Teamlead Projectoffice

Do you want to make our projects more successful and run smoothly? Will you help us improve our project management skills and standards? Do you also enjoy getting out of bed to develop talent and contribute to innovations for education and research in the Netherlands? Then you might be the team head we are looking for for our Project Office!

Where you will work

SURF is the ICT cooperative for Dutch educational and research institutions. Together with them, we work on digital services and complex innovation challenges to enhance the quality of education and research. At SURF, we do a lot of different projects and as teamlead of the Project Office, you will contribute to the success of those projects.

The team you will join

The Project Office team consists of four project management officers, a project manager and around nine flexible project officers. Our team is always there for each other. Whenever there are things that someone runs into, you can be sure that you can turn to someone on the team. Everyone is ready with tips and good advice to help solve your problem. We also learn a lot from each other and the different projects we do.

There is always room for humour. When someone is less comfortable, we take over tasks and encourage them to take a rest. This creates a very safe environment where everyone is allowed to be themselves. We meet physically once every fortnight on Tuesdays, to make sure we can find each other and see each other quickly. We also have an annual team outing where there is a lot of laughter and where we play fanatical games.

What you will do

As team head of the Project Office, you manage the employees in the team and are responsible for their well-being and proper functioning. You are also the point of contact for other departments for expertise and support for projects and programmes. You think along continuously and put the right people in the right place. You also liaise with HR and external parties to attract new talent in order to provide your internal clients with the right support as quickly and as well as possible.

What else you will be involved in:

• You develop and optimise standards and processes for project support. Specifically, this means that you look at project methodologies, standards and ways of working.
• You contribute to the development of project management skills and project-based working in the organisation. You do this by organising training courses, among other things.
• You coordinate and distribute work. You do this by translating the questions from the organisation to the people in your team. Together, you divide the work so that it matches the ambitions and qualities of the people in your team.
• You professionalise the Project Office. This means that you sharpen the services of the Project Office, taking into account the needs of and developments within the organisation.
• You collaborate optimally with other teams within SURF, such as the Project Portfolio Office that focuses on Project Portfolio Management within SURF.
• You strengthen the position of the Project Office within the organisation. This means that you keep in touch with managers and project leaders and that departments know how to find you. In other words: your network within SURF is like a house.

Your skills and experience

• You are a connecting, coaching and results-oriented manager.
• You have knowledge of and experience in the PMO profession as well as leadership experience. You are committed to the growth and development of your team.
• You are organisationally sensitive, customer-oriented and have good communication skills. You can switch well between the interests of the team and those of the organisation.
• You have an HBO working and thinking level and at least 5 years of relevant work experience.
• You stand firmly on your feet.
• You have an excellent command of Dutch and English.

Good to know

For this position, you will initially be given a temporary contract, with the intention of converting this to permanent employment on good performance. This depends on a restructuring within SURF and a definite answer can be given in mid-2025.

With this vacancy an assessment can be part of the selection procedure.

SURF takes pleasure in doing its recruitment itself; acquisition is therefore not appreciated.