Vacancy: Director governing body Ouders & Onderwijs.

Vacancy: Director governing body Ouders & Onderwijs.

Do you want to ensure that the voice of parents is strongly heard where decisions about education are made? Ouders & Onderwijs is looking for a socially driven and politically-administratively strong director-executive who, from the perspective of parents, wants to contribute to better education. Someone who dares to take a position, connects people, and leads the organization with confidence.

About Ouders & Onderwijs

Ouders & Onderwijs is the national organization for parents with children of school age in primary, secondary education and mbo. We inform and advise parents and represent their perspective towards politics, government, educational organizations and social partners. Annually, we help over 10,000 parents with questions about their child’s school career. At the same time, we actively collect what parents think. We connect their experiences with structural issues and bring these from an independent position to places where education is discussed and decided.

The role

As director-executive, you are ultimately responsible for Ouders & Onderwijs and the face of the organization. You set direction for strategy, lead a compact organization of engaged professionals, and represent the parent perspective in social and political-administrative debates. As director-executive, you are at the heart of the organization. You combine administrative responsibility with an active role in daily tasks. You write, take up content dossiers, and participate where needed. You also maintain an active relationship with the parent advisory council and cooperate with other organizations in and around education to strengthen the position of parents.

Ouders & Onderwijs is supported in recruitment and selection by executive search agency Colourful People.

The challenge

Ouders & Onderwijs has a strong position as a dialogue partner in the education field. In the coming years, we want to further increase our social influence, visibility and reach and represent a broad and diverse group of parents. It is not only about being heard but also about actually making an impact. We want to translate parents’ experiences and signals into a clear agenda and concrete changes in policy and practice.

You:

• translate experiences and signals from parents into a clear advocacy agenda and thereby strengthen the position of the parent perspective in politics and education;
• build durable relationships with politics, government, education field, social partners, and media and know how to use these to realize influence;
• seek collaboration and build coalitions, but also dare to express a critical or divergent voice from the independent position of Ouders & Onderwijs;
• increase reach and representativeness with special attention to parents who are less easily reached or heard;
• give direction, bring focus and make choices about where Ouders & Onderwijs can have the most impact;
• give professionals trust and space and strengthen collaboration and knowledge sharing;
• take integral responsibility for organization, employees, finances, and continuity.

Who we are looking for

You are a socially driven leader with extensive final responsibility experience in a public or social environment. You are used to bearing responsibility for people, resources and results and can lead a compact professional organization integrally.

You have proven experience with advocacy, public influence and/or operating in a political-administrative field of forces. You understand how decisions are made, see various interests clearly and can build durable relationships.

A background as statutory director is not necessary. More important is that you can bear administrative responsibility, quickly understand social issues and credibly represent the perspective of parents and children of school age.

What you bring:

• extensive final responsibility leadership experience and administrative-organizational strength;
• political-administrative sensitivity and proven experience with advocacy and influence;
• strategic ability and sharpness to bring focus in a compact organization;
• persuasiveness, networking skills and the courage to take a position where necessary;
• a connecting and people-oriented leadership style;
• social commitment and strong affinity with the position of parents and children;
• independence, integrity and the ability to act role-consistently.

Personal profile

You are strong and accessible, strategic and people-oriented. You dare to take a position and express a critical or divergent voice when the interest of parents requires it. At the same time, you know that durable influence requires relationships, patience and cooperation. You bring energy, humor and perspective and feel at home in a compact organization where the director-executive is visible and approachable.

Terms of employment

We offer a gross annual salary between €100,000 and €110,000 on a full-time basis, depending on knowledge and experience.

Procedure

Ouders & Onderwijs is supported in recruitment and selection by executive search agency Colourful People. For more information about the organization and position you can contact Monique Spaansen, partner at Colourful People via m.spaansen@colourfulpeople.nl or 06-51526255. A detailed profile is also available via Colourful People, with more information about Ouders & Onderwijs, the administrative assignment and the profile we seek.

You can express your interest by submitting your motivation and CV no later than September 24 via Colourful People. Selection interviews will take place on October 19 and 22. The goal is to make an appointment by October 29 at the latest. The intended starting date is February 1, or earlier if possible.

Ouders & Onderwijs wants to be there for all parents and values different perspectives and experiences within its own organization. We therefore expressly invite candidates with diverse backgrounds who recognize themselves in this profile to respond.