(Junior) Educational Facilities Advisor

What will you be doing? 

In a well-designed school building, students can achieve better results and educational staff can work more effectively. As an educational facilities consultant, you will contribute to the educational facilities innovation program, which aims to help school districts, municipalities, and private-sector partners learn through practice how to build better school buildings more quickly and cost-effectively. You’ll do this with a long-term vision and based on our members’ needs: what’s required to truly help school organizations improve their school buildings?

One day, you might be working with industry partners to find ways to adapt school buildings for inclusive, community-based education, and the next day, you might be speaking with a school administrator to learn how her organization is addressing energy conservation in its schools and how collaboration and planning with the municipality regarding the renovation and refurbishment of school buildings is progressing.

Together with our partners OCW and VNG, the sector councils provide substantive guidance for the educational facilities innovation program. In doing so, we collaborate with the many stakeholders involved in this area, such as education professionals, students, partners in the construction sector, childcare providers, and others, all of whom are brought together in a program council. You will prepare this program council and ensure clear feedback on the recommendations that emerge from it.

Of course, you won’t be working alone. You will carry out your duties on behalf of the VO-Raad and the PO-Raad (50/50). You’ll work closely with advisors on related policy areas (such as operations or inclusion) and with members of the PO-Raad and VO-Raad associations. Together with your fellow policy advisors, you’ll also advise the executive boards of both councils on setting our strategic direction for the educational facilities innovation program and contribute to our advocacy efforts. Together, we work toward our mission: quality education for all children, for which a good school building is an essential prerequisite.

Who are you?

• You have an interest in elementary education, sustainable innovation, and/or educational facilities
• You're eager to immerse yourself in a political and administrative environment
• You don't shy away from a complicated report or a complex issue
• You are proactive and decisive
• You enjoy organizing focused meetings for parties with different interests
• You can translate your analyses into concrete recommendations for the innovation program, our executive board, the association, and our partners. You enjoy collaborating with your colleagues, our members, and advisors from other organizations.
• Knowledge and experience in the fields of (inclusive) education, educational facilities/real estate, or addressing issues related to public administration, data, or organizational management is a plus
• You are curious and thrive on collaborating with people both within and outside our organization.

What do we offer? 

• The opportunity to develop into an experienced policy advisor. You can also receive guidance from a professional coach
• A one-year fixed-term employment contract for 32–40 hours per week, with the possibility of extension.
• Salary in Scale 11 of the CAO VO (minimum €3,186 and maximum €5,862 gross per month on a full-time basis)
• An excellent package of employee benefits, including 426 vacation hours per year for full-time employees (including recognized public holidays), an end-of-year bonus of 8.33%, an excellent pension plan through the ABP, and an annual professional development budget of €1,500
• A collaborative, informal, and dynamic work environment that offers opportunities for personal growth. The organization has a flat structure and short lines of communication
• Great opportunities for hybrid work
• Easily accessible location right next to Utrecht Overvecht Station

Organization Profile

The VO-raad is an association of secondary school organizations. The council represents the interests of secondary education in dealings with the government, politicians, the business community, and civil society organizations. In addition, the VO-raad promotes the quality of education by supporting school administrators and school leaders in fulfilling their duties. The VO-raad represents virtually all school organizations in the Netherlands and consults with employee organizations regarding the terms of employment for over 120,000 staff members.

The PO-Raad is the sector association for primary education. The association represents the common interests of school organizations in primary education, special primary education, and (secondary) special education. Through visits, networking events, and the General Members’ Meeting, our members are involved in shaping the PO-Raad’s positions. In addition, the PO-Raad drives innovative projects and knowledge sharing for primary and special education. Quality is our top priority. After all, it concerns the future of our children, and thus the future of the Netherlands. We therefore remain committed to ensuring a quality education for every child.

Learn more and apply

The application deadline is June 30, 2024. If you are interested in this position, please send your applicationto vacature@vo-raad.nl. Would you like more information or to stop by for a casual coffee chat? Please contact Tanja van Nes, Senior Policy Advisor for Educational Facilities, at 06-13417652 or t.vannes@poraad.nl

Recruitment agencies are asked to refrain from contacting us regarding this job opening.