Secretary General
Secretary General
CESAER
Leuven, Belgium
CESAER is the European association of leading specialised and comprehensive universities of science and technology that: champion excellence in higher education, training, research and innovation; influence debate; contribute to the realisation of open knowledge societies; and, deliver significant scientific, economic, social and societal impact.
We seek a Secretary General to lead our Secretariat full time as of 1 January 2023. The deadline for applications is 1 September 2022.
What we offer
- Varied and dedicated international work experience within a multi-cultural and open setting in a small and dynamic team;
- Position based at Kasteel van Arenberg in LEUVEN (BELGIUM);
- Full-time (40-hours work week) contract for one year and longer-term career perspective with permanent contract;
- Competitive salary, attractive offer of extra-legal benefits and pension arrangements;
- Inspiring professional and personal development;
- Employment directly at the CESAER AISBL.
What are the main responsibilities
- Promote the mission, aims and values of our association;
- Lead operations of our association together with the President;
- Serve our governing bodies and support the association’s governance and strategic leadership;
- Engage with Members;
- Lead the Secretariat, administration and facilities.
What are concrete examples of the tasks
- Shape and embody the mission, aims and values in all work and monitor adherence to them;
- Act as Secretary of the General Assembly, Board of Directors and Presidency;
- Guard and maintain Articles of Association and Internal Regulations;
- Guide, prioritise and contribute to activities in research, higher education and innovation and lead delivery of results and impact;
- Represent our association and advance outreach to general public;
- Promote and represent association as effective partner at European level and beyond;
- Facilitate Member affairs including admission, suspension and termination of membership;
- Recruit, coach, nurture and administer volunteers and leaders to our bodies;
- Facilitate establishment of learning organisation;
- Facilitate drafting and adoption of terms of reference, biennial work plans, reports and strategy;
- Direct compliance with legal and fiscal obligations;
- Flag risks to governing bodies, propose mitigating actions and lead their implementation.
What are the mandatory requirements
- Strategic thinking, decision-making and flexibility;
- Leadership skills and experience, including supervision and peer mentoring;
- Knowledge and experience in European policymaking and institutions;
- Excellent investigative and motivational skills;
- Track record in and knowledge of European research, education and innovation landscapes and related advocacy;
- Experience in working with membership-based organisations, senior university leaders, senior academics and policymakers in international context;
- Track record in writing and editing publications and opinion pieces, and in giving speeches;
- Excellent relationship-building and networking skills;
- Fluency (spoken and written) in English;
- Proficiency in IT, including leading systems development;
- Willingness to travel within Europe and beyond and work during non-office hours;
- Legal entitlement to work in EU;
- Master’s degree or equivalent.
What are the desirable requirements
- PhD or academic background in engineering, or both, is a strong advantage;
- Fluency (spoken and written) in other European languages;
- Network in European science and technology;
- Experience with universities of science and technology.
How to apply
Interested candidates are invited to send (i) a motivation letter of maximally two pages demonstrating suitability for the function, (ii) a curriculum vitae of maximally two pages and (iii) two pieces of writing (links to online locations sufficient) related to the leadership of the candidate in European affairs by email to info@cesaer.org by no later than 1 September 2022 with ‘Application for Secretary General’ in the subject line.
Equality, diversity and inclusion are core values of our association and we welcome applications from diverse personal contexts, backgrounds and circumstances.
For more information on the function, please contact David Bohmert at david.bohmert@cesaer.org.
