Dominique Goossens

About the role

As Head of HR at PCOU Willibrord, you are the strategic transformation partner at the intersection of people, organization, and public mission. You lead four HR teams—Business Partners, Experts, Support, and the Flexpool—reporting directly to the Chair of the Board of Directors. With approximately 3,000 education professionals serving 22,000 students across 44 primary, secondary, and specialized schools in Utrecht, you combine deep HR expertise with governance, financial acumen, and a focus on educational quality.

Your role is to connect data with interpretation, policy with practice, and ambition with feasibility. You ensure HR is a strategic partner in shaping the organization’s direction and future-proofing it, with a long-term perspective on both organizational and professional development.

Responsibilities

• Lead and align four HR teams (Business Partners, Experts, Support, and Flexpool) to deliver integrated HR strategy.
• Operate as a strategic partner within the governance triangle of educational quality, finance, and human capital.
• Translate data into actionable insights, bridging policy and execution while balancing ambition with realism.
• Drive sustainable transformation by accelerating or decelerating initiatives as needed, with attention to both human and organizational impact.
• Foster social safety, inclusivity, vitality, and professional growth to ensure educators can deliver high-quality education.
• Address systemic challenges like the teacher shortage with predictive data and long-term solutions.
• Advise on fundamental choices to ensure the organization remains meaningful and effective in the long term.

Qualifications & Skills

• Extensive HR leadership experience, preferably with a background in both corporate and public-sector environments.
• Strategic mindset with the ability to connect HR to broader organizational goals, governance, and financial considerations.
• Strong analytical skills to interpret data and translate it into practical, impactful decisions.
• Experience in education or mission-driven organizations is a plus, with a focus on professionalization and sustainable development.
• Ability to balance speed and caution, adapting to the needs of the organization while maintaining a human-centered approach.
• Commitment to social safety, inclusivity, and creating an environment where professionals can thrive.
• Board-level communication skills, including the ability to challenge assumptions and advocate for necessary change.

About the organization

PCOU Willibrord is a Utrecht-based educational group comprising 44 schools in primary, secondary, and specialized education. With a mission to provide the best development opportunities for every student, the organization operates under a governance model based on close collaboration between the board, school leaders, and staff—known as "working from the triangle." HR Business Partners play a key role in this model, offering integrated advice grounded in practice.

Dominique Goossens, the current Head of HR, also serves on the Supervisory Board of Het Sticht, further embedding HR’s strategic role in the broader educational landscape.