Three members of the Supervisory Board

About SPO Utrecht and our management philosophy

The Utrecht Public Primary Education Foundation (SPO) is the school board responsible for all public primary education in Utrecht, comprising 34 elementary schools, 1 special needs elementary school, 2 special education schools, 1 secondary special education school, and 1 international school. Our schools are located in the city of Utrecht. Our special education schools and the international school are also located in the city, but serve a regional function. At SPO, quality is central: good education for every child, in an environment where everyone is welcome and safety and security are provided. We challenge children to learn using modern resources, based on the principles of administrative transparency, universal accessibility, and active pluralism. Our 1,100 employees are continuously encouraged in their professional growth and development.

SPO is a transparent and healthy organization with centralized management, where responsibilities and authority are delegated to the lowest possible level. The 38 schools are supported by an administrative office and the Executive Board. Parents and staff have a say at the board level through the Joint Participation Council. We believe in the power of diversity and strive to create an environment where everyone feels welcome. Our management philosophy is based on collaboration, transparency, and continuous improvement. What we consider important for children (autonomy, ownership, and responsibility) also forms the basis of our management philosophy. We are seeking three committed board members to help us further realize this vision.

Management and Oversight

The Supervisory Board currently consists of six members, who oversee the two-member Executive Board. Following the most recent self-evaluation, it was decided to restore the Board to seven members. One of the current members will succeed the outgoing chair. Two members will step down in March 2025, resulting in a total of three vacancies. The guiding principle is to equip the Supervisory Board with seven individuals from diverse backgrounds and with varied expertise, who possess experience and a commitment to, as well as an affinity with, public education in the city. Members of the Supervisory Board are appointed for a four-year term.

The Supervisory Board works with an Employer Committee and an Audit Committee and intends to establish an Educational Quality Committee. In addition, two members of the Supervisory Board serve on the Supervisory Committee of the International School Utrecht (ISU). The Board has established bylaws and a supervisory framework and operates in accordance with the articles of incorporation, the Code of Good Governance, and is a member of the VTOI-NVTK.

General requirements for members of the Supervisory Board

Our ideal board members think strategically, feel a connection to Utrecht and the surrounding region, and have an affinity for education. They bring a wealth of socio-cultural perspectives to the table, collectively reflecting the diversity of our society. Administrative experience is a plus, but not required. What matters is your ability to think critically and contribute to the development of our organization.

We are looking for board members who are willing to actively participate in meetings and working groups and contribute to the further development of our team. Your values and vision align with our management philosophy. You are passionate about working with us to strengthen education in the region.

We have outlined specific criteria for each profile of the members we are looking for.

Specific requirements for the educational profile:

• Senior expertise in education, educational developments, and quality policy.
• An understanding of national and societal trends that influence education and educational reforms (such as teacher shortages, labor market regions, pressure to perform, student progression, equal opportunity, and the impact of information technology and AI).
• Identifying opportunities and risks in educational reform.
• An eye for practical application in elementary and special education.

The appointment of the new member with the Education profile will be made upon the recommendation of the GMR.

Specific requirements for the business administration track:

• Expertise in business operations, the planning and control cycle, and risk management.
• Experience in strategic planning and organizational development.
• Experience with housing issues.
• Experience with and a vision for IT in support of digital transformation, including data governance, information security, privacy legislation, and AI.

Political and social profile:

• Knowledge of social developments and political processes.
• Experience in policy development and advocacy.
• A strong network within political and/or civic organizations in the Utrecht region.
• Insight into regional labor market trends and solutions to staffing shortages in education.

We warmly invite candidates who contribute to diversity in the broadest sense to apply. At least one of the three candidates must have experience as a director.

Commitment and expectations

The Supervisory Board meets an average of five times a year, usually at a school. In addition to these meetings, there are committee meetings. Once a year, the Board meets with the municipality’s alderman for education. Discussions within the Board are open and attentive, allowing members to step outside their own perspectives. There is room for innovation, and oversight is conducted from a broader perspective, with the challenge of translating societal influences into the best primary education for the region.

Compensation

The compensation amounts to approximately €6,000 per year plus reimbursement of expenses, in accordance with the applicable standards (WNT).

Further information about SPO Utrecht

Our vision and mission for the coming years are outlined in our strategic plan. We are steering toward opportunities! We tackle challenges in an open, development-oriented, and entrepreneurial manner. The real work takes place in the schools, supported and facilitated by the Board of Directors and our colleagues in the administrative office: Team Ortelius. Principals hold a monthly management meeting, and collaboration also takes place in learning teams and subject areas. We are proud of our professional culture, as evidenced by the Education Inspectorate’s 2023 evaluation, which rated our vision for education and its governance as “Good.”

The opportunities and challenges we face are: accommodating growth in an increasingly densely populated city, diversity, segregation, inequality of opportunity, and pressure to perform. The City of Utrecht is committed to “unequal investment in equal opportunities.” As educational partners in Utrecht, we have made this more concrete in the Utrecht Education Agenda and elaborated on it in a work agenda. We endorse this agenda and help shape it.

Would you like to read more about our organization and mission? Then read: our strategic plan or visit our website.

Procedure

Recruitment and selection are handled by Colourful People. For more information, please contact Monique Spaansen (M.Spaansen@colourfulpeople.nl). Please submit your letter and resume via the application form on the Colourful People website before September 11. The initial interviews with Monique are scheduled for September 16 and 17. The interviews with the selection committee are scheduled for October 16 and 17, with the aim of having the new members start in January. The final appointment will be made by the Utrecht City Council, upon the recommendation of the Supervisory Board.

Sales calls are not appreciated.