Director

About the Kreukel Archive

The Kreukel Archive is a cultural heritage initiative currently being established that focuses on the history and culture of bodies and minds that, at some point, were considered by Dutch society to deviate from the norm. We collect, preserve, and share stories that have often remained outside the dominant narrative. In doing so, we contribute to a more inclusive, critical, and multifaceted understanding of our past and present.

With our unique collection, we are also explicitly creating a space for research. We encourage researchers, creators, students, and communities to use the material to ask new questions and develop different perspectives. In this way, the Kreukel Archive aims not only to preserve and display, but also to actively contribute to the production of knowledge and social reflection.

Education is at the heart of our work. We don’t take a didactic approach, but rather an exploratory and inviting one: we want to create space for questions, perspectives, and dialogue. Precisely because these themes are still rarely addressed in elementary and secondary education, we see it as our mission to use our collection and stories to make new insights accessible to people of all ages.

The Kreukel Archive will be located in the historic building of the Utopa Orphanage in Leiden, where we are working alongside other organizations to build an equitable and inclusive future. From this location, we are building a dynamic center for research, community, and creativity.

The position

As director of the Kreukel Archive, you will not only bear ultimate responsibility but also help shape the organization. During this start-up phase, you will work closely with an enthusiastic board and play a key role in setting the course, shaping the strategy, and establishing a strong, recognizable identity. You will be supported by a project manager.

You will lead a small, growing team (approximately 2 FTE) and be responsible for developing and streamlining volunteer policies and internship programs. You will create a work environment in which a dedicated and enthusiastic team of staff and volunteers is encouraged to take the initiative, develop ideas, and work together to build an organization that is constantly evolving.

You see this as a unique opportunity to help shape the new heritage organization from the ground up

A key responsibility is to build a broad and inclusive audience. You will ensure that the Kreukel Archive appeals to and engages people from all walks of life—including those for whom cultural institutions are not naturally accessible. In doing so, you will operate with a keen awareness of ableism and other mechanisms of exclusion. You work with the understanding that your role has a significant social and cultural impact.

You view the Kreukel Archive as an organization that isn’t confined to a single location. In addition to the physical space, you are actively developing the other “pillars” of the organization: an accessible and content-rich online platform, as well as a mobile installation. Through this mobile format, we not only reach out to people who would otherwise be difficult to reach, but we also create opportunities to give a voice to communities that are less often heard, actively gathering their stories and bringing them to light.

In addition to this substantive and strategic role, you will also be responsible for maintaining a sound financial foundation. You will oversee budgets, make responsible decisions regarding the allocation of resources, and ensure that plans and goals are financially feasible.

In addition, you will play a key role in securing both long-term and short-term funding to ensure that initiatives in the areas of education, communication, and exhibitions can grow and be sustained. You will also guide the development of the Kreukel Archive as a research hub, including by initiating collaborations with researchers, creators, and academic institutions.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Helping to shape the vision, strategy, and positioning of the Kreukel Archive, currently being established
• Monitoring and further developing our mission, core values, and principles of inclusivity
• Managing (approximately 2 FTE), volunteers, and interns, and fostering a sense of ownership and initiative
• Creating an inspiring work culture that prioritizes ideas, research, and experimentation
• Developing a broad and inclusive audience, with a focus on accessibility and combating ableism
• Strengthening the educational role of the archive, using an exploratory rather than a didactic approach
• Actively developing the Kreukel Archive as a research hub, including collaborations with external partners
• Initiating and supporting projects in the fields of education, communication, and exhibitions
• Further development of both the physical location and the online environment and mobile presentation formats
• Actively seeking funding (grants, funds, and partnerships)
• Ensuring a solid financial foundation and responsible budget management
• Building and maintaining a strong network within the cultural, social, and heritage sectors
• Representing the archives in the public and professional spheres

Profile

We are looking for a visionary, dedicated, and entrepreneurial director who is energized by building an organization and working toward social change.

You have:

• Proven talent in a leadership role, preferably in the cultural or heritage sector
• Experience with fundraising and working with budgets
• An interest in issues related to normativity, inclusion, and representation, and an awareness of ableism
• A keen sense of audience reach, accessibility, and participation
• An affinity for research and the ability to foster and connect a research community
• An affinity for education and the ability to design learning environments that are exploratory and inviting
• The ability to connect and engage people from diverse backgrounds
• Strategic insight and a hands-on approach
• The ability to inspire and motivate a team and to encourage the sharing of ideas
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Political and administrative sensitivity

What do we offer?

• The position is for a maximum of 0.8 FTE. A smaller workload is negotiable.
• The appointment is temporary for one year, with the possibility of extension.
• There is a two-month probationary period
• Salary will be determined based on knowledge, skills, and experience within pay grade 12 (€4,532 to €6,268) of the Museum Collective Bargaining Agreement, based on the gross monthly salary for a full-time position (36 hours per week).
• A workspace at the inspiring Utopa Weeshuis in Leiden (partially flexible, subject to agreement).
• In this role, you will work closely with the working groups and board of the Kreukelcollectief, the project coordinator, and an advisory board.
• Together with you, we create the best possible working conditions.

Interested?

Please send your cover letter and resume tokreukelcollectief@gmail.com by Thursday, July 2, 2026.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Aline Molenaar at 06-29066771.

Something to keep in mind

The first interview will take place on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 (in the afternoon, starting at 12:30 p.m.)

The interview will take place in Leiden.