JOB DESCRIPTION

The YUFE Institutional Coordinator at Maastricht University (UM) is the main point of contact for the university’s engagement and activities in the Alliance, both for the UM community as well as for the other YUFE partners. The position is embedded in the YUFE Management Office – hosted by UM – and led by the Director of the YUFE Alliance.

The YUFE Institutional Coordinator works closely with the Institutional Coordinators of the other YUFE partners to ensure optimal exchange, synergy and alignment between UM and other YUFE institutions/organisations. Alongside the institutional UM YUFE Strategy Board representative (UM President), the YUFE Coordinator functions as the face of YUFE at the institutional level and acts as an inspiring ambassador to local students, staff, and external stakeholders.

The YUFE Institutional Coordinator at UM:

• Is a core team member of the YUFE Management Office;
• Facilitates UM engagement and contribution to YUFE Alliance activities and projects, including supporting related institutional decision-making process at policy and operational level;
• Monitors UM contribution to YUFE Alliance activities and projects. The Institutional Coordinator, in cooperation with UM/YUFE partners’ colleagues involved in the relevant activities, identifies any obstacles timely and formulates possible solutions to overcome these bottlenecks;
• Advises the YUFE Strategy Board representative (UM President) and the YUFE Director on matters relevant to UM’s role in the implementation of the Alliance’s projects as well as any YUFE-related matters that are connected to local/national policy developments;
• Regularly reports on the progress of the implementation of work package activities to the UM Strategy Board representative (UM President) and the YUFE Director (as manager responsible for the YUFE unit at UM);
• In consultation with the UM President and the UM Executive Board, reports regularly to all relevant decision-making bodies within the university;
• Chairs the monthly UM YUFE meetings held with all colleagues and students closely involved in the implementation of YUFE Alliance activities and projects;
• Functions as the central point of contact for questions about the YUFE Alliance and YUFE projects at UM;
• Facilitates the institutional experts and student representatives in their YUFE-tasks;
• Organises regular information sessions to involve relevant institutional stakeholders and students;
• Reports, on behalf of UM, to the YUFE Project Management Team chaired by the YUFE Director;
• Contributes to institutional presentations for the YUFE Strategy Board and the annual YUFE Town hall convention;
• In coordination with the institutional YUFE Strategy Board representative and the YUFE Director, maintains the relationship with the local and regional government involved in the YUFE activities.

The ideal candidate is an individual with proven experience in project management and policy-development/implementation combined with strong diplomatic and intercultural skills. You are, or are able to quickly adapt to become, well-connected within the institution and equipped with excellent social and communication skills. You are able to initiate and carry out policy advising, development and implementation within UM in collaboration with other relevant experts and department.

The successful candidate has:

• A relevant academic qualification (MA degree or equivalent) or equivalent professional experience in international project management/coordinator position;
• Experience of working with, and advising/influencing, senior university leadership at the Executive Board level or equivalent;
• Affinity with Higher Education in an international setting and awareness of current developments in European Higher Education;
• Awareness of current developments in national and European Higher Education and Research & Innovation policy;
• Excellent organizational and time management skills;
• The ability to coordinate intercultural and interdisciplinary teams including academic, non-academic staff, students and stakeholders from other sectors;
• An open and an inclusive approach to cooperation that allows to foster the YUFE (team) spirit across different (institutional) cultures;
• Excellent interpersonal and communication (oral and written) skills in English and at least one other European language;
• Resilient and able to adapt to changing priorities;
• Ability to work in a small team and equipped with the required flexibility to support a wide range of activities;
• Ability to give, receive, and process constructive feedback with the goal of both personal and team development.

Fixed-term contract: 1 year with the possibility for an extension of up to 3 years, based on a positive assessment and awarding of funding thorugh the relevant Erasmus+ call for proposals.

What do we offer?

• 1.0 FTE;
• UFO function profile Project Manager, salary scale 11 (11.0 to 11.5) CAO-NU. This implies a minimum of € 3.821 and a maximum of € 4.490 gross per month for a full-time appointment of 38 hours per week;
• A dynamic and motivating workplace with possibilities to further develop your career;
• The opportunity to travel within Europe to attend YUFE meetings on (at least) a monthly basis.
• Starting date: as soon as possible, but no later than 15 March 2022.

The terms of employment of Maastricht University are set out in the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities (CAO). Furthermore, local UM provisions also apply. For more information look at the website www.maastrichtuniversity.nl > About UM > Working at UM.

Maastricht University

Maastricht University is renowned for its unique, innovative, problem-based learning system, which is characterized by a small-scale and student-oriented approach. Research at UM is characterized by a multidisciplinary and thematic approach, and is concentrated in research institutes and schools. Maastricht University has around 20,000 students and 4,700 employees. Reflecting the university's strong international profile, a fair amount of both students and staff are from abroad. The university hosts 6 faculties: Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Faculty of Law, School of Business and Economics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience.

YUFE

The YUFE Alliance (https://yufe.eu)

The Young Universities for the Future of Europe (YUFE) is the top-scoring European University Alliance, selected in 2019 by the European Commission to develop and implement one of the first models of a European University. The YUFE Alliance is bringing a radical change by becoming the leading model of a student-centered, non-elitist, open and inclusive European University based on the cooperation between higher education institutions, public and private sector, and citizens.

In the past two years, the YUFE Alliance has started to build the foundations for its European University, and has developed pilots of truly European study programmes, enhancing European career perspectives for staff, and contributing to solving important European regional challenges. In doing so, the YUFE European University is pursuing its vision of strengthening European collective identity and contributing to a more cohesive European society.

In the coming years, the YUFE alliance will continue to build the foundation for its European University, and will develop truly European study programmes for students, enhance European career perspectives for staff, and contribute to solving important European regional challenges. In doing so, the YUFE European University will pursue its vision of strengthening European collective identity and contributing to a more cohesive European society.

(1)       Maastricht University (coordinator), Carlos III University of Madrid, University of Antwerpen, University of Bremen, University of Cyprus, University of Eastern Finland, University of Essex, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Nicolaus Copernicus University of Torún, University of Rijeka.

(2)       European Entrepreneurs CMA-PME, Kiron Open Higher Education, Adecco group France, ETS Global.