Responsibilities of operations manager

Are you a proactive colleague who is a quick learner and has the versatility to support us across the board? Join us in building the world-class Erasmus Commodity & Trade Centre! Being a small team, each member contributes to tasks outside of their own expertise to ensure that we are able to deliver the best results for our students, participants and stakeholder. The operations manager will primarily support academic, executive education, and general management. Below is an overview of activities the operations manager will be responsible for, and work together on the following activities:  

Responsible for:

• Marketing and Communications: Responsible organising and ensuring professional external communication (LinkedIn, website maintenance, coordinating with the design agency on format, design of publications)
• Student website development: Project manage the development of a student information website where students can find information and vacancies in the commodity trading industry. The website is in the design stage and will require 1) leading the contractor to implement the design, and 2) preparing an onboarding manual, 3) troubleshooting any user errors with the contractor and 4) checking submitted vacancies for posting on the website. 5) marketing: suggest best ways to communicate to students, 6) safeguard budget and expectation management.
• Course logistics: Responsible for arranging all logistical needs while running a course. Coordinate the marketing, participant registration, location, reception of participants, catering, Canvas, availability of learning materials, participant communication, teacher communication, exam logistics, potential supervision of student assistants.
• First point of contact: of the commoditytrade@ese.eur.nl inbox. This is the public inbox where ECTC receives inquiries about the centre, courses etc. Monitor the inbox weekly and answer requests. Set-up a CRM system to register who requests information for which purpose. Start to identify what should be developed next (courses / research / network events)

Support the team with:

• Design systems & processes: Contributes to identifying and designing systems and processes that improves work-flow and efficiency of our growing team.
• Administration for leadership program. ECTC is starting recruitment for the annual flagship executive education program.
• Contract management: preparing contracts for review.
• New course development: Support the development of a new executive course for new recruits in commodity trading. Support is needed to operationalise a new program that ECTC is designing. This includes working out course structures, timelines, key teaching staff and budgeting.

Required Skills & Experience:

• Minimum completed level of education: HBO/university bachelor
• Minimum of 3 years of work-experience
• Experience of managing or engaging with a high performing team that works in a dynamic and demanding environment.
• Training and facilitation skills.
• Hands-on, flexible and adaptive attitude.
• Excellent written and spoken English proficiency.
• Person can work independently.
• Ability to plan, work and meet deadlines independently within remote teams.
• Ability to effectively problem solve in a fast paced, international work environment.

Preferred skills and experience:

• Experience in the (university) education field.
• Affinity with commodity trading.
• Excellent written and spoken Dutch proficiency.
• Work experience in operation management.
• Experience of managing or engaging with a high performing team that works in a dynamic and demanding environment.
• Training and facilitation skills.
• Hands-on, flexible and adaptive attitude.

Applicants who don’t fulfill the requirements in full, but can show relevant transferable skills, are encouraged to apply. Please attach an explanation with your application.

Fixed-term contract: For one year, extension upon suitability.

We Offer

We offer an inspiring people-oriented environment, where individual excellence is stimulated, there is plenty of room for self-fulfilment and further development of the position and where an open and collaborative culture is paramount. The salary depends on your knowledge and experience and for a full-time appointment (38 hours) is between € 3.226 and € 5.090 gross per month Scale 10, in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement-NU.  The position is for 0,8-1 fte. You work in a small and enthusiastic team, with good employment conditions. The contract is for 1 year with extension upon suitability.

ECTC

About ECTC

ECTC is an international platform with a mission to nurture ideas and talent for tomorrow’s trade through academic education, executive education, and applied research & advisory. We are a part of the globally leading Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), based in one of the world’s main commodity hubs: Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Within the university, we operate under Erasmus UPT, a university company in the university holding. In this capacity you will be employed by Erasmus UPT bv. The centre is supported by industry, via contributions to Erasmus Trust Fund, and has partnerships with government, and other academic institutions.

Mission & Vision

MISSION: Nurturing talent and ideas for tomorrow’s trade.

VISION: ECTC as the globally leading university-based platform for knowledge and talent development in commodity trading, at all levels of experience and in all the major trading geographies.

To achieve our mission, we bridge the gap between academia and practice. We do this by connecting students and young professionals with academic experts, seasoned practitioners, and industry leaders.

ECTC activities

Key ECTC activities:

• General management: upkeep of the centre, including finance, administration, relationship management with industry partners and the university.
• Academic education: host and contribute to several courses/electives. These are important to maintain our academic credentials and engage more students.
• Executive education: currently the focus of our efforts, as it is the key means of bridging the theory/practice gap. Executive and is also a key pillar of our financial sustainability.
• Applied research & advisory: commissioned and self-initiated research published by ECTC to build own knowledge and showcase expertise to build interest in our executive education.