Do you have a passion for research and education and for connecting their value to the world beyond academia? Do you enjoy building partnerships that create value for both RSM and society? Are you effective in crafting strong partnerships and relationships within RSM and with the outside world? Are you able to build trusted relationships across organisational boundaries and with external stakeholders? And do you enjoy creating effective processes and systems that enable engagement on the basis of education and research to flourish? Then you may be the Programme Director Engagement we are looking for.
Rotterdam School of Management (RSM) is a strong research-based business school within Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) that produces world-leading knowledge and is recognised for the quality of its educational programmes in a broad portfolio. Its research and educational activities and strengths offer tremendous potential for engaging and creating impact with and for stakeholders outside of the university. While many already make use of this potential, these efforts remain fragmented and scattered. In an age where universities increasingly have to demonstrate their license to operate and face financial threats, it is more important than ever to strengthen how RSM engages and form partnerships with the outside world.
As the Programme Director, you will play a leading role in helping RSM further strengthen its Engagement function in ways that build on, leverage, and create synergies with its existing strengths in research and education. Specifically, you will work with two academic Associate Deans of Engagement, jointly directed by a steering committee consisting of RSM’s Dean, Vice Dean of Research, and Vice Dean of Education, to develop and implement a programmatic approach to RSM’s engagement, working closely with colleagues and stakeholders across RSM and the wider EUR ecosystem as appropriate.
As RSM’s Programme Director Engagement, you will work closely with two Associate Deans of Engagement to formulate and implement a three-year plan that strengthens RSM’s engagement activities, partnerships, and external profile. Your responsibilities include:
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Lead the further development and implementation of RSM’s school-wide engagement strategy and programme.
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Identify opportunities to strengthen collaboration between research, education, and external stakeholders, translating these into sustainable initiatives and partnerships.
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Build and maintain strong relationships with external and internal stakeholders, including businesses, public and societal organisations, alumni, and partners across Erasmus University Rotterdam.
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Develop structures, processes, and ways of working that enable and support engagement activities across RSM.
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Advise RSM leadership on strategic priorities, policies, and organisational conditions that strengthen engagement and societal impact.
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Foster collaboration across academic departments, professional services, and the wider EUR ecosystem to ensure alignment, commitment, and effective execution of engagement initiatives.
The Programme Director will play a pivotal role in creating a clear framework for engagement activities that align with RSM’s research-based identity, diversify income streams, and enhance societal contributions. They will do so in close collaboration with two Associate Deans of Engagement and under the guidance of a steering committee consisting of the Dean, Vice Dean of Research, and Vice Dean of Education of RSM.
You are eligible for this role if you:
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are an experienced programme manager who can define, shape, and handle complex problems across organisational boundaries in a matrix organisation.
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have demonstrable experience in developing engagement activities and strategic partnerships.
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have a strong understanding of and experience with developing engagement activities around research and education.
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have a strong understanding of, and ideally an existing network across, relevant national and international public and private sectors.
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have a comprehensive understanding of the academic context in general and ideally of the field of management research in particular.
We encourage you to apply for this role if you:
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make connections and build networks easily. Strong existing networks within academia, industry, government, or society are an advantage.
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are passionate about promoting engagement to strengthen academic excellence in research and education.
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are proactive, forward-thinking, and self-starting in navigating complex and uncertain contexts.
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have strong interpersonal and teamworking skills as well as demonstrated ability to manage diverse stakeholders.
We offer a full-time contract, originally for a period of 12 months, with the possibility for a permanent contract upon satisfactory performance. We operate a hybrid working model, giving you the freedom to work virtually and on our vibrant campus. You will be joining an international and interdisciplinary team of committed professionals working at the intersection of research, education, and societal engagement.
We offer you an internationally oriented and varied job in an enthusiastic team, with excellent working conditions in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU).
The start date of this position is 1 October 2026 and you will be based at Campus Woudestein, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University. This position is for 0.8 FTE - 1 FTE. The salary is dependent on your experience and knowledge and ranges from a minimum of € 6,512 to a maximum of € 7,904 gross per month Scale 13 on a full-time basis (38 hours), in accordance with the CAO-NU. The contract is offered for a period of 1 year and can be converted into an employment contract for an indefinite period if suitability is proven and if continued in the same position, if (financial and/or organisational) circumstances remain the same.
Everything else we offer you; you can find below
- Everything you need for a good work-life balance: the option to work from home in consultation with your manager, 41 days of paid leave with a 40 hour contract, 8% holiday pay and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus, and a significant discount on a subscription for our on-campus sports centre.
- Sustainable, inclusive and diverse work environment with an open culture, where you can be yourself and we pay attention to each other and to the world around us. Make the most of our bicycle budget, or join networks such as Young@EUR, FAME or QuEUR.
- Time and space for your development in the broadest sense: development days and a personal career budget and free access to our university library.
- Good pension with ABP towards which EUR contributes two-thirds, discounts on various collective insurances with Zilveren Kruis Achmea, Loyalis, and Allianz, and compensation for travel, working from home and home internet use.
- Are you currently combining your job with parenthood, or do you want to do so in the future? EUR offers partially paid parental leave and fully paid additional birth leave for partners, and our campus features a daycare (daycare not paid for by EUR).
- Moving to the Netherlands for your job with EUR? Then you may be eligible for the Expat-ruling if you meet the requirements of the Belastingdienst (Dutch tax agency), and with our Dual Career Programme we will also help your partner find the right job for them.
Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is an internationally oriented university with a strong social orientation in its education and research, as expressed in our mission ‘Creating positive societal impact’. EUR is home to 4.100 academics and professionals and almost 33.000 students from more than 140 countries. Everything we do, we do under the credo The Erasmian Way – Making Minds Matter. We’re global citizens, connecting, entrepreneurial, open-minded, and socially involved. These Erasmian Values function as our internal compass and create EUR’s distinctive and recognizable profile. From these values, with a broad perspective and with an eye for diversity, different backgrounds and opinions, our employees work closely together to solve societal challenges from the dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Rotterdam. Thanks to the high quality and positive societal impact of our research and education, EUR can compete with the top European universities. www.eur.nl.
Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) is one of Europe’s top-ranked business schools. RSM provides ground-breaking research and education furthering excellence in all aspects of management and is based in the international port city of Rotterdam – a vital nexus of business, logistics and trade. RSM’s primary focus is on developing business leaders with international careers who can become a force for positive change by carrying their innovative mindset into a sustainable future. Our first-class range of bachelor, master, MBA, PhD and executive programmes encourage them to become critical, creative, caring and collaborative thinkers and doers.
RSM is an equal opportunity employer and explicitly encourages applications from candidates of all genders, ethnicities, and nationalities.
Application deadline: 20 August 2026.
The first interviews will be held in the last week of August.
Please apply with a CV, letter of motivation and the names of two references.
Further information about this position can be obtained from Mirko Benischke ([email protected]) until 3 August and from Aukje Hassoldt ([email protected]) from 4 August onwards.
