Are you a driven professional looking for a challenging role as Office Manager HR? Would you like to support the Director of HR and the management team? We are looking for an enthusiastic, proactive and versatile Office Manager to support the Corporate Director of HR and his team. Would you like to work between 28 and 36 hours per week, with excellent employment conditions and a healthy work–life balance? If so, this could be the perfect opportunity for you.
About the secretariat
The Corporate HR department comprises more than 100 employees working across a range of teams, including HR Operations, the Centre of Expertise (Recruitment, Learning & Development, Vitality & Health), HR Legal, and HR Business Partnering. The department works closely with decentralised HR teams in the development and implementation of HR initiatives and policies.
Your workplace will be on the fifth floor of Atlas, the distinctive landmark building on our campus.
The Secretariat serves as the key point of contact for the Corporate HR department and provides professional secretarial and administrative support. You ensure seamless and efficient secretarial and administrative services across the department.
Your responsibilities will include:
-
managing complex diaries for the Director and members of the Management Team (MT);
-
acting as the first point of contact for internal and external stakeholders;
-
organising and coordinating Management Team meetings and other departmental meetings;
-
scheduling appointments, meetings and events, and handling all associated logistics, including room bookings and catering arrangements;
-
managing the Secretariat mailbox jointly with a colleague (to be recruited), alongside your own mailbox;
-
raising purchase orders, monitoring and administering the procurement process, and ensuring its successful completion. You will also manage and monitor the recharging of internally provided services, such as workshops or training courses for employees;
-
coordinating practical arrangements and orders for new employees joining the organisation, including staff ID cards, laptops and lockers;
-
acting as a point of contact for a wide range of facilities-related matters.
In this role, you will actively contribute ideas on how the secretariat can best support the department and identify opportunities to improve efficiency and streamline ways of working.
The dynamic nature of the department and the complexity of the organisation require flexibility, decisiveness and strong communication skills.
In addition, you will have:
-
a minimum of MBO-level vocational education and thinking ability (or equivalent level of education and experience);
-
recent and relevant work experience, as demonstrated by your CV;
-
excellent written and spoken communication skills in both Dutch and English;
-
strong organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise effectively and manage your workload efficiently;
-
a strong sense of responsibility and a professional approach to your work. You are proactive, act with integrity, and focus on finding solutions before issues arise. A customer-focused and service-oriented attitude comes naturally to you.
As English is increasingly used within our international working environment, this role requires a minimum B1 level of English proficiency. If you do not yet meet this level, we will of course support you, and you can make use of the language courses offered by our language centre, Wageningen in’to Language.
You will find plenty of challenges in this role, which can also be viewed as excellent development opportunities. Therefore, if you do not yet have the exact track record outlined in this vacancy but do have solid and relevant work experience, we would still very much encourage you to apply.
Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:
-
working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
-
sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
-
there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
-
a fixed year-end bonus of 8,3%;
-
excellent pension scheme.
In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. We offer, depending on your experience, a competitive gross salary of between € 2,979.- and € 3,893.- for a full-time working week of 36 hours, in accordance with the CLA Wageningen Research (scale 7). Additionally, for this role, a contract of 32 to 36 hours per week can be considered. We initially offer a one-year contract, with the possibility of renewal subject to satisfactory performance and depending on the organisation’s financial situation.
If you are an internal employee, your current contract is the starting point. Ask your HR Business Partner about your situation specifically. We encourage development and internal mobility within our organisation. 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.
Please notice
WUR welcomes applications from international candidates. However, for applicants for this specific position from outside the EU/EFTA zone, immigration restrictions may apply based on Dutch and EU immigration laws. Such candidates may be eligible for an “orientation year” in the Netherlands or a visa as a “knowledge migrant”.
For more information about this position, please contact Martijn Scheen, HR Director, via phone number: +31 (0)317 485472 or via email: [email protected].
Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Jeanine van 't Veer, Corporate Recruiter, via 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 August 24, 2026. Internal candidates are preferred to apply before July 29, 2026.
Due to the holiday period, external candidates will be considered after the closing date. Internal candidates will be reviewed during the application period. Therefore, the vacancy may close earlier than 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.
