Key Skills

Job Description

Your job Wageningen University is renewing its BSc portfolio: fewer, sharper programmes with healthier intake. The first track concerns the subset around BTO, BBC, BEB and BIN, where intake is declining most sharply. As quartermaster, you will work with a temporary curriculum committee to design new, complementary BSc programmes that together replace the current ones. Your tasks You lead the design of the new programmes, in line with the regular demand-supply model, and ensure they complement each other. You chair the curriculum committee. You liaise with programme directors and chair groups, keep programme committees, study advisers, teaching staff and students informed of progress, and report to the Dean of Education. You work with various departments within and outside ESA, including the Teaching & Learning Centre, Policy, Student Recruitment and Quality & Strategic Information. The design is about more than courses and credits. We also ask: good for whom, and to what end? What kind of people are we educating, and where in the programme is there room for risk, encounter and independent judgement? Your qualities What do you bring? In-depth knowledge of the Wageningen education system: the educational model, the Framework for Education, the EMC cycle, the roles of the Board of Education, Examining Board and participatory bodies, and the relationship between programmes and chair groups. Distance from the programmes and chair groups involved. You have no stake in the allocation of courses, budget or students and have preferably not been (recently) involved as a lecturer, programme director or chair group staff member in the programmes within the portfolio. The weight and authority to hold difficult conversations, including with professors and programme directors whose courses or programmes will change or disappear. You remain businesslike, and can both listen and make tough decisions. Experience with curriculum design or large-scale educational innovation in higher education, and a feel for boundary work between disciplines, groups and interests. Experience chairing a committee or working group without formal line authority. Affinity with (one of) the domains: social sciences, economics, business and management, development, communication or health. In our international working environment there is an increasing amount of communication in English. For this position it is about language level (https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/table-1-cefr-3.3-common-reference-levels-global-scale) C1. We offer Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment (https://www.wur.nl/en/jobs/conditions-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 gross salary of between € 6.764,- and € 8.199,- for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (https://www.universiteitenvannederland.nl/en/collective-labour-agreement-of-dutch-universities) (scale 13). This position is for 16 hours per week. In addition, extending the appointment to 0.8 – 1.0 FTE as an educational developer is open to discussion. We initially offer a one-year contract, with the possibility of renewal subject to satisfactory performance and depending on the organisation’s financial situation. If you are an internal employee, your current contract is the starting point. Ask your HR Business Partner about your situation specifically. We encourage development and internal mobility within our organisation. Our recruitment and selection policy (https://wur.service-now.com/esc?id=kb_article&sysparm_article=KB0012172) sets out the conditions that apply specifically to you as a (former) employee. If you have any questions, we are happy to help. Coming from abroad 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 (https://wcfv.nl/en/home/global/our-services/happy-landing-and-living/). 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 (https://www.wur.nl/en/jobs/expats-new-international-staff)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. Important information For more information about the position, please contact Dick de Ridder, Dean of Education, via email: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Edvard Jongschaap, Corporate Recruiter, via [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) Ready to apply? Click on the application button next to the vacancy on our website. Only applications submitted through our website will be considered. You can apply up to and including 19 October 2026. Applications are reviewed regularly. Therefore, the position may be filled before the stated closing date. Procedure As part of our selection process, an assessment may be incorporated within the procedure. Welcome, safe, and valued Wageningen University & Research (WUR) highly values diversity and inclusion because we believe that different insights lead to innovative solutions. We create a work environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, and appreciated, regardless of background, identity, or experience. Together, we are building a culture where everyone's unique contribution adds to the success of our organization. We are 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 (https://www.wur.nl/en/Jobs/Why-choose-WUR.htm) 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.

Core Responsibilities

Lead the design of complementary new bachelor's programmes to replace the current programmes, chair the temporary curriculum committee, and coordinate with programme leaders, departments, staff, and students. Keep stakeholders informed and report progress to the Dean of Education.

Requirements

Candidates should have in-depth knowledge of Wageningen's education system, experience in curriculum design or large-scale higher-education innovation, and experience chairing committees without formal line authority. They should be impartial, able to lead difficult discussions and make tough decisions, have affinity with relevant social science or business domains, and have English proficiency at C1 level.

Benefits

• Sabbatical Leave
• Study Leave
• Partially Paid Parental Leave
• Flexible Working Hours
• Campus Sports Facilities
• Year-End Bonus
• Pension Scheme