Executive and Board Secretary

Will you make it happen?

In this role, you will be the driving force behind well-organized, meticulous, and forward-looking decision-making. You will ensure that administrative processes not only run smoothly but also contribute to the organization’s strategic direction. In doing so, you will constantly keep an eye on the connections between various issues, the appropriate timing of decisions, and the best forum for addressing them.

You carefully prepare meetings of the executive board, board of directors, and committees, and ensure the quality of the agenda, supporting documents, and follow-up. You bring structure to complex issues and are able to clearly distinguish between main and secondary matters. At the same time, you actively participate in the discussions: you listen, analyze, and intervene where necessary to deepen the conversation and strengthen the decision-making process.

Working closely with internal and external stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the General Executive Board, and the management team, you will ensure clear coordination and sustainable relationships. You will also make a significant contribution to organization-wide initiatives, such as coordinating the annual report and the governance transition to a Supervisory Board, and you will be responsible for amendments to the executive charter and regulations. In this way, you ensure that everything runs smoothly behind the scenes—and that the organization as a whole functions more effectively.

Your other responsibilities will include the following:

• Taking minutes at executive and board meetings.
  
• Coordination of management meetings (LO) in collaboration with the executive team member responsible for operations.
  
• Monitoring recommendations from the institutional evaluation.
  
• You will serve as the point of contact for the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science.

Here's how you can make a difference!

What sets you apart is the way you navigate the complex landscape of government. You combine substantive insight with procedural discipline and a keen sense of the dynamics at play. You understand when to take a visible, guiding role and when to step back and give others space.

You are not afraid to ask tough questions and challenge senior management, always while respecting the relationship and the common interest. It is precisely in striking that balance between firmness and diplomacy that you add value. You bring calm and clarity, even when the pressure mounts, and are able to maintain structure when others are at risk of losing it.

In addition, you identify opportunities to improve and modernize work processes (e.g., digital workflows). You think ahead, act proactively, and take ownership of the quality of processes and decision-making. Thanks to your collaborative style and keen insight, you know how to engage people and build support, both within and outside the organization. This makes you not only a trusted advisor but also a key factor in strengthening the KB’s administrative effectiveness.

What do you bring to the table?

You are an experienced and capable professional with a good understanding of organizational dynamics and a keen eye for quality and process.

In addition, you should have:

• At least 5 years of experience as an executive and/or board secretary.
  
• Experience in the public sector (experience with autonomous administrative agencies is preferred).
  
• Experience with governance.
  
• Bachelor's degree level (preferably in public administration or law).
  
• An interest in legal issues and the ability to understand legal advice.
  
• Experience with high-level administrative decision-making and reporting.
  
• Strong strategic and analytical skills.

Your personal characteristics:

• Well-organized and skilled in process management.
  
• Proactive and takes ownership.
  
• Administrative and organizationally sensitive.
  
• Firm, but diplomatic.
  
• Fostering connection through communication and collaboration.
  
• Diligent, self-reliant, and able to handle stress.

And, not least: you have a sense of humor and a healthy sense of perspective.

What can you count on?

When you choose the KB, you’re also choosing excellent employment benefits. To be specific, your choice includes:

• A gross monthly salary between €6,803 and €8,285 (pay grade 13).
  
• To begin with, a one-year contract with the possibility of a permanent position.
  
• A good work-life balance. You’ll get 42 days off, and we’d be happy to discuss working from home and flexible hours with you.
  
• 100% reimbursement of your public transportation costs.
  
• Pension accrual through the ABP pension fund.
  
• A thirteenth month's salary (8.33%).

These terms of employment apply to a full-time position of 40 hours per week. For this position, the work schedule is 32–40 hours per week. On www.kb.nl/organisatie/vacatures-en-stages/uitstekende-arbeidsvoorwaarden you can read more about our excellent benefits package.

What is it like to work at the KB?

The KB is the national library of the Netherlands. What more people should know is that the KB is undergoing a transition and innovating. Because that’s exactly what we’re doing! Together with more than 600 colleagues, we’re committed to making the Netherlands smarter, more skilled, and more creative every day. We achieve this, for example, by collecting, preserving, and sharing all digital publications from and about our country. And by working together toward a society where everyone can participate fully. For example, we’re there for the very youngest with storytime kits, for seniors with tablet courses, and for those with low literacy skills with language support. We tackle social challenges like these together with other network partners.

We embrace the differences among all our colleagues. In fact, we believe that differences make a team stronger. We’ve seen this firsthand in our Administrative and Organizational Affairs (BOZ) department, which was established last year. The department currently consists of about 15 colleagues, including legal advisors, an archivist, a privacy officer, two management assistants, a housing project secretary, and an official secretary to the Works Council.

How do I apply for this job opening?

Would you like to contribute to our innovation? Great! We can’t wait to receive your resume and cover letter.
Do you have any questions about the position? Please direct them to Marieke Monsieurs, Head of the Administration and Organizational Affairs (BOZ) Department, who can be reached at marieke.monsieurs@kb.nl Do you have questions about the application process? Chris de Boer will answer them via chris.deboer@kb.nl 

• Applications are being accepted through Wednesday, May 6, 2026 via the application form on the website.
  
• The proposed schedule for the meetings is as follows:     
  
• First-round interviews on Monday, May 18, and Thursday, May 21
  
• Second round of interviews on Wednesday, May 27, and Thursday, May 28

If we see enough common ground, we’d be happy to talk with you as soon as possible and set up an appointment. If there isn’t enough common ground, we’ll let you know via email.

We will retain your information during the selection process. We will delete it no later than 4 weeks after the application process has ended, in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Read more about this in our privacy statement for applicants at www.kb.nl/privacy-avg/privacyverklaring-sollicitanten.