Teaser Text

Are you an experienced internationalisation professional who is solution-oriented and enjoys working at the intersection of strategy and operations? Do you like turning complex international collaborations from ideas into reality, while navigating multiple stakeholders and tight timelines? The Faculty of Science at Leiden University is looking for an Internationalisation Officer to join the Department of Academic & Strategic Affairs. In this role, you will provide dedicated support to the faculty’s Global Engagement Policy Officer and contribute to the development, coordination and implementation of the faculty’s internationalisation activities. 

What you will do

You will support the Global Engagement Policy Officer in the development and implementation of the faculty’s Global Engagement policy, with a strong focus on operational coordination, follow-up, and delivery. 

Your responsibilities include: 

• Preparing analyses, policy notes, reports, and background documents related to Global Engagement policy; 

• Coordinating and following up on the faculty’s internationalisation activities, ensuring timely execution and alignment with agreed priorities; 

• Coordinating contracting processes with relevant internal and external stakeholders and expertise units; 

• Organising and coordinating visiting programmes for incoming and outgoing international delegations and missions, in coordination with academic and professional stakeholders; 

• Developing and coordinating practical processes and procedures to implement agreed programmes and ensure their effective day-to-day operation; 

• Supporting institutes and academic staff on internationalisation-related matters, including the practical organisation and follow-up of international collaborations; 

• Monitoring national and international developments in higher education policy relevant to internationalisation and providing structured input to support policy development and strategic decision-making; 

• Tracking progress, timelines, and deliverables across internationalisation activities, and flagging risks or bottlenecks to the Global Engagement Policy Officer; 

• Ensuring clear documentation, coordination, and information flow across parallel international initiatives. 

Where you will work

What you bring

You are a hands-on internationalisation professional who gets things done. You are comfortable coordinating concrete activities, keeping processes moving, and working with many parties at the same time. You understand the academic environment—particularly within the natural sciences—and know how to operate effectively within it. 

You bring: 

• A completed university degree (Master’s level), preferably in a natural science or an internationally oriented field 

• Adequate experience in internationalisation, international cooperation, or a comparable coordination role within higher education 

• A good understanding of how universities—especially faculties in the natural sciences—operate, including academic structures, organization values, and decision-making dynamics 

• A solution-oriented, hands-on mindset: you focus on practical outcomes and know how to move issues forward 

• The ability to manage tight deadlines, handle multiple tasks in parallel, and remain effective under time pressure 

• Proven ability to work with a wide range of stakeholders (academic staff, professional services, external partners) and to find workable middle ground when interests differ 

• Experience with coordinating international agreements and contracting processes, in collaboration with legal and administrative experts 

• Flexibility, resilience, and an open-minded attitude in a dynamic, international environment 

• Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively across different cultural contexts 

• The ability to work independently while taking direction and priorities from the Policy Officer Global Engagement 

• Excellent proficiency in English, both written and verbal, with the ability to communicate clearly, diplomatically, and efficiently; proficiency in Dutch, or the willingness to learn Dutch, is considered an advantage but not required. 

What we offer

Our goal is to work together to create a transparent and inclusive work environment in which everyone feels welcome and appreciated. Our organisation is always evolving and we need your ideas for improvement and innovation to take us further. We want to devote attention to your personal development.
 
You can count on an enjoyable job within the socially relevant world of education and research. The University's challenging and international work environment is located just steps away from Leiden’s lively city center. We also want to work with you to devote attention to your health and vitality, for example with the fun activities we organise through Healthy University.
 
We also offer:
•    A part-time position for 24 to 32 hours per week. You will be appointed on a temporary employment contract for a minimum of 9 months and a maximum of 12 months, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement (CLA) of Dutch Universities.
•    A gross monthly salary between €3.546 to €5.538, based on a full-time appointment (38 hours per week) in scale 10.
•    A holiday allowance (8%), an end-of-year bonus (8,3%), and an attractive pension scheme at ABP;
•    Full reimbursement of public transport commuting costs for home-to-work travel;
•    Flexible working hours: as a standard, you are entitled to a minimum of 29 leave days on the basis of a full-time working week of 38 hours; you can also save for extra leave, for example by working 40 hours a week, and in this way accrue an extra 96 leave hours, or exchange 96 leave hours for a 36-hour week.
•    Lots of options when it comes to secondary employment conditions; we can, for example, discuss options for a sabbatical or paid parental leave. Within our terms of employment individual choices model, you can exchange leave days and/or salary for benefits such as an advantageous sports subscription and bicycle scheme;
•    If your work allows it, hybrid working is possible within the Netherlands;
•    A home-working allowance (day and internet allowance) and attention for good workplaces. The University will also provide you with a laptop.
 
For more information about employment conditions, see https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/working-at/job-application-procedure-and-employment-conditions

What we value

Promoting an inclusive community is central to Leiden University’s values and vision. We strive to be an open community in which all students and staff members feel valued and respected, and are able to fully develop themselves. We consider an inclusive academic environment, where students and staff can share their experiences and viewpoints, to be essential for the development of talent.

Want to apply or find out more?

If you want to apply straight away, click the application button.

If you would like more information about what the job entails, please contact Yun Tian, at y.tian@science.leidenuniv.nl. You can apply until February 26th 2026. Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis, and the position may be filled before the closing date if a suitable candidate is found.   

To help us get to know each other better, we follow a number of steps in the application procedure. For more information, see https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/working-at/job-application-procedure-and-employment-conditions.

• In choosing between candidates, in case of equal suitability, preference will be given to internal candidates, women, the occupationally disabled and employees with a migration background. 
• You live and are officially registered as resident in The Netherlands or are willing to relocate upon starting the position. 

• A pre-employment screening (references, diplomas, certificate of good conduct (VOG)) may be part of the selection procedure. 

• Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated. If you nevertheless choose to send us CVs, no rights can be derived from this. #LI-Hybrid