Introduction
Can you bring structure, clarity and momentum to a complex strategic process?
They are looking for an Integration Process Lead to guide the next phase of the formal integration process between the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS) and the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS).
The International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) and the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS) are both globally recognized and high‑quality institutes within Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR). Over the past year, the leadership and staff of both institutes, with the support of the EUR Executive Board, have been exploring the potential for integration. This has been based on a vision to create an integrated, globally recognized, centre of excellence for global development studies and Global South oriented partnerships.
This exploration has now reached a critical phase, requiring a more structured and detailed assessment of both the strategic and practical elements of integrating. They are therefore looking for an Integration Process Lead to guide the process. This is a temporary, part time opportunity for a senior professional who is comfortable working in a complex university environment and knows how to connect people, perspectives and processes into a credible way forward.
Depending on the profile of the selected candidate and the most suitable construction in practice, the role may be filled through different arrangements, including internal secondment, temporary appointment or an external assignment.
Job descriptionIn this role, your primary objective is to lead the transition to the next integration phase. You will design, coordinate, and safeguard the overall process architecture. The purpose of this phase is to work towards a well‑structured and substantiated proposal for the Executive Board, seeking approval to proceed to the formal organisational change. This includes helping ensure that the process produces a sufficiently coherent, coordinated, and decision‑ready basis for Executive Board consideration.
This assignment should be understood as a leadership role for the next stage of the integration: building on earlier exploratory work, this role carries a specific mandate to steer the process towards a decision‑ready proposal. This proposal will include an assessment of the strategic case for integration (including its contribution to EUR Strategy 2030), alongside a careful review of, inter alia, the academic, legal, business, financial, and HR dimensions of the integration.
You are therefore intended to provide structure, coherence and pacing, ensuring robust governance coordination so that the process leads in a careful and credible way towards a final decision by the Executive Board and other key stakeholders.
Assignment NatureThis is a temporary, focused interim assignment specifically for the current integration phase (following the initial feasibility exploration). The role is intended to support a careful, credible and well‑paced process that enables both institutes to work through the next stage in a structured and transparent way.
Approximate duration: 3‑4 days per week for 6 months.
Even though the role may be filled through different arrangements, including internal secondment, temporary appointment or an external assignment, we explicitly welcome applications from experienced external professionals with relevant expertise in complex institutional change processes.
Responsibilities- With the support of the ISS Rector and IHS General Director, and drawing on the work already undertaken in the preliminary phase, design and establish the governance structure for the next phase, including working groups, decision‑making lines, escalation routes and coordination mechanisms.
- Drive the process towards an integrated and decision‑ready proposal for the Executive Board, ensuring that relevant inputs are brought together in a coherent and timely way.
- Translate the integration objectives into a realistic roadmap; sequence and planning logic.
- Ensure that each workstream has a clear mandate, expected outputs and place within the wider process.
- Safeguard alignment and interdependence across the different lines of work, including strategic, organisational, HR, legal, financial and communications dimensions.
- Provide process‑level oversight to ensure the project remains on track, while the ultimate institutional responsibility remains with the Rector of ISS and the General Director of IHS.
- Shape a credible consultation and communication approach across the relevant stakeholder groups.
- Monitor overall progress and identify risks, bottlenecks, overlaps, delays or ambiguities in a timely manner.
- Support leadership in maintaining an appropriate pace: fast enough to preserve momentum, and careful enough to allow for trust, ownership and meaningful engagement.
The Interim Integration Process Lead will report to the Rector of ISS and the General Director of IHS, and will be an integral part of a steering group that also includes the Institute Director of ISS, the Head of HR of IHS and another member of professional services of ISS.
The Process Lead will facilitate and coordinate the overall process on behalf of this steering group, ensuring that the agreed roadmap, workstreams and consultation processes are implemented effectively. The steering group will provide strategic guidance, monitor progress and serve as the main forum for escalation and decision preparation prior to Executive Board consideration.
Job requirementsProfile and background
The role requires a person who can operate at senior level in a complex institutional environment and who combines process discipline with governance sensitivity.
The preferred profile includes:
- Demonstrable experience in leading or coordinating complex changes, transition or integration processes.
- Experience in governance‑heavy environments, ideally in higher education, the public sector or similar organisations.
- The ability to design, manage and communicate multi‑stakeholder processes involving multiple workstreams, decision points and consultation moments.
- Sufficient seniority and credibility to engage effectively with directors, leadership teams and other senior stakeholders.
- The ability to establish clear working agreements, hold structure, and address risks or delays where needed.
- Sound judgement in balancing pace and care in a sensitive process environment.
