30 April 2025

The advanced MSc Programme in International Relations and Diplomacy (MIRD), a two-year programme offered by Leiden University in collaboration with the Clingendael Institute, in The Hague, offers a unique blend of academic education in international relations and political science with practical graduate education and training in international negotiation and diplomacy. The MIRD programme has been steadily growing and to ensure the continued quality of the programme experience for our students, we are seeking a new member to join our team!

Position, Duties and Responsibilities

• Starting date is 1 June 2025 | End date is 31 May 2026 
• Fulltime position – 38 hours per week. 
• Required to work 2-3 days a week in-person and occasionally remotely, in agreement. Offices are conveniently located next to The Hague Central Station (Wijnhaven Building, Turfmarkt 99). 
• Required to occasionally attend events or trips outside of working hours; involvement in some key MIRD events, such as the annual MIRD Graduation in July 2025, Brussels and Geneva excursions and our annual student-alumni Reconnect and Gala events. 
• The programme assistant will submit short weekly status reports to the Programme Directors and Coordinators during the weekly team meetings and occasionally attend meetings with the International Relations Study Association (IRSA) and the MIRD Programme Board.

We expect the programme assistant to:

• Be actively striving towards contributing and improving extracurricular activities and strengthening the sense of community in the MIRD programme 
• Assist with the planning and organization of the Geneva/Brussels study trips 
• Coordinate with the IRSA/MIRD team on the logistics of the Reconnect and Gala event 
• Coordinate with the thesis coordinator on the Thesis Symposium (May 2026) 
• Coordinate with the MIRD team on the logistical preparation and execution of the Annual Graduation Ceremony 
• Occasionally answer FAQ of instructors and assist with last minute preparations 
• Occasionally assist the programme team with internal logistical or academic processes 
• Serve as the first point of contact as the administrator of the MIRD e-mail inbox 
• Handle administrative requests from students such as letters of support for internships and scholarships 
• Publish announcements to students via the Brightspace platform 
• Assist with the preparation of the Masters Open Days 
• Assist in the preparations for the MIRD internship module, including supporting the organization of career orientation events, workshops and support the facilitation of students search for internship, in close cooperation with the internship coordinator 
• Ad hoc assistance for MIRD courses and to the programme team

Required Background and Skills

• Bachelor or Master level degree, preferably in International Relations or a related academic field;
• Some work experience, preferably in events or project management, administration or another area requiring logistical organization and support is an asset;
• Strong knowledge of MS Office Suite including Forms, Calendar, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook;
• Strong knowledge of creating MS forms and processing results;
• Knowledge of social media activities;
• Proactive work attitude and seeking approaches to improve efficiency in processes; team player with a positive outlook and attitude;
• Must be fluent in written and spoken English;
• Good planning and organizational skills;
• Ability to coordinate multiple projects and exhibit poise and maturity;
• Exhibit attention to detail and excellent time management skills.

We offer:

• Appointment for one year in scale SA2/3 (€17,73- 17,89 gross per hour). 
• Unique opportunity to liaise with distinguished alumni in the field of International Relations and Diplomacy in The Hague, Brussels and Geneva. Great contact with an international community of engaged advanced Master students. 

Interested candidates are welcome to send the following to mird@fgga.leidenuniv.nl

Application

Deadline: 10th of May 2025

1. Cover Letter (not exceeding 2 pages); and 
2. CV 

• Please use the naming convention last name_CV and last name_Cover Letter. 

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview in the second half of May 2025 (in-person or remotely). 

In case of a high volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Questions?

For further information and questions regarding this vacancy, please contact mird@fgga.leidenuniv.nl