Managing Director

The Film Fund finances a varied and distinctive selection of Dutch films and series for a diverse audience. This means that the fund supports film productions featuring all kinds of different stories, for young and old, for the film buff as well as the occasional movie-goer, in every corner and region: from Maastricht to Texel, from Groningen to Bonaire. Films that reach either a specific target audience or, conversely, a broad audience. Based on a social mission, the Fund promotes film culture in the broadest sense of the word: from feature films to VR, from experimental to children’s and family films, from documentaries to animation. In doing so, the Fund focuses not only on established filmmakers but also encourages emerging talent and new, previously unheard voices. The Film Fund supports activities that promote international co-production and initiatives in the areas of talent development and film education throughout the Netherlands. Central to this is ensuring the accessibility of Dutch films. It also strengthens regional infrastructure to increase the accessibility of the film sector for filmmakers from across the Kingdom of the Netherlands and to highlight stories from the region.

About the Dutch Film Fund

The Netherlands Film Fund is an independent administrative body (zbo) that operates with a clear mandate and funding from the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science (OCW). The Fund carries out a clear public task: the promotion of film art and culture in the Netherlands. Although the Fund falls under the Ministry’s systemic responsibility, it has its own mandate and a certain degree of autonomy in the implementation of cultural policy. The relationship with the Ministry, including with regard to the appointment of the Supervisory Board and the Board of Directors, is enshrined in the articles of incorporation and the laws and regulations governing autonomous public-sector organizations (ZBO’s). In addition, the division of roles between the Ministry and all national cultural funds, including the Netherlands Film Fund, is laid out in the Act on Specific Cultural Policy (WSC), with four-year policy frameworks and plans forming the basis for cooperation. Within this framework, the Fund carries out its tasks independently, with room for its own expertise and priorities, but in close coordination with the Ministry. The Netherlands Film Fund adheres to the Governance Code for Culture, the Code of Conduct for Cultural Funds, the Fair Practice Code, and the Diversity & Inclusion Code.

The organization consists of approximately 60 employees who, divided among several specialized departments, implement the various programs and activities. The Film Fund has a two-person board consisting of a general director and a business director, each with their own focus, who make decisions jointly. The directors of the Film Fund bear ultimate responsibility for the organization, the implementation of policy, and the allocation of funds. They are accountable for this to the Supervisory Board as well as to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. Periodic coordination takes place between the Fund and the Ministry, whereby, on the one hand, the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science’s policy objectives provide guidance, and on the other hand, the Fund has the expertise and autonomy to implement these objectives independently. In the interest of policy coordination and efficiency, the six national cultural funds are increasingly collaborating with one another, partly at the Ministry’s request.

Developments and Challenges

The film landscape is international, complex, and rapidly changing. With the loss of funding opportunities, widespread digitization, and increased competition from abroad, the Dutch film sector is under pressure to finance productions and reach its target audience. This places high demands on the sector, the Film Fund, and its strategic partners. At the same time, there remains a strong need for Dutch stories, authentic perspectives, and creative independence. Improving the quality and diversity of Dutch films and increasing their visibility are essential to stand out in the growing international market. The2025–2028 policy planthereforeinitiatesa change in direction in which the Film Fund explicitly prioritizes quality over quantity: fewer productions with more resources and greater creative freedom for filmmakers. In addition to recalibrating the direction, this also entails a certain degree of further development and realignment of the organization.

What will you be doing? 

The Managing Director: 

• As chair of the board, he is responsible for strategic and artistic policy and bears ultimate responsibility for achieving the Film Fund’s objectives; 
• represents the Film Fund and serves as its public face;
• ensures the active and sustained involvement of representatives from the film industry;
• works together with the Executive Director to ensure careful and collaborative decision-making, as well as the further development and streamlining of the organizational frameworks within which the fund’s staff carry out their work; 
• reports to the Film Fund’s supervisory board and oversees the Fund’s operations in the areas of strategy and communications, as well as the departments responsible for grant programs and related tasks focused on talent, innovation, education, and artistic selection; 
• coordinates and discusses strategic policy matters with the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science;
• maintains close ties with other national cultural funds and the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science, as well as with various organizations in the national and international film and media sectors, and has a network relevant to the Film Fund; 
• acts as the point of contact for the Film Fund’s works council on behalf of the board. 

Who are we looking for?

