Financial Systems Project Manager

Analysis of the current situation (IST) and outline of the target situation (Soll) for a financial SaaS system; GAP analysis including impact and forecast of the required budget.

Start date: June 15, 2026 (tentative)
End date: October 1, 2026
Location: Arnhem, with assignments in Enschede and Zwolle as needed. Hybrid work is possible, though the project manager is expected to be physically present during critical phases.
Hours: 24–32 hours per week, to be agreed upon, taking into account ArtEZ vacation periods.
Language requirements: Dutch-speaking; CV to be submitted in Dutch.
Maximum rate (incl. MSP fee): €125 per hour (excl. VAT)
Self-employed: Yes, permitted

Who we are.

ArtEZ University of the Arts is home to a diverse, international community of students, faculty, and researchers who find space here for artistic, intellectual, and personal growth. Art unites us. Art inspires innovative ideas and alternative ways of thinking. Our motto is: art changes. With inspiring arts education at the bachelor’s and master’s levels and leading-edge artistic research, ArtEZ creates a place where you can make a difference, both in the arts and in society. ArtEZ has approximately 3,200 students and 1,100 faculty and staff members and has campuses in Arnhem, Enschede, and Zwolle.

The assignment and your responsibilities

ArtEZ currently uses multiple systems for financial, HR, and procurement processes (including Exact, HR2day, Spendcloud, and Topdesk). This setup has limitations in terms of process support, consistency, efficiency, and management information. These include the lack of integrated contract management, project and commitment tracking, and end-to-end support for the purchase-to-pay process.

We are looking for an experienced project manager to help us assess the current situation and propose scenarios for improving processes and/or systems within the finance function. One possible solution is to modernize the entire financial application landscape through an integrated financial SaaS/ERP system. For the scenarios, we require a justification supported by an impact analysis. In addition to the impact on processes, systems, and the organization, this impact analysis must also include a financial component so that the long-term financial implications for ArtEZ are clear for each scenario. You will advise the client on the best course of action for ArtEZ based on the detailed scenarios.

What will you be doing as a Financial Systems Project Manager?

• You analyze the current state (IST) of processes and systems
• You will develop future scenarios (SOLL) for an integrated solution
• You will conduct a GAP analysis that affects processes, the organization, and IT
• You will prepare a business case with financial justification (costs, benefits, TCO/ROI)
• You will provide a clear decision document for the executive board and the board of governors

This assignment is primarily exploratory in nature. You will build support to facilitate clear decision-making. In this phase, we are specifically seeking to incorporate the insights of all key stakeholders. You will actively engage senior representatives from Finance, HR, Business Control, and Group Control, as well as key users from the academies and departments.
 

What do you bring yourself

• HBO+/WO working and thinking level.
• At least 5 years of demonstrable experience in complex IT and change management projects
• Strong in stakeholder management
• Knowledge of finance and control, internal audit, compliance, and legal compliance in a (semi-)public context
• Demonstrable experience in project management through education and/or work experience
• Knowledge of Lean methodology and Agile practices gained through training and/or experience
• Experience with process analysis of complex business processes
• Experience with financial SaaS/ERP and P2P solutions
• Excellent proficiency in Dutch (C1), both spoken and written
• Proven expertise in drafting project initiation documents and reports
• Organization-sensitive, a team player, and capable of organizing diverse interests and translating them into actionable decisions.
• Strong personality, results-oriented, and accustomed to steering the decision-making process

The candidate must provide specific, verifiable, and traceable justification of how they meet the requirements of the assignment. This justification must be consistent with the candidate’s resume.The candidate must ensure that the resume provides insight into at least the following:

• relevant education and certifications;
• level of work and thinking;
• specific project experience;
• the candidate's role and responsibilities;
• duration and scope of previous assignments;
• the nature of the organization where the experience was gained;
• project management, agile, lean, or change management methodologies;
• experience with financial systems, ERP, P2P, accounts payable, project administration, contract management, or similar business processes;
• Experience with administrative decision-making, steering committees, executive management, the Board of Directors, the Management Team, or similar bodies.