Application Improvement Specialist

You don’t just accept how applications work today. You question them. You see where processes slow people down, where systems are underused, and where small improvements can make a real difference. You want to understand why things work the way they do — and how they could work better. At Van Oord, your curiosity and drive to improve help teams work more efficiently, make better decisions, and rely on applications that truly support their work — every day, worldwide.

The Position

As an Application Improvement Specialist, you operate at the intersection of business and IT. You work in an environment where business applications are critical to daily operations and long-term strategy, and where continuous improvement is essential. You analyse how applications are currently used, identify inefficiencies or missed opportunities, and help translate business needs into concrete application improvements.

You work closely with Business Analysts, end users, and application support teams to turn insights into practical, well-designed changes. This role is ideal for someone who wants to grow beyond support, learn how enterprise applications really enable business processes, and take ownership of improvements that have visible impact.

Your Impact

You help ensure that business applications are not just stable, but effective. Your improvements increase usability, efficiency, and data quality — enabling teams across the organisation to work smarter and with more confidence.

• Analyse how business applications are used and identify opportunities for improvement
• Design and implement functional enhancements, configuration changes, or small automations
• Translate business requirements into clear functional designs and improvement proposals
• Improve process fit, usability, and data flows within and between applications
• Support testing, change activities, and deployment to ensure smooth adoption

Your Workplace
You will be part of the Information & Support Services team based in Rotterdam. This is where we design, support and continuously improve the digital tools that power Van Oord worldwide. You work with experts from across the business and IT, in an environment where collaboration, learning and initiative are part of daily life. You’ll gain exposure to complex systems, global processes and a team that values curiosity and a hands-on mindset.

About You

In addition to being a pro-active, analytical and supportive thinker, you also have:

• Experience in application support, system administration, or junior business analysis
• A solid understanding of business applications (ERP, finance, HR, procurement, CRM or similar)
• Interest in business processes and how systems support them
• Ability to analyse issues, ask the right questions, and structure solutions
• Strong communication skills and willingness to work with both business and IT colleagues
• A mindset focused on improvement, learning, and ownership

We Offer

A challenging position in which you will play an important role in the further development of the Information and Support Services department. In addition we offer:

• A salary that matches your responsibilities and experience
• Attractive travel allowance (€0.31 per km) and home working allowance (€2.40 per day)
• 32 holidays (of which a maximum of 7 are collective)
• Variable bonus, partly dependent on company results
• Attractive pension scheme
• Option for collective health insurance (Van Oord pays for your supplementary package)
• Extensive development opportunities, including a comprehensive online academy via Goodhabitz
• Communities to join, such as Young Van Oord, Van Oord Women, and the Van Oord staff association
• Various events and sports activities, such as skiing, sailing weekends, cycling, and motorcycling

“What I find most remarkable is the diverse group of people working together, all equally proud of what we're building together.”

Sandra Project Manager Talent Acquisition