Director of Human Resources

We offer a challenging and engaging education for students from all age groups, equipping them with the attitudes, skills and knowledge to live a meaningful and flourishing life. The UWC Maastricht educational experience is about knowing and acting. We nurture an understanding of the world and its major challenges, and help students discover how they can serve others and make a positive contribution to society and the planet. We currently serve over 900 students from more than 100 countries, 200 of whom live in our residential community on campus. We have approximately 200 staff members from all over the world, representing more than 30 nationalities.

Join us!

The text below is in Dutch because we are explicitly seeking an individual who is proficient in the language.

United World College Maastricht (UWCM) zoekt een strategische, mensgerichte en internationaal georiënteerde Director of Human Resources (1.0 FTE) die onze gemeenschap versterkt en onze missie ondersteunt: making education a force for peace and a sustainable future.

In deze sleutelrol ben je verantwoordelijk voor het ontwikkelen en uitvoeren van een toekomstbestendige HR‑strategie die aansluit bij onze diverse, multiculturele schoolomgeving. Je bouwt aan een professionele, inclusieve en veilige werkcultuur waarin medewerkers zich gezien, gesteund en geïnspireerd voelen.

Safeguarding vormt een integraal onderdeel van deze functie. Je borgt dat onze processen, cultuur en besluitvorming voldoen aan de hoogste standaarden op het gebied van veiligheid en welzijn van studenten en medewerkers. Je stimuleert bewustzijn, verantwoordelijkheid en transparantie binnen alle lagen van de organisatie.

Als Director of HR werk je nauw samen met de HR afdeling en ben je deel van het Leadership Team en draag je actief bij aan organisatieontwikkeling, talentmanagement, leiderschapsontwikkeling en duurzame inzetbaarheid. Je bent een verbindende leider die strategisch denkt, helder communiceert en met overtuiging bouwt aan een sterke en veilige UWC‑gemeenschap.

The rest of the vacancy text is in English, as this is the working language at UWC Maastricht.

The successful profile & qualifications

Commitment
Pursuing the UWC mission requires a commitment from our staff members to the following values:
International and cultural understanding, celebration of difference, personal responsibility and integrity, mutual responsibility and respect, compassion and service, respect for the environment, a sense of idealism, personal challenge, action and personal example
It should be noted that the school is a dynamic and high energy environment: the satisfaction from working at UWC Maastricht is high – but so are the demands on time and engagement. 

Education degree and professional experience

• Completed Bachelors's or Master's degree in Human Resources
• Minimum of 5 years of successful experience as an HR Manager in an international and/or Dutch school context

Professional competencies
The successful candidate will demonstrate the following competencies on a professional proficiency level:

• Advanced level of Dutch and English is essential for this role
• Demonstrates academic level professionality and intellectual ability
• Strong knowledge of Dutch labor law, relevant collective labour agreements’s (CAO for PO & VO) and other HR related regulations
• Skilled influencer with the ability to communicate with impact and engage effectively with all members of the school community
• Proactive and hands-on mentality, with a data-driven approach; able to multi-task and prioritize in a timely manner, without close supervision
• Proven ability to navigate in complex political / legal conversations with different stakeholders
• Solution focused and flexible, with the ability to adapt to change and manage unfamiliar tasks or new processes
• Deep intercultural understanding, with a commitment to equity, inclusion, and respect, and the ability to embed these principles in HR practices across the school community
• Demonstrates strong and effective people management skills
• Understanding of, and alignment with, the UWC context and values

Safeguarding
UWC Maastricht is committed to upholding the highest standards in student safeguarding. Throughout the application process we will be assessing your suitability to work with children and young adults. Prior to an offer of employment being made, UWC Maastricht will check directly with current and past employers about safeguarding.

Terms of Employment

You will get a temporary contract of employment, starting 1 August 2026, under Dutch law: it is a contract as Director of HR for 1.0 FTE: on average 40 hours per week, initially for one year, and can be renewed after that.

The package will be commensurate with the responsibilities of the position, according to the Dutch Collective Labour Agreement for Secondary Education ('CAO VO'). The salary is based on scale 11 and the years of experience and lies between €3.644,- and €6.432,- gross per month on a full time basis.

Participation in the school's pension plan via the ABP Retirement/Pension Fund.

Location: UWC Maastricht, the Netherlands.

To be able to work in the Netherlands, a (foreign) staff member must be able to successfully apply for:
✔ Residence and work permits for the Netherlands
✔ A Dutch VOG (certificate of good conduct)
UWCM will assist in the application process for residence and work permits and VOG.

Your application

You can apply via the procedure via the website. After shortlisting, we determine the suitability of the remaining candiates to work in our school via online screening, reference checks, police checks and interviews at our school or online.

For questions, you can email our HR team via vacancies@uwcmaastricht.nl

The deadline of this vacancy is 12 April 2026.
NOTE: We reserve the right to appoint a suitable candidate before the vacancy deadline.