As Policy Officer Education, you will work on issues that directly influence the future of education at Wageningen University. You will play an active role in developing and implementing educational policies, with a particular focus on education for professionals. Key topics include micro-credentials, MOOCs, and translating national lifelong learning initiatives into the Wageningen University context.
Your duties and responsibilities as an Education Policy Officer are:
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bringing together colleagues from different parts of the organization to develop forward-looking and broadly supported policies. You will also support decision-making processes and contribute to policy implementation;
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serving a central role as secretary of working groups and committees, ensuring oversight and a smooth progression of processes;
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working on various policy dossiers. In addition to professional education, you will contribute to a range of topics related to accredited education, such as renewal of our education portfolio, the allocation of financial resources, and student well-being.
Your team
You will work closely with colleagues in the Policy Support team. This team consists of 12 (senior) education policy officers and support staff. You will regularly coordinate with the Coordinator Policy Support regarding your projects and progress. At the same time, you will collaborate closely with colleagues from Wageningen Academy and the Head of Continuing Education, who focus on the development and organization of education for professionals. Your workplace will be Wageningen.
You will work here
You will be part of Education & Student Affairs (ESA), the central education department of Wageningen University. ESA plays a key role in connecting educational demand and supply and is responsible for quality assurance, policy development, and implementation.
Within ESA, work is carried out in both accredited degree programmes and professional education. In addition, the department supports students, lecturers, and the delivery of education. ESA is led by the Dean of Education.
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a completed master’s degree;
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experience in educational policy;
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excellent command of both Dutch and English (spoken and written);
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proven experience working on policy dossiers and/or policy development;
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experience working independently within a complex organizational environment;
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the ability to manage multiple projects and topics simultaneously.
In addition, you bring the following qualities:
You are proactive and take initiative rather than waiting for direction. You enjoy tackling complex challenges and translating them into tangible results. You are able to maintain a clear overview, even when working on several topics at the same time. You possess strong analytical skills, can easily navigate and balance different interests across the organization, and communicate clearly and persuasively. You work accurately and methodically, remain calm and effective under pressure, and ensure that your work is completed on time.
In our international working environment there is an increasing amount of communication in English. For this position it is about language level C2.
Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:
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sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
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working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
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there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
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a fixed year-end bonus of 8.3%;
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excellent pension scheme.
In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between € 4,925.- and € 6,682.- for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 11). Additionally, a contract for 0,8 FTE can be discussed. As for your contract, we initially offer a one-year contract that can be extended - if possible within (company) organizational circumstances - on good performance.
We encourage development and internal mobility within our organization. Our recruitment and selection policy sets out the conditions that apply specifically to you as a (former) employee. If you have any questions, we are happy to help.
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.
Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family. If you come with a partner, we offer a Dual Career group program organized by our Welcome Center. This program helps your partner to get familiar with the Dutch culture, labour market and assists your partner to find a job.
Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, our Welcome Center can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example housing, opening a bank account or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.
For more information about the position, please contact Jetske ten Caat, Coordinator Policy Support, via 06-39089097 or by email: [email protected].
Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Edvard Jongschaap, Sr. Corporate recruiter, by email: [email protected].
Ready to apply?
Click on the application button next to the vacancy on our website. Only applications submitted through our website will be considered.
You can apply up to and including Monday the 21st of September. Applications are reviewed regularly. Therefore, the position may be filled before the stated closing date.
Welcome, safe, and valued
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) highly values diversity and inclusion because we believe that different insights lead to innovative solutions. We create a work environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, and appreciated, regardless of background, identity, or experience. Together, we are building a culture where everyone's unique contribution adds to the success of our organization.
The mission of Wageningen University & Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With its roughly 30 branches, 7,600 employees (6,700 fte) and 13,100 students and over 150,000 participants to WUR’s Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.
Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch the video below to get an idea of our green campus!
We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.
