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Level 1 Operational management
Last updated on 15 August 2026

From content to managing employees.

At VU Amsterdam, we distinguish 4 levels of leadership within the management framework

  1. Level 1 Operational management
  2. Level 2 Tactical management
  3. Level 3 Strategic management
  4. Level 4 Administrative management

This page describes level 1, Operational management.

Responsibilities

  • Manages employees and team
  • Delegated (partly) responsible for people management

Career stage

  • Managing employees directly.
  • Delegated (partly) responsible for people management. 
  • Ranging from novice (1-3 years) to experienced managers (>3 years).

The management framework (pdf) has the same format for all levels:

  • Career stage 
  • Managerial tasks and Leadership - Art of Engagement
  • Development and competences
  • Positions and roles

Managerial tasks and Leadership - Art of Engagement

  • People management

    • Guides and coaches employees in tasks and development.
    • Takes responsibility for the well-being of employees by regularly asking about it with empathy and thinking along about solutions.
    • Gives effective and constructive feedback to employees and regularly asks for feedback themselves.
    • Can adapt leadership style to what the employee or the situation requires.
    • Focuses on a good division of work between employees, assesses (team) performance and monitors workload.
    • Promotes diversity and inclusion, stimulates social cohesion and ensures effective and stimulating collaboration in the team.
    • Proactively monitors physical and social safety in the team. 
    • Performs basic employer tasks in the HR domain, which usually includes annual consultations and monitoring of illness leave.
  • Financial management

    Not in this role

  • Process management

    • Carries out professional commissioning for projects. This means, among other things, communicating clearly about expectations, making timely decisions and good stakeholder management.
    • Monitors the quality and timely result of all substantive processes and projects under their own responsibility. 
    • Keeps an eye on continuous improvement of processes and takes the initiative for innovation of the chain where relevant.
  • Strategic management

    Not in this role

  • Leadership - Art of Engagement

    • Shows exemplary role in Art of Engagement:
      1. Contributes to the bigger picture
      2. Is bold and decisive
      3. Is clear and transparent
      4. Listens and gives room for growth
    • Reflects openly on their own actions and strengths/weaknesses, asks for feedback and invests in their own development. 
    • Is transparent about their own and other people's points for development.

Development and training

Positions and roles

  • Positions and roles of academic staff

    • Senior lecturer 2
    • Lecturer 1, 2
    • Teacher 1, 2, 3
    • Researcher 1, 2, 3, 4
    • Team lead
    • Chair of faculty examination board
    • Project lead
    • Co-supervisor of PhD candidates

    Cursive positions are not a formal UFO position but a VU-specific position or role.

  • Positions and roles of support staff

    • Head of Department 4
    • Team Leader 1, 2, 3, 4
    • Managing Coordinator 3, 4
    • Substantive position with managerial aspect (including policy advisor; controller; project leader; IT consultant)

    Cursive positions are not a formal UFO position but a VU-specific position or role.

Four levels of leadership

Learn more about management and leadership:

Rolien Walinga

b.r.walinga@vu.nl

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