Managing Director

SISGrass is a leading international specialist in synthetic, natural, and hybrid grass sports surfaces, complemented by DrainTalent’s smart soil and water management technology. The Managing Director takes full ownership of both businesses, drives commercial performance and operational coordination, and builds the structure and momentum to scale internationally.

About SISGrass and DrainTalent

Sports clubs, stadiums, schools, and universities need playing surfaces that stay reliable under heavy use, recover quickly, and perform consistently throughout the season. That is where SISGrass comes in. The business specializes in synthetic, natural, and hybrid grass sports surfaces. Recent acquisition DrainTalent adds a complementary solution for natural grass fields. Its circular soil management system removes excess water, reintroduces it when needed, and gives grounds teams real-time insight through sensors. Together with the company’s electric undersoil heating solution, it helps keep pitches playable throughout the year.

SISGrass and DrainTalent are part of SIS Pitches, a global leader in designing, constructing, installing, and maintaining sports surfaces and pitch technology. Since installing its first professional football surface at Ajax’s Amsterdam Arena in 2001, SIS Pitches has worked on projects from schools to the FIFA World Cup. Today, the group operates across major European leagues, North America, and the Middle East, where it maintains more than one million square meters of professional sports grass. For SISGrass, there is room to keep growing in established markets and expand into emerging ones such as India. The group’s brand, network, and expertise can also help scale DrainTalent’s innovative technology more quickly.

SIS Pitches employs around 650 people globally. In the Netherlands, SISGrass operates from Zaandam with roughly twenty employees and around forty subcontractors, while DrainTalent works from Beek with a team of five. Across the group, the culture is practical and entrepreneurial. Teams are trusted to take ownership, continuously improve, and move quickly. That mindset underpins a clear ambition: to keep powering more play, every day.

Vacancy: Managing Director

The Managing Director (MD) leads SISGrass and DrainTalent through the next phase of international growth. This is a pivotal strategic role with full P&L responsibility, accountable for commercial performance, operational delivery, and long-term organizational development. Working closely with the CEO, the MD sets direction, scales the international footprint, and builds a high-performance structure.

Commercial leadership is a central part of the role across both SISGrass and DrainTalent. The Managing Director leads major tenders and high-value negotiations, sharpens pricing, drives key account development, and steers the sales organization internationally. She/he works closely with local MDs and sales teams in markets with a SIS Pitches entity, to align targets, pipeline, and commercial approach. In markets without an entity, the focus is on strengthening relationships with external partners while opening new routes to market by developing additional partnerships, distribution channels, and the right proposition.

With the support of the SISGrass Head of Operations, the Managing Director ensures projects are delivered profitably, at the right quality level, and with the planning, materials, equipment, and people in place to support international execution. She/he oversees budgeting, forecasting, and performance analysis, keeps a close eye on revenue and profitability targets, and improves the processes and workflows that keep the business running day to day. Part of that operational leadership is to create synergies between SISGrass and DrainTalent in areas such as logistics, back office, and commercial support.

“The Managing Director needs to be close to the business: with the teams, in the international markets, and around the projects. That is where the real opportunities are, and where the right strategic decisions can be made.” – Ivo Lamot, CEO

Innovation is a cornerstone of the company’s success. Together with technical teams and the CIO, the Managing Director further develops the proposition, identifies opportunities in hybrid grass and drainage technologies, and supports the development and commercialization of new solutions.

The Managing Director reports to the CEO, represents SISGrass and DrainTalent in relevant group leadership forums, and leads the SISGrass Head of Operations and the DrainTalent team directly. She/he shapes the organization by developing managers, setting clear expectations, and building a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. Recruitment, performance management, and talent development are all part of that responsibility.

This is an exciting opportunity for a leader who combines commercial sharpness with pace, ownership, and the confidence to act. She/he is comfortable setting direction in an environment with multiple stakeholders, builds momentum across teams and markets, and knows how to turn opportunity into results. Just as importantly, the Managing Director brings the energy, ambition, and follow-through to match a business that keeps pushing forward to help sport thrive.

Interested?

SISGrass is working with Top of Minds to fill this vacancy.
To express your interest, please contact Vivian Linker at vivian.linker@topofminds.com.