Data and Information Program Manager

The context 

In a world where data is becoming increasingly important, the PO-Raad,in collaboration with the VO-Raad, isdeveloping online information products for schools, school boards, and partnerships in primary and secondary education. The two Councils develop and manage online applications for over 10,000 users and more than 1.5 million visitors per year. These applications help educational organizations manage educational quality, operations, and accountability. An example of such an application is the website www.scholenopdekaart.nl.

The Work

You will be responsible for the information products and the associated IT infrastructure, and you will have a great deal of autonomy in this role. You will lead the information products team (10–15 FTE) in terms of content and collaborate with the program manager at the VO-raad. The team consists of independent professionals with extensive expertise. The work is highly diverse, and team members are deployed in a multidisciplinary capacity—ranging from low-code software development to the development of supporting IT processes and the setup of the data warehouse. All lines of communication converge with you, making you a key sparring partner for your colleagues. Additionally, you are responsible for the budget. We are in the midst of a major transformation, and you have the opportunity to make a significant impact on the organization’s structure.

More about the position

The PO-Raad is divided into three clusters. The Information Products Team is part of the Services Cluster. The Services Cluster Manager is responsible for the personnel of the Information Products Team. As a program manager, you will serve, together with the cluster manager, as the liaison to the PO-Raad’s management team, executive board, and board of directors. If there are major developments, problems requiring escalation, or other issues, these will be discussed in meetings with the management team and/or the executive board. In your role, you will prepare for these meetings and attend them.

For the past year, we have been working to develop and maintain all information products entirely in-house. This means that, in collaboration with an IT partner, we are building a data warehouse. In addition, we are building all applications using low-code software. We employ the developers for this in-house. The goal is to have all products up and running in our own environment within the foreseeable future. The IT partners we are currently working with are contracted to us for a period of several years, partly through a European tender. In the long term, procurement needs will arise again, and you will be responsible for managing the procurement process.

The learning curve within the team is steep, and with every new product, we work smarter and more efficiently. We use a roadmap to keep the various developments aligned. In roadmap meetings, time, money, and progress come together: will we be able to get the work done with the available resources? As a program manager, you are closely involved in the operation, but you also rise above it to ensure connection and coordination. When bottlenecks and issues arise, you make decisions together with the VO program manager.

In addition, you will maintain contact with external parties, such as DUO and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, as well as through steering committees with partners, including the IT providers we work with. These are regular meetings where we share updates and discuss specific topics, such as ensuring that the PO-Raad continues to receive the relevant data files in the future.

Because we work with databases containing personal data, it is important that their security is properly safeguarded. We collaborate with many different parties: from data providers to school boards and from technical partners to the government. The exchange of data must be properly organized. Some knowledge and expertise regarding privacy and GDPR legislation, data management, and contract management is important for the program manager. If this knowledge is not yet available, it is necessary to build it up.

We ask 

You have a clear vision when it comes to operational and tactical IT services. With your knowledge and experience, you know how to establish the frameworks and conditions that allow the team to work effectively and efficiently. You embody people- and results-oriented leadership, are positively critical, and see opportunities for the further development and assurance of information products and the supporting IT landscape. 

 In addition: 

• Do you have at least 3 years of work experience as a project leader or program manager, preferably in an IT environment;
• Do you have proven experience in mentoring and coaching employees? 
• you have a relevant university degree;
• Do you have knowledge of data processes such as processing and management? 
• experience with the Agile/Scrum methodology; 
• you have an understanding of administrative and organizational dynamics within a public sector context; 
• You value high-quality stakeholder management. 

Pré 

• Experience in IT and/or business administration or business informatics; 
• You have knowledge of security and privacy issues; 
• You have experience with IT migration projects.

We offer 

• You will be offered a one-year contract with the possibility of a permanent position;
• The PO-Raad offers a competitive salary(scale 13, Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities; starting salary depends on education and work experience, up to €6,702 per month based on full-time employment);
• an end-of-year bonus of 8.3% and an excellent benefits package;
• There is a good pension plan through the ABP;
• A combination of working from home and in the office is definitely possible in this role;
• In addition, there is always room for personal growth.

Please submit your response by 5:00 p.m. on February 10 to vacature@poraad.nl. The first round of interviews will take place on February 13, and the second round on February 21. Following that, there will be a final interview with the director of the PO-Raad. If you have any questions about this position, please contact Anouk Folstar (06-12969097, a.folstar@poraad.nl).

About the PO Council 

The PO-Raad is the sector organization for primary education. The association represents the common interests of schools and school boards in primary education, special primary education, and (secondary) special education. The PO-Raad has become an authoritative advocate. In addition, the PO-Raad drives innovative projects and knowledge sharing for primary and special education. Quality is paramount. The internal organizational culture is informal and professional. The PO-Raad is an organization where all doors are open and everyone is approachable. Varietyand diversity are embraced by the PO-Raad; this applies both to the sector and to our own employees.