Internship: Leadership development impact & research

Job Title

Internship: Leadership development impact & research

Job Description

Assignment type : Internship

Start date : February 2027

Assignment duration : 6 months

Location : Veghel

Education level : Master

Desired study : Work and Organizational psychology, Human Resources and related field

Language : Dutch / English

Description of assignment

Are you ready to explore how leadership development truly drives organisational change? We are currently redesigning our leadership development portfolio and looking at impact through a fresh, broader lens. Measuring the real effect of leadership programs goes far beyond standard completion rates, satisfaction surveys, or basic quantitative metrics. In this role, you will play an active part in co-creating how we understand and evaluate the true contribution of leadership development within a complex global organisation.

During your internship, you will explore what impact means, who defines it, and what forms of evidence are most meaningful in practice. Your focus will be investigating how leadership interventions influence organisational culture, daily leadership practice, and business outcomes. Through action research and qualitative inquiry, you will analyse intended and unintended effects across different stakeholders, evaluate competing interpretations, and help shape how our organisation continuously learns

Department description

You will join our dynamic Global Learning team, working directly alongside the Program Manager for Leadership Development and three experienced Learning Consultants. The Global Learning team is an integral part of our HR organisation, operating internationally with team members based across Veghel, Pune (India), and Marietta (USA).

You will become part of an open, collaborative environment where continuous learning and personal development are key. In this team, your research and creative insights will directly influence how we evaluate and improve our global leadership initiatives.

Tasks/responsibilities

Develop and pilot an inquiry approach combining qualitative and quantitative evidence.

Explore intended and unintended effects of leadership interventions across various stakeholders and timescales.

Examine competing interpretations of evidence and identify what can be reasonably proven or remains uncertain.

Test a suggested research approach on initial short-term outcomes to assess its usefulness and limitations.

Evaluate the consequences and practical value of different ways of interpreting evidence.

Formulate actionable recommendations on how the organisation can continue learning from its leadership programs.

Your profile

Passionate about moving beyond traditional evaluation frameworks such as Kirkpatrick, Philips, and standard ROI

Driven by curiosity, comfortable navigating ambiguity, and able to work constructively with conflicting perspectives

Familiarity with action research, qualitative analysis methods, and a data-savvy mindset

Understanding of adult development concepts and a keen interest in organizational culture

*Mandatory enrolment to a Dutch Education System & resident of The Netherlands

What we offer

A monthly internship allowance (based on a 40-hour work week): Master: €550 per month

Full commuting allowance, including public transport, depending on whether you have access to free public transport or not

On-site health center with gym

Active employee communities and initiatives

Excellent company restaurant and barista coffee bar

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Contact

Do you recognize yourself in this challenging profile? Are you looking for an internship in our organization? Please fill out the application form and upload your resume and cover letter. For more information, contact us by e-mail: internship@vanderlande.com.