s or bachelor’s degree in (Bio/Food) Technology, Process Engineering, Business administration or a related field
• Experience in successfully scaling up a young business involved in manufacturing value-added solutions, ideally in ingredients or bioprocessing 
• Proven track record in early-stage company leadership, ideally having led or co-founded a start-up through seed and series funding
• Familiarity with European regulatory frameworks, sustainability standards and principles of the circular economy
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work across diverse teams and interests
• Living within travel reasonable distance of Oldenzaal, with flexibility to travel across Europe
• Fluent in English; Dutch proficiency is a plus but not mandatory
• Personal characteristics: Entrepreneurial, hands-on, comfortable in a less structured environment and passionate about sustainability.