Managing Director

The Reading Foundation

The Stichting Lezen in Amsterdam is a national organization dedicated to promoting reading, with approximately 30 staff members. Its mission is to promote reading in the broadest sense of the word in both Dutch and Frisian (see also www.lezen.nl). In other words, the Reading Foundation provides a comprehensive, evidence-based, and effective approach to promoting reading among children and young people aged 0 to 20. The results of international comparative studies on reading proficiency and reading enjoyment among Dutch students lend this objective added urgency.

The Reading Foundation pursues its goals in three areas: as a knowledge center, as the national coordinator for reading promotion and literature education, and as a bridge between research and practice on the one hand, and the world of education and child-rearing on the other. As an institution within the Basic Infrastructure (BIS), the Reading Foundation receives a multi-year grant from the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science (OCW). In addition, substantial additional funds have been allocated to the Reading Foundation from the education budget under the Master Plan for Basic Skills, earmarked for reading promotion in schools and childcare centers. In September 2023, Stichting Lezen submitted an application to the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science for the Master Plan for Basic Skills 2023-2024 Incentive Scheme and the following two school years. This application, totaling €74 million, has been granted to Stichting Lezen. In the coming years, Stichting Lezen will distribute these funds among the participating libraries, which will use them in schools and childcare centers within their service areas. This financial boost requires additional effort from the organization, particularly in Stichting Lezen’s coordinating and knowledge-transfer roles.

The Managing Director

The board of Stichting Lezen consists of a single person, the executive director. The executive director operates in accordance with the foundation’s mission and is responsible for its strategic direction. The executive director is also responsible for the day-to-day operations of the foundation and works in collaboration with a three-member management team.

The Reading Foundation collaborates with national and international partners. The executive director also serves as chair of the Reading Coalition, a group of about ten organizations that work together to achieve specific goals related to the promotion of reading (Reading Coalition - Reading Foundation). The duties and powers of the executive director are set forth in the articles of incorporation of the Stichting Lezen and in a set of executive regulations.

Profile

Desired profile for the director of the Reading Foundation:

• Possesses an academic level of work and thinking.
• Has a clear vision of the future of reading promotion, knows how to connect this vision to and respond to developments in the social context, and can write and speak about it in an inspiring way.
• Possesses extensive knowledge of and a well-established network within the field of Stichting Lezen (politics, education, libraries, media, publishing and bookstores, and research on reading and reading promotion); advocating for the resources and objectives of Stichting Lezen is an integral part of the role.
• Experience in, knowledge of, or a network within the education sector is a plus.
• Is capable of and has the ambition to serve as the foundation’s public face in an engaging manner, including through social media.
• Has experience in a position of ultimate responsibility in the field of culture and/or education.
• Is able to engage and inspire external stakeholders from various sectors.
• Thinks in terms of possibilities and scenarios.
• Has the ability to switch between strategic thinking and tactical/operational action.
• Can provide inspiring leadership to a team of professionals and has the insight to make optimal use of available human and material resources.

Additional skills

To perform this role effectively, the following competencies are required:

• A steadfast leader: operates based on a clear strategic direction, stays the course, and translates this direction into concrete goals and policies.
• Entrepreneurship: identifies opportunities and innovations in the field of reading promotion and translates them into concrete activities.
• Networking: actively develops and maintains a network of stakeholders and other relevant contacts; speaks the language and understands the dynamics of various sectors.
• Collaborative: has a leadership and management style focused on collaboration, with a strong emphasis on the human aspect.
• Sensitivity: is aware of what is going on within the organization and cares about and pays attention to employees.
• Integrity: acts with integrity and transparency, in accordance with the Governance Code for Culture.
• Results-oriented: has a professional attitude, sets clear goals for themselves and others, is accountable for them, and holds others accountable as well.
• Professionalization: promotes the continued development of a professional and diverse organization.
• Supervision: reports to the Supervisory Board in a timely, complete, and accurate manner and keeps them proactively informed.

Personal qualities

• Decisive and confident.
• Moves easily in a variety of settings.
• Determined, natural authority, able to delegate.
• Colleague-oriented, inspires confidence.
• Believes in the power of marketing and positioning.

Terms of employment

The Executive Director is appointed by the Supervisory Board for a term of four years, with the option to extend this term twice, each time for a period of four years. The compensation of the Executive Director at Stichting Lezen is governed by the salary regulations of the Central Government Collective Labor Agreement (CAO Rijk) and is classified in pay grade 15. Depending on the candidate’s knowledge and experience, there is an opportunity to be classified and advance to pay grade 16. Compensation is assessed against the standards of the Act on the Standardization of Top Incomes (WNT). There is an IKB budget of 16.37 percent.

The procedure

The Reading Foundation is working with the executive search firm Colourful People for recruitment and selection. Sandra Lutchman, a senior partner at Colourful People, would be happy to provide you with more information about the organization, the position, and/or the application process. You can contact her via WhatsApp at 06 407 44 074.

Important dates:

The deadline for responses is May 15, 2024.
The selection committee's first round of interviews with the candidates will take place in week 22.
The selection committee’s second round of interviews with the candidates will take place in week 23.

Are you interested?

You can upload your resume and cover letter via the application form on the Colourful People website.

In this process as well, the Reading Foundation will adhere to the Cultural Governance Code regarding the desired diversity within organizations. This includes diversity in terms of expertise, experience, and skills, as well as gender, age, and cultural backgrounds.

Sales calls are not appreciated.