Four members of the Supervisory Board

Lingecollege has been the leading public secondary school for children and young people from Tiel and the surrounding area for several generations. For Lingecollege, it’s about more than just imparting knowledge. It’s also about personal growth. We are seeking four new members for Lingecollege’s Board of Trustees, with specific expertise in four areas: HR, finance & facilities, legal affairs, and educational policy & quality. We are looking for passionate and socially engaged individuals who want to contribute to the further development of Lingecollege. Does this sound like you? Then we’d love to hear from you!

About Lingecollege

The Tiel Public Secondary Education Foundation, also known as Lingecollege, is a public school system and a key player in education, established and deeply rooted in Tiel. With approximately 2,200 students, over 250 staff members, and a budget of €19 million, Lingecollege actively works to provide excellent education and guide young people so they can confidently and independently shape their future roles in society. In doing so, Lingecollege focuses on the following principles: discovery, curiosity, trust, positivity, and engagement, and offers a wide range of programs across five locations: vocational education, vocational college (VMBO-basis and VMBO-kader), MAVO, Lyceum (HAVO and VWO), and initial reception for non-native speakers (ISK). As mentioned, for Lingecollege, it is about more than just imparting knowledge. Its mission is therefore to guide young people so they can confidently and in their own way give meaning to their future role in society—a society that is changing rapidly and whose long-term future is less clear than ever.

Organization and developments

Lingecollege was governed by a single-person board, supported by two site directors (one for education and one for operations). In 2023, a governance crisis occurred that had a significant impact. This led to necessary interventions and a number of fundamental changes at the administrative and supervisory levels. For example, an external and independent chairperson was appointed, the (interim) board commissioned an external investigation into the organization, and steps were taken to improve a number of areas. Work is currently underway to implement a new organizational structure in which the position of board member has been replaced by that of rector/executive director. The recruitment of this officer is proceeding in parallel with the recruitment of the new members of the Board of Trustees. In short, it has been a turbulent time, but for some time now, Lingecollege has been vigorously working on a significant number of corrective measures regarding educational quality and social safety, and is working hard to improve and rebuild trust.

Wanted: Four members of the Supervisory Board

Due to the departure of several members, we are seeking four new members for the Lingecollege Supervisory Board. For these positions, we are looking for (a combination of) specific experience and expertise:

• Expertise and experience in HR (nominated by the Works Council)
• Expertise and experience in finance and housing
• Expertise and experience in legal matters
• Expertise and experience in education

Profile: Member with responsibility for HR

We are looking for a candidate who preferably has extensive experience in strategic HR policy, employee well-being, workload management, diversity and inclusion, leadership, and other HR issues. You have a clear vision of the value of employee and HR policies, and you are able to think strategically and advise the board and management on HR-related developments.

Profile: Member responsible for Finance and Housing

We are looking for a candidate with a strong financial background; experience in housing and real estate is a plus. You have knowledge of strategic financial planning and can oversee the preparation of financial statements and multi-year budgets, and you have extensive experience in operations management, internal control, and risk management. Knowledge of education funding systems is preferred. You are willing to serve as chair of the audit committee.

Profile: Member with responsibility for Legal Affairs

We are looking for a candidate with a broad legal background and knowledge of governance issues. You have experience working at the strategic level within a large organization. You are able to quickly gain a solid understanding of an educational organization, which will enable you to analyze and evaluate the legal and administrative aspects of Lingecollege.

Profile: Member with the Education Portfolio

We are looking for a candidate who knows and understands education from the inside out and who is preferably familiar with secondary education. You have experience at the strategic level with complex change processes in education. You have insight into and experience with quality assurance and quality awareness in educational organizations. Drawing on your knowledge and experience as a supervisor, you can engage in analytical discussions about the direction of education and quality.

Supervisory Board - Responsibilities and Time Commitment

Lingecollege is governed according to the Supervisory Board model, under which the Board of Directors is responsible for matters that transcend the school and for establishing the frameworks for educational, personnel, financial, and facilities policies, while the Supervisory Board oversees the achievement of the goals, policies, and the general course of business at Lingecollege, and provides both solicited and unsolicited advice. The Supervisory Board ensures compliance with legal regulations and the Code of Good Governance, as established by the VO Council. The principal/executive director is obligated to seek the Supervisory Board’s approval for, among other things, the adoption of the budget, the annual financial statements, and (strategic) multi-year policy plans. In its capacity as employer, the Board of Trustees also evaluates the performance of the rector/executive director. This is done with an appropriate, statutorily defined, role-based understanding of the relationship between the supervisory body and the management, and a vision regarding governance and effective oversight to be established. The Board of Trustees consists of five members, and three committees operate within the board: the Audit Committee, the Education Committee, and the Remuneration Committee. Members are appointed for a term of four years, with the possibility of extension for up to four additional years, and members receive an annual remuneration commensurate with the complexity of their duties.

The Board of Trustees meets at least 5 to 6 times a year, and members also meet in the various committees. In addition, there are regular working visits to or events at the various programs that are part of Lingecollege, where your presence as a supervisor is appreciated. We strive to foster a professional atmosphere and approach, with an open and constructively critical culture of communication. The Board of Trustees functions as a multidisciplinary team in which everyone’s strengths are utilized and respected; each member of the Board is expected to be able to assess the broad outlines of Lingecollege’s overall policy. Independence, commitment, clarity of roles, and integrity are fundamental principles in this regard. We are committed to ensuring that, with the addition of the four new members, the Board of Trustees continues to reflect our society in terms of gender, background, age, and social perspectives.

A New Approach to Oversight

The role of supervisory board members has changed fundamentally in recent years. They are now held much more accountable for the quality of an organization’s strategy and leadership. In addition, supervisors are held accountable for their own performance and that of the entire Board of Trustees. Beyond comprehensive oversight of financial management, the quality of the organization and its educational programs, and the active fulfillment of the employer’s role toward the executive, internal oversight also requires a strong moral compass. The new-style supervisor is closely involved in the organization’s operations, brings specific experience and expertise to the table, and can boast an excellent reputation. We expect new members to ideally possess, in addition to specific competencies, the following qualities in line with the general profile:

• An affinity for education in general and the social objectives of Lingecollege;
• Strong ties to the community and a relevant network;
• Analytical skills, able to distinguish between main and secondary issues;
• Identifying and raising relevant societal or region-specific developments in policy discussions within the Supervisory Board;
• Can work independently and critically;
• Works well in a team and has strong communication and meeting skills;
• The ability to serve as a sounding board and sparring partner for the board;
• Supervisory experience and a clear vision of supervision and governance;
• And brings the following personal qualities to the table: authenticity, leadership skills, a big-picture perspective, integrity, and a strong sense of ethics.

Interested?

Lingecollege is working with the executive search firm Colourful People to fill this position. For more information, please contact Naima Azough, partner at Colourful People, at 06-43449717 or n.azough@colourfulpeople.nl. You can express your interest by uploading your cover letter and resume no later than Wednesday, June 26, 2024, via the “Apply” button at the bottom of this page.

Note: You will receive an automatic confirmation of your application once you upload your information via our website. If you do not receive a confirmation, please contact Naima Azough immediately by email at n.azough@colourfulpeople.nl.