Contractmanager

As an IT contract manager at WUR, you will work on strategic IT collaborations within an organisation that is working on the future of food, nature and the living environment. You develop relationships with suppliers, manage and monitor contract goals and agreements, and help build a professional, central contract management team within a growing and impactful organization.

As an IT Contract Manager, do you want to work on contracts that directly contribute to innovation and social impact? At Wageningen University & Research (WUR), you will support IT facilities behind research into robotization in agriculture, IoT in greenhouses and stables, data analysis and AI applications, among other things. This is not a position where you manage contracts from the sidelines. You work in a directing role, influencing collaboration, performance and development of strategic IT suppliers. Within WUR, you will be given the space to contribute ideas in terms of content, initiate improvements and further shape contract management. This makes this role interesting for contract managers who want more than just contract monitoring.

What will you do as a contract manager?

• You will be responsible for managing and further professionalizing a portfolio of IT contracts with strategic impact, for example in the field of cloud and SaaS solutions, software licenses, managed services, outsourcing and IT services.
• You participate in tenders and contract formation and, in accordance with the CATS-CM methodology, steer on performance, KPIs, contract agreements, cooperation and contract objectives, taking the lead: you steer on the result and the relationship, while the supplier remains responsible for the implementation.
• Together with contract owners and other (internal) stakeholders, you ensure clear expectations, measurable performance and continuous improvement.
• You develop, maintain and use market knowledge about suppliers, products and services, for example in tenders and in contract processes.
• You continuously realize and improve cooperation and monitor compliance with concluded contracts.

Your team

The Procurement & Contract Management department is a department within the Facilities Department of Wageningen University & Research (WUR). Our department consists of two teams: Purchasing and Contract Management. Both teams are supported by lawyers and a data analyst. 

Team Contract Management is new within the organization and is in full development. Work is currently underway on further centralisation of contract management and contract management within the FB and WUR. The team consists of contract managers, each with their own set of suppliers and contracts that are managed. Together with your colleagues and manager, you will further put contract management on the map within WUR and develop a professional working method. You will find yourself in an environment where there is room to build and where ideas are actually taken up. The working atmosphere is open, professional and informal where possible. We work seriously on our profession, but do not always take ourselves seriously. Humor, trust and helping each other are important parts of the collaboration. You will be given responsibility and space, and we expect you to take it. We work hybrid: on average two to three days a week on campus in Wageningen and the other days from home. Both full-time and part-time work (minimum 32 hours) is negotiable.

• At least a HBO diploma and HBO+ working and thinking level.
• At least 5 years of experience as a contract manager with at least 1 year of experience within the IT field.
• Experience with IT contract forms such as SaaS, cloud, license agreements, outsourcing and managed services.
• Understanding software licensing models and compliance issues.
• Experience with European tenders and contract formation.
• Completed education or training in the field of contract management.
• Knowledge of and experience with the CATS-CM methodology (Foundation/Practitioner) or willing to obtain it.
• Good negotiation skills and organizational sensitivity.
• Experience in connecting people within the organization and with suppliers.
• (Optional) demonstrable experience in managing processes and achieving results within deadlines.
• Excellent command of Dutch and English (at least B2).

You are quality- and customer-oriented and maintain an overview, even under pressure. You are confident, have negotiation skills and can work with colleagues and suppliers with integrity. You are analytical, proactive and solution-oriented, and always know how to tailor your communication to the situation and the goal. You switch easily between strategy and detail and bring energy, curiosity and a healthy dose of humor.

Do you not fully meet the profile but do you recognize yourself in the role? Even then we expressly invite you to respond.

When it comes to terms of employment,  Wageningen University & Research is the right place for you. Highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement are, for example: 

• working hours that can be determined in consultation, so that an optimal work-life balance is possible;
• sabbatical leave, study leave and partly paid parental leave;
• There is a lot of attention for vitality and you can use the sports facilities on campus at an attractive rate;
• a structural end-of-year bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme through ABP.

Of course, these excellent fringe benefits also include an appropriate salary. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive salary of at least € 3,399 to a maximum of € 5,478 for a full working week of 36 hours according to the Collective Labor Agreement Wageningen Research (scale 10).

When it comes to your contract, we initially offer a one-year contract with the intention of converting it to an indefinite contract. Are you an internal applicant? Then your current contract is the starting point. If there are any questions about this, please let us know.

Wageningen University & Research offers plenty of opportunities for growth and development with a strong internal recruitment policy and excellent training opportunities. 

For more information about the position, please contact Pim van Benthem, Head of Purchasing & Contract Management, via pim.vanbenthem@wur.nl or 06-20366808

Questions about the procedure? Please contact Conny Scholtens, HR Business Partner, via conny.scholtens@wur.nl. 

Apply? 
Click on the application button for the vacancy on our website. Only applications via our website will be processed.

You can respond to 30 March 2026. We want to schedule the first interviews as soon as possible in consultation. Internal candidates are advised to  respond  before 7 March 2026.

Procedure
Within our selection procedure, an assessment may be included as part of the process.

Welcome, safe and appreciated
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) attaches great importance to diversity and inclusion. This is because we believe that different insights lead to innovative solutions. We therefore create a working environment where everyone feels welcome, safe and valued, regardless of background, identity or experience. Together, we are building a culture in which everyone's unique contribution contributes to the success of our organization.

​The mission of Wageningen University & Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With its roughly 30 branches, 7,600 employees (6,700 fte) and 13,100 students and over 150,000 participants to WUR’s Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch the video below to get an idea of our green campus!

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.

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