Programme Manager for the Graduate School of Social Sciences

Do you like to work in an international environment? Do you have affinity with academic (social science) research? And do you have a helicopter view? Come and join our team! 

Location: AMSTERDAM
FTE: 0.6 - 0,6

As Programme Manager, you contribute to the organization of the PhD Programme. You will work closely with the Academic Director, the Programme Director and the other Programme Managers. The Academic Director of the Graduate School is responsible for the implementation of PhD policies. The Program Director is responsible for the content of the PhD training programme. You will have frequent contact with PhD candidates, supervisors, lecturers of our courses, and supporting and other staff in the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Your duties

Jointly with the other Programme Managers, you will perform the following tasks:

• Be the first contact point for (future) PhD candidates;
• Support the application and registration process of new PhD candidates;
• Coordinate the training programme;
• Coordinate the Go / No Go assessment procedure and the final assessment procedure;
• Coordinate the buddy system, Advisory Board and social activities;
• Participate in social events;
• Conduct one-on-one conversations and interviews with PhD candidates;
• Coordinate the Graduate Fund that financially facilitates PhD research;
• Analyse problems and suggest potential improvements with respect to the organisation and execution of the activities of the Graduate School;
• Communication activities (newsletter, website, mailings).

• Excellent social and communication skills;
• Talent for organizational matters;
• Accurate, flexible and capable of dealing with stress;
• Proactive and service-oriented attitude;
• Understanding of working in complex organizations.

Experience and qualifications

• Relevant experience in educational processes and administration and information needs in higher education, preferably in a Dutch public university context;
• A preference for (and possibly experience with) working in a dynamic international academic environment;
• A Master’s degree and affinity with academic research and the academic environment.

Knowledge and skills

• Knowledge of MS Office (Excel, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Teams);
• Being able to learn and handle various task-oriented software in administration and communication. We use Hora Finita, Ithenticate, Canvas, Kontent.ai;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English;
• Good written and verbal communication skills in Dutch.

Our aim is to provide a stimulating scientific environment in which young researchers, experienced staff and international scholars can mutually inspire one another. VU-GSSS focuses on some of the most pressing challenges to society, related to topics such as societal resilience, integration & diversity and security & conflict.
VU-GSSS monitors the application and admission procedure, a review procedure at the end of the first year, annual progress reports and the final stages of the PhD, leading to the defence of the thesis. VU-GSSS stimulates all supervisors to achieve a sufficient frequency and high quality of supervision.
VU-GSSS organizes a PhD Training Programme providing PhD candidates solid theoretical and methodological knowledge and strengthening academic skills. VU-GSSS favours an adaptive PhD program in which PhD candidates can flexibly choose their own set of courses and organize small group tutorials from renowned experts on specialized topics.
More information: https://vu.nl/en/about-vu/more-about/the-graduate-school-of-social-sciences
We work hybrid. However, as programme manager you are expected to be visible to the PhD’s. Therefore, we expect to work at campus as much as possible, and attend meetings and activities.

The ambition of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is clear: to contribute to a better world through outstanding education and ground-breaking research. We strive to be a university where personal development and commitment to society play a leading role. A university where people from different disciplines and backgrounds collaborate to achieve innovations and to generate new knowledge. Our teaching and research encompass the entire spectrum of academic endeavor – from the humanities, the social sciences and the natural sciences through to the life sciences and the medical sciences.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is home to more than 30,000 students. We employ over 5,500 individuals. The VU campus is easily accessible and located in the heart of Amsterdam’s Zuidas district, a truly inspiring environment for teaching and research.

Diversity
We are an inclusive university community. Diversity is one of our most important values. We believe that engaging in international activities and welcoming students and staff from a wide variety of backgrounds enhances the quality of our education and research. We are always looking for people who can enrich our world with their own unique perspectives and experiences.

Faculty of Social Sciences
The Faculty of Social Sciences examines the major social problems of our time from multiple perspectives. From bullying at school to dealing with transnational immigration, from the rise of populist politicians to creating a self-reliant society. Only at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam you will find all the academic disciplines needed to understand these 'wicked problems': alongside the traditional disciplines such as sociology, anthropology and politics, we also research and teach the new social sciences such as communication science and management & organization science. We do not settle for easy answers in our teaching and research. Our researchers and students are critical thinkers and doers who work together to devise surprising solutions to the problems of today.

Working at the Faculty of Social Sciences means working with colleagues from a range of academic disciplines in an inspiring and personal work and study environment with excellent research facilities. We employ more than 350 staff members, and we are home to around 3,000 students.

Are you interested in this position? Please apply via the application button and upload your curriculum vitae and cover letter before

. Interviews will be held on 13, 14 and 15 June 2023.

Vacancy questions
If you have any questions regarding this vacancy, you may contact:
Alexandra Filius, [email protected] | +31 20 59 87069 or Saskia Jans, [email protected] | +31 20 59 85542

Submitting a diploma is part of the application process.

Applications received by e-mail will not be processed.
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