Level 4 Faculty management / Board

Managerial tasks and Leadership - Art of Engagement

• People management

  1. Strategically manages a diverse and sustainable staff 
  2. Coaches strategic management as part of personal talent development and proactively manages their own employees 
  3. Ensures a physically and socially safe climate, is alert to the warning signs of an unsafe situation and an excessive workload, and intervenes proactively
  4. Ensures effective and motivational mutual cooperation. Invests in community building, visibility and exemplary behaviour
  5. Applies their own vision but limits hands‐on involvement, knows how to delegate at the right time
  6. Mediates in difficult conversations, seeks professional support in a timely manner where relevant

• Financial management

  1. Draws up the unit budget, incl. investments, is accountable for delivering on it
  2. Actively pursues strategic management based on generating revenue, entrepreneurship and knowledge transfer, and assigns these targets to staff
  3. Ensures a readily accountable distribution of resources in their own unit
  4. Regularly monitors interim progress, establishes links between short‐term and long‐term forecasts and realisation
  5. Co‐determines VU‐wide investment and resource allocation, and critically monitors progress and realisation

• Process management

  1. Represents the unit in programmes, monitors progress and decision‐making in line with agreed course of action
  2. Adapts and incorporates digital developments into their own strategy, challenges strategic management to develop application in work processes

• Strategic management

  1. Translates and incorporates relevant external and internal developments into unit strategy (in line with VU’s overall strategy) and obtains the necessary support
  2. Contributes proactively to VU Amsterdam’s strategy
  3. Manages on the basis of quality policy for their own task area, encourages interdisciplinary cooperation and monitors progress
  4. Invests in effective administrative relations with employee participation bodies and other administrative consultations
  5. Inspires employees to contribute proactively to vision and strategy
  6. Represents the unit in external relations

• Leadership - Art of Engagement

  • Invests in their exemplary role by giving a frank account of their own development and mistakes
  • Helps create a safe culture of development and accountability

  Complies with the Art of Engagement in contributing to a collaborative culture at VU:

  1. Contributes to the bigger picture
  2. Is bold and decisive
  3. Is clear and transparent
  4. Listens and gives room for growth

Development and competences

• Mandatory training for academic staff

  • Executive programme (basic training, under construction)

• Mandatory training for support staff

  • Executive programme (basic training, under construction)

• Further development

  • Governing Universities in 21^st century (deans) 
  • Executive coaching

• Competences

  • Connecting
  • Open communication
  • Building trust
  • Contributing a strategic perspective
  • Taking an active and enterprising approach
  • Providing inspiration

Positions and roles

• Positions and roles of academic staff

  • Dean 1,2
  • Portfolio holder for Research
  • Portfolio holder for Education

  Italics means it's not a formal UFO position but a VU-specific position or role.

• Positions and roles of support staff

  • Policy Director 1
  • Registrar
  • Director of Operations 1,2,3

Four levels of leadership