Managerial tasks and Leadership - Art of Engagement

• People management

  • Inspires teams to contribute to VU-wide and departmental goals with commitment, helps tactical management adjust them.
  • Coaches tactical management and/or staff, facilitates difficult conversations, opens up discussions about conflicts, is a case manager in the event of illness leave, creates solutions.
  • Sets priorities in the development plan with the team and monitors implementation.
  • Has an eye for signals of unsafety, acts proactively and maintains measures for a safe climate. 
  • Monitors the implementation of strategic personnel planning, monitors coherence and connects conclusions to the department's annual plan and succession management.

• Financial management

  • Draws up (multi-year) budget in the department's annual plan and focuses on coherence in sub-budgets.
  • Translates the cost charging model into financial ambitions with regard to the budget of the faculty or division.
  • Provides input for the budget of the faculty or division and follows implementation critically.
  • Develops income generation, entrepreneurship and valorization and secures this in the department. Actively manages revenue realization, cost control and financial-administrative tasks.

• Process management

  • Monitors progress, quality and development of projects/programmes.
  • Invests in their own digital knowledge and applies it to work processes and professional content in their own department. 
  • Manages, secures and monitors the safety of facilities (e.g. lab).

• Strategic management

  • Proactively formulates, implements and monitors the long-term perspective, includes departments in organizational changes, draws up a departmental annual plan in line with the strategy and monitors implementation.
  • Manages the broader picture delegates authorities.
  • Represents the department externally, represents the interests of the group and invests in VU-wide networks. 
  • Focuses on strategic external partnerships.

• 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
  • Makes feedback a natural part of collaboration.
  • Discusses areas for improvement in a constructive manner. 
  • Gives others confidence in their own choices and actions.

Development and training

• Mandatory training for academic staff

  • Leiderschap Next Level (in Dutch only)
  • Recognizing (social) safety

• Mandatory training for support staff

  • Leiderschap Next Level (in Dutch only)
  • Recognizing (social) safety

• Further development

  • Course Educational Leadership
  • Effective dialogues (in Dutch only)
  • Mentorship (support staff)
  • Mentorship (academic staff)
  • Team coaching
  • Intervision

Positions and roles

• Positions and roles of academic staff

  • Head of Department
  • Director of Education
  • Research Director
  • Education Institute Director
  • Research Institute Director.

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

• Positions and roles of support staff

  • Service Department Director 1,2 (note, this is not UFO position policy director; and therefore not ultimately responsible service director)
  • Head of Department 1, 2 (with management of other managers).

Learn more about management and leadership: