The Executive Board of Maastricht University is seeking a skilful liaison who focuses on substance and can advise the institution on strategy.

Position in the organisation

As the Director of Academic Affairs, you will hold responsibility for broad institutional policy and strategy development in the areas of internationalisation, education, research and valorisation, and will in this connection also advise the Executive Board and faculty boards. You will head a department that operates in a complex administrative nexus with a multiplicity of internal and external stakeholders to take into account. You will be responsible for effectuating Executive Board policy and policy proposals in diverse national and international policy and decision-making bodies and for initiating, preparing and maintaining regional, national, EU and wider international collaborative arrangements. Within the MUO's hierarchical structure, you will have supervisory authority and responsibility for directing office activities and processes, for human resources management within your department and for collaboration between your department and staff at other units.

Result areas

• Direct and manage the Academic Affairs Department (25 – 30 people).
• Provide strategic advice to the Executive Board.
• Identify, manage, maintain and further develop networks and relationships with existing and potential new partners with the aim of realising innovative developments.
• Supervise the preparation of policy memoranda, research proposals, business plans, partnership agreements, etc. which provide the foundation on which the university board can guide innovation and development processes.

You have an academic degree, preferably a PhD, and an affinity with both the university working culture and the private and government sectors. You have extensive experience of working in complex political/administrative organisations and are a knowledgeable discussion partner for all stakeholders in the field. The ability to make choices and prioritise is crucial. You should furthermore be closely attuned to internal and external developments in order to place them on the agenda. Given the university's future developments, experience in the STEM cluster is preferred. You are expected to have a large, strong external network in the relevant fields or have sufficient experience and knowledge to be able to quickly build up such a network. Your leadership style can be characterised as coaching and facilitating, not managing or controlling. You are able to see the field in its entirety, detect problems and opportunities in a timely fashion and make connections.

Personality profile

• You have wide experience holding a relevant position in an academic environment. In view of the strategic objectives of Maastricht University, previous education in the exact sciences is desirable.
• You have demonstrable experience in leading professionals.
• You have a demonstrable interest in academic practice and are very well versed in university education, research, internationalisation and valorisation.
• You are knowledgeable about policy development, decision-making processes and organisational and functional relations in a research and/or education institution.
• You have an affinity for administrative relationships within a complex professional organisation.
• You have a relevant network or are able to develop one quickly.
• You are well informed about internal and external developments relevant to the university.
• You are able to identify problems and opportunities for the university in good time and are able to respond accordingly.
• You are able to steer efforts to achieve timeliness and quality, ensure that agreements are fulfilled and monitor the balance between management and the scope UM staff need as professionals.

The salary will be commensurate with your education, experience and qualifications within salary scale 15/16, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU). The CAO-NU and Maastricht University offer good employee benefits and flexible terms of employment in areas including training and mobility.

If appointed, you will be offered a temporary employment contract for a period of two years. Subject to satisfactory performance, this will be converted into a permanent employment contract. This is a full-time position.

Maastricht University (UM)

Based in Europe, focused on the world. Maastricht University is a stimulating environment. Where research and teaching are complementary. Where innovation is our focus. Where talent can flourish. A truly student-oriented research university.

Maastricht University (UM) has a reputation for innovative, problem-based learning characterised by a small-scale, student-centred approach in a highly international setting. Located in the heart of Europe, UM truly is the most international university in the Netherlands. Having recently celebrated its fortieth anniversary, the university now has a student body upwards of 16,300 and 4,300 employees, and is continuing to grow. Its international character is also clearly reflected in its share of international students and staff.

UM comprises six faculties, which offer a total of 17 bachelor's programmes and more than 60 master's programmes. Most of these programmes are taught in English, and many have an international or European orientation.

The mission and future of Maastricht University

UM is a young and stimulating institution that stands for innovation and the internationalisation of university education and research. This finds expression in the university's outstanding range of degree programmes that rank among the best in Europe, leading research focusing on selected themes (Quality of Life, Learning & Innovation and Europe & a Globalising World), active collaboration with private and public-sector organisations and its contributions to the development of the Limburg and wider EU region. For example, the UM is an active participant in the Brightlands Health Campus, Brightlands Chemelot Campus, Brightlands Smart Services Campus and Brightlands Greenport Venlo, and invests a portion of its strategic resources in these developments.

Academic Affairs

Academic Affairs is one of the departments that make up the Maastricht University Office (MUO). The Maastricht University Office offers advice and support services to the Executive Board, faculties and service centres. In addition to Academic Affairs, the MUO consists of the Marketing and Communications, Legal and Administrative Affairs, Support Office, HRM, Corporate Information Office and Development & Alumni Relations departments.

The Academic Affairs Department is responsible for advising the Executive Board and faculties in the areas of university research, education, knowledge valorisation, internationalisation and strategic development. More specifically, it develops policy keyed to overarching, university-wide themes such as quality assurance (Institutional Quality Assurance Audit and accreditation of degree programmes) and the 'Community at the CORE' strategic programme. In 2017, UM began implementing this new strategic programme with the leading themes of integration of research and education (CORE), student employability, sustainability, the further expansion of Data Science and Natural Sciences, strengthening the university's international profile and strengthening the ICT and HRM departments. The ambitions are lofty and require that Academic Affairs play an active and leading role.

Staff of Academic Affairs often work in multidisciplinary teams that include not only academics, but also other departments, such as Finance, Legal and Administrative Affairs, HRM, M&C, Student Services, etc. In addition, Academic Affairs plays an important role in supporting the development of the Brightlands Campuses, the Knowledge Axis and the advancement of education. The department consists of a number of clusters, coordinated by senior policy officers.

The themes

Maastricht University has great ambitions and has equally great expectations that Academic Affairs will play its role as effectively as possible. The department itself expects to be able to grow professionally, personally and as a team.

To ensure the department's role is even more clearly delineated, UM expects the following of the Director of Academic Affairs:

• The Director will steer the further development of the Academic Affairs department.
• The Director will direct expectations at the administrative level, i.e. driving the department's agenda where possible, but making choices where necessary. In the spirit of the strategic programme, the multiplicity of subjects is an important topic. The director will need to manage, inspire and create frameworks.
• The relationship between the department and the various stakeholders is of eminent importance. First and foremost, this relates to the expectations of the Executive Board, the faculties and the other support departments. In addition, the Director of Academic Affairs will be expected to operate on the interface between UM and national developments in his/her policy areas.
• The Director must be able to advise the Executive Board on strategic decisions about academic tasks.