Administrative Secretary (0.4 FTE)

Where will you be working?

With over 4,000 students, HKU is the largest university of the arts in the Netherlands and one of the largest educational institutions in Europe focused on art, culture, and the creative industries. HKU offers a wide range of programs across nineschools. In addition, HKU has several centers of expertise, research groups, and support services. HKU operates as a flat organization that, through networking and with art and artistic practice as its foundation, forges new connections with society and develops innovative solutions to societal challenges. HKU’s motto is:the art of HKU, new connections, new applications. HKU strives to be an inclusive organization, so it doesn’t matter to us where you were born, what you believe in, or whom you love. We are curious about your talent and how you can make a difference for our organization. 

HKU has eight examination boards, all of which have a legal duty to ensure the quality of education. The examination board oversees all aspects of education that affect the quality of the degree. The examination board meets regularly and is supported by an administrative secretary. The administrative secretaries are part of the Educational and Student Affairs (OSZ) support staff.

What will you be doing?

As an administrative secretary, you will support various examination boards by performing a range of tasks, with a special focus on the independent role of the examination board within HKU. On behalf of the examination board, you will serve as the point of contact for students, faculty, and program management teams. You will bridge the gap between day-to-day operations and legal and regulatory requirements. In doing so, you will seek pragmatic solutions without losing sight of established policy agreements.

In the role of administrative secretary, you prepare meetings of examination boards. In doing so, you gather relevant information for decision-making and ensure that decisions comply with relevant policy frameworks and legal provisions, such as the OER and the WHW. You keep track of decisions in a decision log and, where necessary, incorporate them into a written recommendation. You will record the essence of discussions during the meeting in clear and comprehensive notes. After the meeting, you will elaborate on the points discussed and communicate with the relevant parties regarding the committee’s decision. Other tasks include preparing the annual report, managing archiving and knowledge retention, and drafting the (annual) agenda in collaboration with the examination committees and your colleagues at OSZ.

What are we looking for?

• You work in a systematic and meticulous manner;
• You have a flexible and proactive work ethic, focused on collaboration and with a focus on the student;
• You find it energizing to work with different people and switch between different tasks;
• You have a good sense of how an organization operates and can translate that into a working method that works for everyone;
• You can easily and independently navigate ((for you) new) digital information systems;
• You enjoy working through legally and/or personally complex cases in areas such as substitution, binding academic advice, disagreements with evaluations, fraud, the use of AI, and so on.

In addition:

• HBO-level academic and/or intellectual ability;
• Knowledge of OSIRIS and the laws and regulations governing higher education is a plus;
• Proficiency in Dutch and English.

What do we offer?

You’ll be joining a diverse educational institution with over 4,000 aspiring artists and countless inspiring stories. You’ll work alongside ambitious faculty members, support staff, and administrators who strive every day to ensure a bright future for our students.

For this position, we offer a salary in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement for higher professional education (CBA-HBO) as well as attractive benefits.

The gross monthly salary for a full-time position ranges from a minimum of €3,377 to a maximum of €4,910 (Scale 9 of the HBO Collective Bargaining Agreement), depending on education and experience, excluding an 8% vacation allowance and an end-of-year bonus (8.3%). We offer a one-year contract, with the possibility of renewal.

Would you like more information and/or to apply?

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Annemarie de Boer – Huijink, Head of Academic Progress, atannemarie.huijink@hku.nl.  

Apply as soon as possible! If you’re a good fit, we’ll try to schedule an interview right away so we can get to know you. The application deadline is September 14. We’ll be closed from July 14 to August 10. We’ll respond to applications received during this period as soon as possible.

A cover letter is not required. However, we would like to receive your resume and your answers to the following questions so that we can get a good idea of what you bring to the table:

• What appeals to you most about this position? And why?
• What relevant (work) experience do you bring to the table when you join our team?
• What do you need to be able to work effectively? What gives you energy?