Director

Women’s rights are under pressure all over the world. Do you want to advocate for gender equality and justice? Are you passionate about women’s rights and eager to take the lead? Do you want to initiate and develop legal cases for women’s rights and gender equality, and help shape the strategic direction of Bureau Clara Wichmann? If so, read on—we are looking for a new director.

About Bureau Clara Wichmann

Bureau Clara Wichmann is a feminist organization that has been supporting and conducting strategic legal actions for nearly 40 years to improve the legal standing of women and all people who face gender discrimination. We are a small organization with a big impact.

Our strategic litigation is initiated in part by the organization itself, but also based on requests from litigants. We work with a small but creative, flexible, and self-motivated team of staff members where everyone bears a great deal of responsibility and works closely together. Together with the Legal Affairs Committee, which consists of twelve (unpaid) strategic legal advisors, we determine our legal agenda and bear responsibility for all cases. We are enterprising and innovative, and we proactively seek out opportunities—both substantive and financial—to undertake proceedings and projects.

We have been growing rapidly in recent years and are playing an increasingly central role in society. We conduct legal research, provide advice on laws and regulations, and engage in lobbying activities. We do this in collaboration with stakeholder organizations within various alliances. In addition, last year we opened the Women’s Legal Clinic in partnership with the University of Amsterdam and the City of Amsterdam to make the law more accessible to a larger group of women. And this fall, we are expanding with two new locations for the Women’s Legal Clinic.

What will you be doing?

As director, you are—and feel—responsible for the organization’s strategic positioning, both internally and externally. You understand and communicate how Bureau Clara Wichmann contributes to gender equality. Together with the staff members, you serve as the organization’s ambassador. In consultation with the team, the committee, and the board, you determine the strategic course for the coming years. In doing so, you reform and professionalize the organization in accordance with our strategic change goals. The focus is on implementing and carrying out a transformation into an intersectional feminist Bureau. In this approach, everyone’s input is important and valuable. You strive to create a pleasant work environment, with shared goals and values.

As director, you will have overall responsibility for fundraising and maintaining our relationships with both donors and stakeholders. You will foster strong ties with the Bureau Clara Wichmann network and help forge new connections.

In our small organization, as director, you will work closely with all staff members and provide coaching leadership to the team. You will be responsible for HR management and will further develop the agency in such a way that its structure and working methods align with our ideals and objectives. You will oversee the progress and management of legal cases while maintaining a clear standard for the quality of work. Together with the administrative staff member, you will coordinate the Legal Affairs Committee and monitor the status of all ongoing legal cases and applications.

You will share responsibility for preparing various reports, including the annual budget and financial statements. You will work closely with the board and consult regularly with both the board and the supervisory board to optimize the organization in terms of content, structure, and finances.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for a director who

• places a high priority on gender equality and justice;
• Has a clear (legal) intersectional feminist perspective, with an eye toward those women who have not yet found our organization;
• is idealistic, analytical, enterprising, and decisive;
• Has experience in further developing and managing a (small) organization or team;
• Empathetic and inclusive, with a focus on everyone’s job satisfaction;
• Is able to navigate the sometimes politically and/or public relations-sensitive context of our work;
• Preferably has a background in human rights or women’s rights;
• Has experience with and/or knowledge of, and is generally interested in, strategic litigation and the creative use of the law as a tool for social change (pre);
• Has experience in finance and project management.

Diversity

Diversity is essential to achieving our goal: improving the legal status of all women in the Netherlands. Bureau Clara Wichmann therefore strives for a diverse board and staff in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, religion, and age. Given the great importance that Bureau Clara Wichmann attaches to diversity of perspectives and experiences, we invite candidates to mention in their cover letter how they support this goal and contribute to it. View the diversity policy here.

What do we offer?

We work in a small, enthusiastic team that gets a lot done and tackles projects with passion. We are a growing, ambitious organization that encourages personal initiative.
We are initially offering you a one-year employment contract, with the intention of extending it or converting it into a permanent contract. The salary range is €5,500 to a maximum of €7,000 gross per month on a full-time basis, depending on your knowledge and experience.

Interested?

Bureau Clara Wichmann is working with the executive search firm Colourful People to recruit its managing director. If you have any questions about Bureau Clara Wichmann, the position, or the application process, please contact Naima Azough, a partner at Colourful People (06 4344 9717). You can express your interest by Sunday, October 30, 2022 Upload your resume and cover letter by clicking the “Apply” button on the website of Colorful People.