Project Manager, Learn

About Waag
Waag researches, designs, creates, and advocates for a society that is in control of technological and social developments. With a team of more than 60 artists, designers, and scientists, we empower as many people as possible to contribute to an open, fair, and inclusive future. Over the past 25 years, Waag has contributed to the development and positioning of digital culture, thereby establishing an international reputation.

Position: Project Manager, LEARN
The LEARN research group focuses on (informal) learning. The group investigates what and how we need to learn in order to contribute to an open, fair, and inclusive society. Everyone learns everywhere: at home, online, in museums and libraries, and in the neighborhood. In our projects, we conduct participatory research and create interventions within existing processes and systems. These are diverse, often very concrete initiatives: developing an interactive installation for a museum, setting up a program focused on maker education, or drafting a policy recommendation. We carry out these projects at the European, national, and local levels, with durations ranging from 3 months to 3 years.

As a project manager, you are responsible for delivering impactful project results on time and within budget. You develop and monitor schedules and budgets, provide operational leadership to the team, and serve as the liaison between the client or funder, the head of the research group, other project managers, and the finance department.

In larger research projects, you manage the engagement and expectations of partners and stakeholders. Together with colleagues, you design both creative and more formal processes to achieve this. You facilitate smooth collaboration among people of different nationalities and disciplines so that artists, developers, academics, and policy advisors can take their work to the next level.

You combine an inquisitive mindset with a results-oriented approach. Where necessary and possible, you translate open-ended contract terms into concrete results and interventions that are tailored to the context and the team. You support the head of the research group in analyzing and acting on management data.

Responsibilities

• Monitoring the project budgets and schedules for approximately 5 projects simultaneously, ranging in budget size and duration;
• Managing project teams; responsible for team composition, coordination, and scheduling of tasks; primary point of contact;
• Substantive and financial progress and final reports on projects, both internal and external (clients, foundations, and other funders);
• Partner and stakeholder management, including the design of internal and external processes for quality assurance, advisory groups, and steering committees;
• Providing insight into team member workload, available capacity, and the LEARN group’s actual revenue;
• Sharing best practices and resolving issues together with other project managers at Waag.

Knowledge and experience

• You have proven experience in leading collaborative efforts within multidisciplinary teams, including software developers, designers, scientists, heritage professionals, and a diverse audience.
• You combine a people- and network-oriented approach with precise planning and budget monitoring;
• You have experience with financial and administrative project reporting, preferably also in the area of (international) research funding, including EU programs.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in Dutch and English;
• You quickly identify potential issues and have strong problem-solving skills.

Personal qualities, attitude, and behavior

• You are eager to learn and curious, have a growth mindset, are reflective, and see feedback as an effective way to grow.
• You have an affinity for creative disciplines in art, design, science, and the maker culture.
• You are willing to travel within Europe on a regular basis. From time to time, you participate in Waag’s public programs during your free time.
• We strongly prefer a candidate who will enhance diversity at Waag.

What do we offer?

• Salary range: €3,000–€3,750 (depending on seniority and experience) per month, based on a 40-hour workweek, depending on knowledge and experience, excluding an 8% vacation allowance.
• A stimulating environment for developing (personal) skills, designing your own role, and building leadership in complex collaborative settings.
• Work in a dynamic team of artists, scientists, and designers who are helping to build an open, fair, and inclusive future.
• Openness, honesty, and inclusivity are the values that guide Waag in its commitment to being a good employer.
• Flexibility in the workplace: sometimes at home, sometimes at the office, sometimes at a client’s location.

Deadline: April 24, 2022
If you have any questions about this position, please contact Pam de Sterke, Head of Programme Learn: pam@waag.org

Apply for this job now!
Would you like to join our team as our new Project Manager? Then we’d love to hear from you! Apply now!