Head of Audience

About the Valkhof Museum

The Valkhof Museum in Nijmegen is located in an inspiring setting, steeped in history and cultural diversity. Drawing inspiration from the Roman Limes, the Valkhof Museum is a leading, groundbreaking museum exploring humanity on the frontier and the frontiers of humanity. In collaboration with our visitors, we organize exhibitions and activities in the fields of archaeology, history, and visual arts. Through a contemporary lens, we connect the past with the near future. In this way, we offer you a new perspective on the world.

Located in this border region, the site where the museum stands has always served as a meeting place for different cultures and has an international history. With collections spanning 40,000 years of human history, we offer a wealth of stories that are relevant to the present day. In 2025, our renovated, inviting building will open, connecting our museum to its surroundings more than ever before. Our dedicated team is enthusiastic about the new direction we are taking, and together we see a promising future for the museum.

Head of Audience

As Head of Audience Engagement, you are responsible for connecting our collection with our audience: both the audience that has faithfully followed us for years and those who haven’t yet discovered us. Your creativity and subject matter expertise will play a crucial role in translating our vision into engaging exhibitions, educational programs, and marketing campaigns. So you’re not just a program developer or a marketer, but a combination of both, with a keen eye for current events and trends in the sector.

You will nurture and inspire our team, and in turn, draw inspiration from their input. You will provide structure, set a clear course and strategy, and ensure effective collaboration across different departments. Through your leadership, you will guide the reopening of our museum and steer us toward achieving our ambitious goals, including increasing the number of visitors to at least 125,000 per year by the time the museum reopens in 2025.

Who we're looking for

We are looking for someone who excels at translating content to resonate with our audience. You have a strong personality and aren’t afraid to challenge existing processes and drive change. You have leadership experience and are able to help people thrive while maintaining a focus on structure and strategy. You have a broad perspective on developments in the field and know how to translate these into concrete actions for our museum. You enjoy networking and seek partnerships with interesting organizations in the city and region, such as other social and cultural organizations.

It is important that you are a team player, transparent, and attuned to your surroundings. You are able to outline clear frameworks and flesh them out in consultation with an experienced and driven team. You have a big-picture perspective and therefore understand that you sometimes need to prioritize.

You have a passion for culture, a way with words, and the ability to translate our vision and mission into effective strategies. You have a connection to Nijmegen and believe in the opportunities that the city’s diverse population offers the museum—and vice versa.

The Valkhof Museum strives to build a diverse team in terms of gender, age, cultural background, and specific expertise. We give preference to candidates who will further enhance this diversity within our team. The full job description for the Head of Audience Engagement can be found HERE.

What we offer

As Head of Public Engagement at the Valkhof Museum, you will have the opportunity to play a crucial role in the renewal and development of our museum. You will work in an inspiring environment with a passionate team and have the freedom to bring your ideas and vision to life. The salary is classified in scale 13 (€4,556 - €6,527) in accordance with the Museum Collective Labor Agreement, excluding vacation pay and year-end bonus.

Interested?

The Valkhof Museum is working with the executive search firm Colourful People to fill this position. For more information about the role or the application process, please contact Jantien Plooij, a partner at Colourful People (06-17703534) or j.plooij@colourfulpeople.nl.

You can express your interest by uploading your cover letter and resume (in PDF format) by April 14, 2024, via the ‘Apply’ button at the bottom of this page. Once your application has been successfully uploaded, you will receive a confirmation email. Didn’t receive it? Please contact Jantien. Confidential treatment of your information is, of course, guaranteed.

Schedule

The interviews will be held on May 14 and 23 at the Valkhof Museum office in Nijmegen.

Recruitment agencies are asked to refrain from contacting us regarding this job opening.