Secretary of the General Meeting

The DDG/Screenwriters Network Alliance is a partnership between the DDG (Dutch Directors Guild) and the Screenwriters Network (part of the Authors’ Union). We set the strategy, policy, and direction for creative audiovisual professionals in the film and television sector.

Will you be our AV Secretary?

The DDG/Screenwriters Network Alliance has an opening for a new and challenging position: AV Secretary. You will serve as the public face of directors and screenwriters and their profession, and will proactively advocate for their interests among all film and television professionals, producers, policymakers, broadcasters, streaming services, funding organizations, industry associations, and political leaders.

As AV Secretary, you play a unifying role. You navigate smoothly between the DDG board and the Screenwriters’ Network, the offices of the Authors’ Union and the DDG, and organizations in the field. You also have a keen eye for the often widely divergent interests within the AV sector.

Stay up to date on what's happening in the AV industry…

As AV Secretary, you ensure that information relevant to screenwriters and directors is gathered and shared at the individual, collective, national, and European levels. This involves working with the boards of NS and DDG, as well as the offices of the Auteursbond and the DDG. You know better than anyone what’s happening in the AV sector. This allows you to keep board members constantly updated on the latest developments and ensure they are always well-informed when they go out into the field. In doing so, you collaborate with other key players in the industry, such as the Netherlands Film Fund, the NPO Fund, the NPO, PAM, Platform Makers, Lira, Vevam, as well as other professional associations like the producers’ association NAPA.

Your responsibilities and duties:

• You will be responsible for preparing policy documents for meetings and gatherings in the field regarding the interests of screenwriters and directors. You will also represent the boards of DDG and Netwerk Scenarioschrijvers at these meetings. You will often prepare the board members for these events as well.
• As AV Secretary, you serve as a point of contact for board members of the Screenwriters’ Network section and the DDG. At the same time, you act as a liaison between the Authors’ Union office and the DDG.
• Together with the legal staff and advocates of both associations, you will address legal and socioeconomic issues and engage in negotiations regarding model contracts and fees.
• You are responsible for developing, launching, and carrying out lobbying efforts that promote the interests of screenwriters and directors in general, and the members of the Screenwriters Network and the DDG in particular.
• As AV Secretary, you will maintain contact with political figures—including members of the House of Representatives, government officials, and civil servants—as needed and when possible.
• You will maintain close contact with LIRA and VEVAM, the collective management organizations for writers and directors, regarding policy issues related to copyright.
• Externally, as AV Secretary, you serve as a liaison, both at the national and European levels. You also advise both boards on current developments.
• You will also be responsible for writing or commissioning articles and contributions for the websites and occasional publications, as well as translating complex topics and issues into accessible language for stakeholders, such as members.

We are looking for a candidate who:

• has relevant experience in policy development
• can develop policy plans
• has an academic level of work and thinking 
• has a broad network and can utilize it effectively
• has an affinity for the film and television industry
• has strong organizational skills
• has good social skills and a service-oriented attitude
• is proactive and persuasive
• has strong verbal and written communication skills
• is fluent in spoken and written Dutch and English
• is able to work both independently and as part of a team.

We offer:

• a dynamic work environment
• nice coworkers
• a casual work environment in Amsterdam Oud-Zuid
• A salary in pay scale 11 (Central Government Collective Labor Agreement), ranging from €4,000 to €5,500 gross per month (based on a 40-hour workweek), depending on age and work experience

Interested?

Please send your resume and cover letter to info@directorsguild.nl by April 30, 2023.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Suzanna Jacobs-Stolk, who can be reached on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 06 836 72 215 or by email at info@directorgsguild.nl.