Director

The MindLabs association is a unique partnership in Tilburg involving three research institutions, government agencies, and a growing group of corporate partners, social organizations, and startups. Within this ecosystem of partners, MindLabs strengthens, stimulates, and facilitates the joint development of technologies that interact with human behavior—in other words, Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence. By leveraging the unique capabilities of these technologies, partners aim to help solve societal challenges. Collaboration within this ecosystem unlocks opportunities that individual partners could not achieve on their own and contributes to the enrichment and innovation of education.

The founders of the MindLabs association share the vision that the best way to tackle these opportunities and challenges is through collaboration. “Through strong, people-centered interactive technology, we can occupy a unique position in the growing landscape of AI-driven innovation hubs,” says Fontys; “it offers an interesting network that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to access,” says Tilburg University; and “it offers opportunities that you couldn’t achieve on your own,” says ROC Tilburg. This vision has translated into a mission in which Mindlabs states: We accelerate the development of people and society by connecting knowledge and the application of interactive technology with entrepreneurship. The interaction between people and technology is central to this.

For this unique partnership, we are seeking a new Director who will serve as its figurehead and understands how to make an association function effectively. Someone who can establish Mindlabs as an independent organization and add value for the various partners. The Director will also ensure sound operational management, keeping risks identified and under control. It is of great importance that you understand how to get and keep complex ecosystems—in which private educational institutions (vocational, higher vocational, and university) collaborate with public institutions on complex issues—functioning effectively from a specialized field of focus. This means we are looking for someone capable of getting and keeping all stakeholders behind the vision. Someone who is accustomed to dealing with diverse and potentially conflicting interests. Someone who can listen, build connections, and also has an affinity for the broader context of MindLabs’ field of work in Tilburg.

The ideal new director has a proven strong affinity for innovation and artificial intelligence. She or he achieves results by decisively implementing vision and policy and knows how to secure long-term commitment from stakeholders. She or he is familiar with the trends and opportunities in Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence and is able to effectively leverage this knowledge for the further development—the next phase—of Mindlabs! We are looking for someone who can achieve this in a driven and innovative way!

The ideal candidate will have:

In terms of personality

• You are a positive, forward-thinking person who knows how to engage and inspire all stakeholders.
• You have a strong, assertive personality and are attentive to others’ perspectives, while always keeping Mindlabs’ long-term goals firmly in sight.
• You’re able to balance the challenges of day-to-day work with long-term goals.

In terms of leadership and vision

• You have your own perspective on developments in the field and know how to strategically align that perspective with Mindlabs’ vision.
• You have the ability to get things done and know how to turn our ambitions into concrete plans and bring them to fruition.
• You are able to proactively promote the value of Mindlabs to a wide audience.
• You are a communicative and collaborative leader with extensive experience managing professionals.

In terms of competencies

• You are attuned to your surroundings and adaptable in your approach, and you are able to function effectively within the Mindlabs ecosystem.
• You are decisive and persistent while maintaining respect for the relationship, ensuring that progress is made through collaboration.
• You are skilled in stakeholder management, understand the complexities of governance, are entrepreneurial, and have extensive experience within the triple helix.

Our offerings

We offer you exciting work in an exceptional and dynamic environment with a meaningful mission, an informal, no-nonsense culture, and passionate colleagues. The position of director is classified in pay grade 15 (HBO) for a 40-hour workweek.

Procedure

Are you interested in becoming the Director of Mindlabs? If so, please submit your application by November 6 at the latest, including a compelling cover letter and your resume. Mindlabs is working with the recruitment firm Colourful People for this hiring process. René Burgler, a senior partner at Colourful People, would be happy to provide you with more information about the position and/or the application process. You can contact him by email r.burgler@colourfulpeople.nl or via WhatsApp at 06 2857 5436. You can upload your cover letter and resume (both in PDF format) by clicking the "Apply" button on colourfulpeople.nl.

Scheduling appointments

The (virtual) preliminary interviews with Colourful People will take place in weeks 45 and 46. The first and second rounds of interviews will take place in weeks 48 and 49. We plan to complete the process in December.

For more information about Mindlabs, visit:

www.mind-labs.eu, Mindlabs at a Glance, Ambition / Vision / Strategy, Organizational chart, responsibilities, authorities.