The Managing Director: 

• has a keen eye for innovation, as well as for the challenges and opportunities facing the Dutch film industry and the specific role of the Film Fund within the rapidly changing media landscape; 
• has strong strategic and analytical skills and extensive management experience in the cultural, social, or relevant private sectors, preferably within an organization operating in a complex political and administrative context; 
• has a strong affinity for film in general and for Dutch film (and film industry practices) in particular; has a clear vision of developments in the cultural and/or film sector; and is able to translate that vision into strategic and sustainable decisions regarding policy and organization;
• is a team player and, together with the business director, forms a collegial board;
• is steadfast, steadfast in purpose, and consistent, even in the face of resistance, pressure, or tension;
• is an empathetic, reflective, and inspiring leader with experience in change management and a keen eye for people, structures, processes, and social safety; 
• naturally fosters a sense of freedom and trust and harnesses the organization’s strengths;
• works with the business director to foster an open culture with transparent communication within an organization that is both flexible and maintains clear roles; 
• is accustomed to navigating a complex network of stakeholders with care and possesses a keen sense of political and administrative dynamics;
• has experience working with government agencies and has a network in the political circles of The Hague, or is willing to develop such a network;
• has experience with automation and digitization projects; 
• possesses an academic level of work and thinking;
• has a good command of Dutch and English. 

As a national cultural fund, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive organization. A film industry that highlights the many voices, stories, and perspectives within society is relevant to everyone. That is why we believe it is important for the executive director to bring an open-minded perspective on society to the role. 

In short, the ideal candidate:

• is unifying, steadfast, and goal-oriented—building bridges, embracing differences, and bringing people and ideas together;
• has strong communication skills, is visible and approachable within the organization, and is a good representative to the outside world, capable of serving as an inspiring figurehead for the Film Fund; 
• brings calm, stability, and confidence, and possesses administrative acumen, self-reflection, and emotional intelligence; 
• is positive, visible, clear, and people-oriented; 
• enjoys working with passionate professionals, both within and outside the fund organization; 
• is able to strike a good balance between democratic leadership on the one hand and progress, focus, and decisiveness on the other; 
• has an open attitude toward diversity and inclusion and leads by example;
• values and capitalizes on existing expertise;
• is committed to the mission of the Film Fund, without any personal interest; and
• has a keen understanding of the interplay between politics, policy, and organization and is able to respond effectively to it.

Compensation

The term of office for the General and Business Director is a maximum of ten years. In addition to complying with the Senior Executives in the Public and Semi-Public Sector (Standards for Remuneration) Act (WNT), the Netherlands Film Fund applies the central government’s BBRA pay scales to its employees and directors, although the Film Fund operates on a 38-hour workweek rather than a 36-hour workweek. The position of General Director is classified at BBRA scale 16 (with a maximum of 10,133.92 euros). This is a full-time position (38 hours per week). The remuneration remains well within the applicable WNT maximum and is reviewed annually in accordance with the regulations for national cultural funds. 

Independence and integrity are key principles for this position. Candidates are expected to handle (even the appearance of) conflicts of interest with care and to be transparent about any outside positions they may hold. These principles are explicitly taken into account in the recruitment and selection process, which is guided by the Cultural Governance Code and the Code of Conduct for Cultural Funds. The Supervisory Board nominates the preferred candidate to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science for appointment. The Ministry is responsible for the appointment.

Interested?

The Netherlands Film Fund is being assisted in this process by Naima Azough, a senior partner at the executive search firm Colourful People. For more information about the position, the process, or the organization, please contact Naima Azough (06-43449717 /n.azough@colourfulpeople.nl).

You can express your interest by uploading your resume and cover letter in PDFformat by Saturday, November 22, 2025, via the “Apply” button on the Colourful People website. Below you will find the timeline for the process and all relevant dates. The formal appointment will be made by the Supervisory Board. A detailed job description with attachments can be foundhere. Aconfirmation email will follow shortly after receipt. If you do not receive confirmation of your application, please contact Naima Azough as soon as possible. 

We plan to complete the process by the end of January 2026. A background check by Colourful People is part of the process. An assessment may be part of the selection process. Interviews will take place according to the schedule below.

Information about the timeline

• Saturday, November 22, 2025– Job application deadline
• November 24, 25, and 26, 2025– Online preliminary interviews with Colourful People
• December 8–17, 2025– First round of interviews
• January 2026– Second round of interviews (date to be announced)
• To be determined– in-depth, informal meeting between the preferred candidate and the business director (with a view to ensuring a good fit)
• To be determined– Video call between the preferred candidate and the full Supervisory Board
• Parallel– Reference check by Colourful People, followed by an assessment and a discussion of employment terms
• No later than February 1, 2026– Formal decision on the nomination to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science