Appointment of Professor and Head of the Department of Social Psychology
Equipped with a sensitive management style and strategic vision, the Head will be committed to further strengthening and developing the Department. This will be achieved by strengthening research and improving the quality, range, and effectiveness of its already excellent teaching. The successful candidate will demonstrate leadership qualities and will be committed to building synergies between employees and students within and outside the Department. The Head will be equipped with the ability and willingness to consult and collaborate with academic and professional service colleagues, providing an open and supportive style to help engender and encourage a spirit of scholarly ambition within the Department and engage with the wider University.

Overview of the role
The Head works closely with students and staff to implement the vision for the Department of Social Psychology, and what it should aspire to be in the future, offering impactful research, and developing more innovative forms of education. In this respect, the Department is exploring new possibilities for developing new, attractive Master’s programs while maintaining the viability and relevance of the existing programs. In addition, the department will incorporate blended learning into the curricula

In consultation with senior faculty and staff, the successful candidate will develop and shape the future policy and direction of the Department in ways that will reflect contemporary and future-oriented disciplinary advances and opportunities. The new Head of Department will lead on the further development of the joint research program. The Head will strengthen team science and diversify the revenue sources of research groups by extending the focus of incentives and coaching programs for grant applications to collaborative grants for large consortia, such as within Horizon Europe and the NWO-NWA.  Moreover, the Head will invest in further enlarging the social impact of the work conducted within the Department.

The Head is responsible for education, research, impact, and management of the Department of Social Psychology. The Head of Department reports to the Dean of TSB and works in close consultation with the other Heads of Department to create a truly interdisciplinary and interconnected teaching and research environment. The Head will forge meaningful partnerships, with national and international research partners, and other public and private organisations that may be interested in the innovations arising from the Department of Social Psychology.

Person Specifications
The Head of the Department of Psychology is required to provide:

• an ambitious academic vision for the Department, and provide the leadership necessary to organise the Department accordingly;
• coaching and participative leadership style and ability to create synergies between professionals inside and outside of the Department to strengthen multidisciplinary and impact of research and education;
• effective academic, operational, financial, and human resource management strategy for the Department;
• enthusiasm in taking a prominent role in education innovation and strengthening the existing or new research lines in the Department;
• vision and commitment to fostering equality, diversity and inclusion, and promoting the talents of all staff members within the Department.

The post-holder will be expected to evidence:

• an internationally renowned scientist in a relevant field of research in psychology or social sciences and has a proven affinity with academic education. A PhD in a relevant field is required;
• leadership in education research management to improve the capacity and performance of the Department, particularly in the ability to provide the appropriate structure and direction to realise change within the Department;
• Ability to promote career development and the nurturing of talent of autonomous academic, research and support staff;
• Experience and expertise in building and sustaining collaborative research partnerships with leading national and international scholars, and ability to support and foster an interdisciplinary approach both within the Department and the wider University;
• Ability to generate research income and identify streams of income for the Department.

The term of a Head appointment is four years and can be renewed. The appointment is associated with a tenured Full Professor appointment in the Department of Social Psychology at TSB. Depending on the candidate’s experience, the starting gross salary will vary between € 5.864 and €10.309 per month (full time) based on scale Full professor 2 / Full professor 1 in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement (CAO) of the Dutch Universities.

Tilburg University applies equal policies and actively promotes transparent pay for men and women by applying predetermined parameters based on the candidate’s experience.

Tilburg University

Established in 1927, Tilburg University is a thriving, medium-sized, multidisciplinary university driven to solving complex societal issues. This is achieved through state-of-the-art knowledge in the disciplines of economics, business studies, and entrepreneurship, the social and behavioural sciences, law and public governance, the humanities and digital sciences, and theology. With about 20,000 students in 73 Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes, they provide a wide choice of study options. Tilburg University offers a safe and inclusive community where students and staff recognize and value each other. They educate students to become the leaders of the future: engaged academics who are of significance to society and reflect on their role in it. Tilburg University ranks 47th worldwide on the Times Higher Education World University Ranking (2022) in Business & Economics, Law and Psychology. Tilburg University is located in the heart of Brabant, embedded in Europe, and connected to the world.

The Tilburg School of Social and Behavioural Sciences (TSB), one of the five schools of Tilburg University, is home to 4500 students and 346 academics and cherishes a tradition of offering programs with a strong scientific orientation. In addition to the traditional disciplines of Psychology and Sociology, TSB includes unique multidisciplinary research areas and research groups, the majority of which are based on a social field. Its relatively small size stimulates contact between students and ensures that students receive good guidance from staff members. Education and research at TSB is organized into nine Departments.