Program Manager Executive Education

Continuing Education (CE) at Wageningen University & Research (WUR) makes scientific knowledge accessible and applicable for professionals worldwide. Our mission is to support lifelong learning and contribute to sustainable solutions for major societal challenges in food, health, living environment, and climate.

As Program Manager Executive Education, you are responsible for the design, delivery, and commercial growth of the Executive Education portfolio. This portfolio includes customized programs, open-enrolment courses, and an Executive MBA track in Food & Agribusiness. The full MBA program is offered and organized in collaboration with TIAS Business School.

You build bridges to companies, governments, and societal organizations, ensuring that your educational portfolio contributes to both strategic impact and business success for WUR and its clients. You develop long-term relationships with participants and clients, safeguard academic quality, and translate scientific insights into practical learning pathways that are directly applicable for managers and senior professionals. You are the link between cutting-edge scientific knowledge and the practical world of participants and clients. You develop and deliver programs focused on sustainability, food innovation, resilient agriculture and system transformation.

Your team
Wageningen Academy is the support organization within WUR responsible for the development, management, and delivery of the Continuing Education portfolio, in which Executive Education plays an important role. Our Executive Education programs strengthen leadership and organizational capacity. We design high-impact learning solutions for leaders and policymakers throughout the agrifood chain. Building on a strong scientific foundation, we translate pioneering research into practical, future-oriented programs that contribute to transitions such as sustainable food systems and a livable planet.

In this role, you closely collaborate with WUR researchers and lecturers, corporate and chain partners, the Academic Director of the MBA track, fellow Program Managers, the CE marketing team, participants, and you report to the Manager of Wageningen Academy.

In our international working environment there is an increasing amount of communication in English. For this position it is about language level B2/C1 .

For this position, you bring experience and skills in the following areas:

• Content Leadership: Designing the Executive Education portfolio around relevant themes and transition challenges. You collaborate with WUR scientists and external thought leaders.
• Business Development: Acquiring participants and clients for both open programs and customized solutions. You create propositions that support WUR’s strategic objectives.
• Program Delivery: Preparing, designing, co-organizing, and executing Executive Education programs and tailor-made programs; moderating programs, coaching participants, and facilitating peer-to-peer learning.
• Quality Assurance: Monitoring learning outcomes, evaluations, participant engagement, impact measurement, and continuous improvement of the portfolio.
• Internal & External Stakeholder Management: Building and maintaining strategic relationships with companies, governments, and innovation organizations. Strengthening relationships within WUR, including with researchers and lecturers.

Additional Requirements:

• Academic working and thinking level, preferably with a background in sustainability, food systems, agribusiness, or related fields;
• At least 3–5 years of experience in program or product management within Executive Education, post-initial education, or Learning & Development in a corporate or academic context;
• Demonstrable track record in business development and sales, preferably related to WUR themes such as agrifood, circular economy, or sustainability;
• Experience with blended/online formats and customized learning solutions;
• Strong communication skills in Dutch and English, with the ability to translate scientific content into practical learning experiences. You are a credible discussion partner at C-level;
• A passion for system change, sustainability, and the societal role and potential impact of knowledge institutions and Continuing Education.

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• 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. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between € 4,728.- and € 6,433.- for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 11). Additionally, a contract for 0.8 FTE can be discussed. We initially offer you a one-year contract, with the intention of converting it into a permanent contract.

Wageningen University & Research offers plenty of opportunities for growth and development, with a strong internal recruitment policy and excellent training programs.

You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment. For 20 consecutive years, we have been voted the "best university" in the Netherlands! A place to be proud of.

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.

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.