INTRODUCTION

Do you have an affinity for research focused on positive social impact? Do you have expertise in managing large, multi-stakeholder projects? Do you know what it means to work in a team with scientists executing research projects?
As a result of continued successes in acquiring competitive funding Engagement & Research Services is looking for a new team member to partner with researchers in the realization of major research initiatives: largescale, high impact, complex and multi-stakeholder research projects. This position offers the opportunity for someone to manage multi stakeholder projects to work with scientific leads and to be their right hand on maintaining consortium relationships, organizational structure and financial management of the project. In addition, this position will have a role in facilitating how the newly implemented University-wide project and portfolio management software supports the research processes.

JOB DESCRIPTION

As Project Manager Major Research Initiatives your main focus will be on major and complex research initiatives that are funded via European, national or regional funds. As the scientific lead’s right hand on managing consortium relationships, organizational and financial management and delivery of the project, you will be responsible for all organizational, contractual, and financial/administrative processes and communications. You will safeguard deadlines, monitor progress and prepare any non-scientific reports required by the project. Also, you will organize project events with or without additional help, depending on scale.
You are successful when stakeholders are always well informed, when the project is compliant with the funding requirements and when your work enables the scientific staff on the project to focus on doing science. Another aspect of your job will be to coordinate the research support community’s engagement with the University’s new project management support software. This will require working closely with all Schools and ERS as well as with the IT department to ensure the system continues to meet the needs of the users.
You will be embedded within Engagement & Research Services and report in line to the head of the Grant Support Office at ERS and subsequently to the scientific lead(s) of the projects you support. In your day to day, you will work very closely with a team of 4 project managers, your project’s scientific team and the Coordinator Project Management Major Research Initiatives.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Working and thinking level equivalent to a university degree and relevant experience in academic research organizations;
• Three years of experience in managing multi-stakeholder projects;
• Affinity with social sciences and humanities.
• A good set of people skills;
• Accurate, solution oriented and capable of dealing with tight deadlines;
• The capability to act as a trusted sparring partner for scientists and other partners in a consortium;
• The ability to recognize the challenges and opportunities of working in a team that is developing;
• Excellent verbal and written command in Dutch (native or C1) and English (CEFR level C1);

It will be positively viewed if in addition you bring one or more of the following:

• Experience with projects funded through the European Commission or NWO;
• Project management experience in large, complex projects;
• Experience in events (online/offline) management;
• Previous experience with project management software in (large) organizations.

Please refer the Job description for details