- A relevant academic or professional background would be helpful, for example in organisational change, governance, public administration, higher education, programme or transition management or a related field.
Given the nature of IHS and ISS, the role also requires someone who:
- Is comfortable operating in a culturally diverse and international environment.
- Is sufficiently embedded in the Dutch context to understand governance, consultation, participation and institutional decision‑making.
- Can operate with visible neutrality and build trust across different stakeholder groups.
Depending on the candidate’s profile and preferences, the role may be offered either as an employment contract at ISS or IHS or as a freelance (self‑employed/ZZP) assignment. The final contractual arrangement will be determined based on the candidate’s profile and applicable regulations.
The preferred start date is 1 May 2026. You will be based at the International Institute of Social Studies in The Hague and the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS) in Rotterdam.
The position is for 0.6‑0.8 FTE. The assignment corresponds to the UFO profile ‘Project Manager’.
In case of employment, the salary is dependent on your experience and knowledge and ranges from a minimum of €6,512 to a maximum of €7,904 gross per month on a full‑time basis, in accordance with scale 13 of the CAO‑NU.
In addition, they offer an 8 % holiday allowance, an end‑of‑year payment of 8.3 % and a paid leave scheme. ISS is affiliated with ABP for pension provision, while IHS is affiliated with Zwitserleven. They offer partially paid parental leave, fully paid extended birth leave for partners, a personal career budget, discounted collective health insurance and more. Combined with personal and professional development, as well as active career support, they help you become and remain fit for the future. As an employee, you can also use EUR facilities such as the University library and receive a discount on subscriptions for the Erasmus sports centre.
Erasmus University Rotterdam aspires to be an equitable and inclusive community. They nurture an open culture, where everyone is supported to fulfil their full potential. They see inclusivity of talent as the basis of our successes, and the diversity of perspectives and people as a highly valued outcome. EUR provides equal opportunities to all employees and applicants regardless of gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, functional impairment, citizenship or any other aspect which makes them unique.
Faculty / Institute / Central serviceErasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is an internationally oriented university with a strong social orientation in its education and research, as expressed in our mission ‘Creating positive societal impact’. EUR is home to 3.700 academics and professionals and almost 33.000 students from more than 140 countries. Everything they do is under the credo The Erasmian Way – Making Minds Matter. They’re global citizens, connecting, entrepreneurial, open‑minded and socially involved. These Erasmian Values function as our internal compass and create EUR’s distinctive and recognisable profile. From these values, with a broad perspective and an eye for diversity, different backgrounds and opinions, our employees work closely together to solve societal challenges from the dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Rotterdam. Thanks to the high quality and positive societal impact of our research and education, EUR can compete with the top European universities. Www.eur.nl.
DepartmentAbout ISS
The International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) is a leading academic centre for international development studies. While based in The Hague, the ISS is part of Erasmus University Rotterdam. ISS was established in 1952 as a post‑graduate institute of policy‑oriented critical social science and development‑oriented research. ISS offers a PhD in Development Studies, a 15.5‑month MA in Development Studies, a joint MA in Public Policy (Mundus MAPP), a MPA in Governance delivered in Suriname and post‑graduate Diploma courses. ISS brings together a highly diverse international community of scholars and students from both the global South and the global North, on average, originating from over 50 different countries. The Institute brings together people, ideas and insights in a multi‑disciplinary setting which nurtures, fosters and promotes critical thinking and innovative research on fundamental social problems. The strong partnerships with organisations and individuals in developing countries make up a vibrant network where they co‑create knowledge so that teaching and research remain socially relevant. Key to the ISS philosophy and practices is the wish to contribute to achieving social justice and equity on a global level.
About IHS
The Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS) is a leading international institute for education, advisory services and research, and is part of Erasmus University Rotterdam. For 65 years, it has been our mission to develop human and institutional capacities, to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life in cities.
Looking at cities from different perspectives, they educate urban professionals with diverse backgrounds, consult national and local governments from the Global South and engage in cutting‑edge urban research. Bringing practical experience from real‑life projects back to the classroom, they inspire collaboration and co‑creation of urban knowledge. Together with our partners they work at the front‑line of urban development to improve the wellbeing of people living in cities. IHS is about making cities work.
Our network of alumni includes over 13.000 active urban experts worldwide, ranging from architects, social scientists, economists, to public administration workers, civil servants and government officials.
More informationFor more information about Erasmus University, the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS), and the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS), please visit their respective websites at Erasmus University Rotterdam, Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies | Erasmus University Rotterdam and International Institute of Social Studies | Erasmus University Rotterdam.
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