Program Manager, PO Academy

What will you be doing?

The PO Academy organizes professional development activities for administrators, school leaders, and consultants in primary education. These include training courses, peer review programs, and masterclasses. We have been in operation for several years now, and in the coming period we intend to further pursue the association’s goal of placing greater emphasis on the professional development of school organizations.

The challenges and developments associated with the role:

• Positioning of the PO Academy: Building connections with stakeholders and translating the strategic agenda into a targeted program within the PO Academy, thereby strengthening the PO Council’s overall service offerings.
• Developing, evaluating, and improving our offerings: Based on the strategic and quality agenda, with a focus on professionalizing the sector, fostering a learning organization, and supporting a culture of continuous improvement. This also includes maintaining and developing partnerships with collaborating organizations.
• Coordinate and drive initiatives: maintain an overview of activities and take the lead in the further development of the PO Academy.

Your team consists of two learning and development consultants, a project support specialist, and support from the communications department. In the coming period, you will work with your colleagues on initiatives such as developing new programs in the field of executive leadership. As a program manager, you are not responsible for personnel matters. This responsibility lies with the manager of the Services cluster, which oversees the academy. You will maintain regular contact with our members and relevant external partners to ensure that our programs align with the needs of the sector.

Your profile

You are an experienced strategic advisor or manager with extensive experience in program management. You are someone who can translate strategic goals into concrete actions and who thrives on achieving results and maintaining relationships with stakeholders. You are a true team player. Collaboration is in your DNA, and your strong personality makes you a valuable sounding board for your colleagues. You work independently, take the initiative to get to know your colleagues better, and delve into relevant topics. Social engagement comes naturally to you, and you have a strong affinity for (primary) education. With your vision on learning and development, you know how to inspire others and help shape the direction of a forward-thinking organization (PO-Academie).

Your skills:

• Strategic and analytical skills
• Political and administrative skills
• Networking skills
• Collaboration
• Communication skills
• Results-oriented
• Proactive

What do we offer?

• A challenging position for 32 hours per week.
• The PO-Raad adheres to the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities; the position is classified in pay scale 12 (with a gross monthly salary ranging from a minimum of €5,247 to a maximum of €6,737 for full-time employment).
• Flexibility and opportunities for (partially) hybrid work
• A good pension plan with the ABP
• Attractive benefits, such as a vacation allowance and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%
• Option to accrue additional compensatory time off
• Travel expense reimbursement or an NS Business Card if your commute to our office near Utrecht Overvecht station is more than 10 kilometers
• A one-year contract with the possibility of a permanent position
• Opportunities for professional development

Organization Profile

The PO-Raad is the sector association for primary education. The association represents the common interests of school boards in primary education, special primary education, and (secondary) special education. In addition, the PO-Raad drives innovative projects and knowledge sharing for primary and special education. Together with your team, you will work on developing and implementing our professional development programs.

Are you excited?

The PO Council is being assisted in this process by the executive search firm Colourful People. You can apply by uploading your resume and cover letter (both in PDF format) via our website no later than August 30, 2024. If you have any questions about this position, please contact Hatice Türkmen, senior partner at Colourful People, at 06 46 08 12 32. The preliminary interviews will take place on September 4, 5, and 6, 2024. The final interviews are scheduled for September 16 and 20.