Senior Policy Advisor for Culture

What will you be doing?

As a cultural policy advisor, you will work within the culture team, which is part of the Strategy, Policy, and Coordination (SBR) cluster. In this role, you will be responsible for initiating and developing policy in the field of culture and for implementing the action plan for housing the creative and cultural sectors. You will also serve as the account manager for strategic accounts in the areas of pop music, film, and local media. The Arnhem Coalition Agreement 2022–2026 is ambitious in the area of culture. The city council is allocating more funds to inclusive culture with a focus on current issues. Art and culture must be accessible and available to everyone, regardless of age, background, or income. The city council supports both the high-end segment and the creative ecosystem, as well as amateur and community arts. You will make a significant contribution to these efforts in the coming years.   

You will face significant challenges in providing space for cultural activities, both for mainstream arts and for the creative sector—including artists—for whom sufficient square footage of workspace must be available. You will also explore opportunities for affordable rental space for cultural education and participation. This may involve municipal real estate, though opportunities may also arise outside of that. In such cases, a strategic purchase can be made based on a sound business case.

Specifically, this means, among other things, that:

• Your proposal is part of the 2021–2024 Action Plan for Housing in the Creative and Cultural Sector. One component of this plan is the relocation of the Jacobiberg Pop Center in Arnhem South;
• Your policy involves (new) initiatives that have financial and social implications or entail significant political risks;
• You have independent authority over your policy area. You also ensure and promote coordination with other disciplines and policy areas both within and outside the organization;
• You report on progress, results, and challenges, advise executives, and submit policy proposals;
• You will provide funding for cultural programs and maintain relationships with cultural organizations and community groups. To this end, you will ensure the management of financial flows and maintain a clear understanding of and oversight over budgets and financial figures in collaboration with the Finance and Control department;
• You are the account manager for key accounts, such as Popcentrum Jacobiberg, Luxor Live, Focus Filmtheater Arnhem, SLAK, RTV Connect, and the Media Fund;
• Your project-based involvement demonstrates both your ability to contribute ideas and your ability to drive urban development forward. For example, by helping to determine how art and culture can contribute to this;
• You organize administrative meetings and initiate and organize public participation.

Arnhem is a city where culture plays a major role, where there is a strong tradition of collaboration with local partners, and where there are many ambitious goals. We look forward to continuing this ambitious, results-oriented, and unifying approach with your arrival!

Who are we?

Our team consists of five enthusiastic management consultants who are passionately committed to art and culture. Our team works within the Strategy, Policy & Coordination (SBR) cluster. SBR serves as the hub for translating the needs and initiatives of citizens, businesses, and the administration into programs and policies. We translate new developments into new strategies, programs, and (policy) plans, and we translate these (together with our partners in the city) into concrete implementation. We always do this together with the city, but we are the ones in charge. We leave the implementation itself to our colleagues and partners in the city.

What do we offer you?

Based on a 36-hour workweek, the City of Arnhem offers the following:

• A competitive gross monthly salary in pay grade 12, ranging from €4,447 to a maximum of €6,103;
• A 12-month employment contract with the intention of establishing a long-term working relationship;
• 144 statutory vacation hours for each calendar year of full-time employment;
• 17.05% flexible spending allowance in addition to your salary;
• An individual career budget of €500 per year;
• Opportunities for personal development and career advancement through our comprehensive training programs;
• A laptop and a phone;
• In Arnhem, we have a hybrid work arrangement: you have the freedom to alternate between working from home and working in the office.

We have listed our entirebenefits packagefor you.

Who are we looking for?

We strive for diversity in knowledge, background, and experience within our team. We are currently seeking an Arts and Culture Policy Advisor with strong advisory skills. Therefore, we require the following competencies: situational awareness, organizational sensitivity, active listening, persuasiveness, and flexibility. This means you identify relevant developments both within and outside the organization and take their implications into account. You demonstrate the ability to gather information from current events and others’ perspectives and make an effort to win others over to your ideas or viewpoints. You also know how to adapt goals and/or approaches when circumstances require it, such as changes in policy, current developments, or our coalition agreement. Finally, you are a skilled networker and possess analytical skills: you maintain and leverage strategic contacts within and outside the organization and know how to identify connections and bring focus to issues.

You should also bring:

• At least an associate's or bachelor's degree level of work and thinking;
• Knowledge of the arts and culture policy sector;
• Experience in drafting (policy) documents, project-based work, and decision-making processes;
• An understanding of political and administrative dynamics, enabling you to balance substantive, financial, legal, local/regional, and communication-related aspects and interests;
• The creativity to address challenges with new solutions, ideas, and initiatives.

Where will you be working?

G9 Cultural City Arnhem is the 12th largest municipality in the country, with over 164,000 residents. As an organization, we are committed to fostering a connected Arnhem. Connection is the glue that binds Arnhem’s community together. These connections are forged through investments in art, culture, and making historical heritage accessible. We strive for accessible and inclusive cultural education and participation for all residents, especially for those for whom this is less of a given. The municipal organization employs approximately 1,100 dedicated and passionate staff members who work every day on behalf of the city, its residents, visitors, businesses, and institutions. You can read more about how we are working toward a connected Arnhem in our coalition agreement:https://www.arnhem.nl/Bestuur/Ambities_en_beleid/Coalitieakkoord_2022_2026.

How do you apply?

You can apply for this position through the application button until November 28. Please submit your resume and a cover letter, image, or video in which, in addition to explaining your motivation, you answer the question described below. You will hear back by December 5 at the latest regarding the next steps, such as an invitation to an interview. The interviews will take place on December 7 between 1:30 PM and 5:00 PM. Please keep this in mind when planning your schedule.

The motivation question:

In your cover letter, please provide an example that is as specific as possible, following the STARR method .

1) Environmental awareness: Can you give us an example of how you have identified signals and/or trends and translated them into policy and action?

Do you have any questions?

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Liesbet Hoek, Head of the Social and Economic Division, at +31 6271 36449. If you have any questions about the recruitment and selection process, please contact Lars van Boxel, recruiter, by phone at +31 6311 14802, viaWhatsApp, or byemail.

The City of Arnhem works for and with its residents to create a diverse and inclusive city: a city where everyone is welcome and can be their true selves. To achieve this, we also need an inclusive organization with a diverse workforce where no one is excluded. We want to attract and retain talented individuals with their unique backgrounds, because we are convinced that diversity strengthens us. That is what we need to become that diverse and inclusive city. So feel welcome at the City of Arnhem, no matter who you are or what your life circumstances may be.