Business Director

About Teylers Museum

Welcome to Teylers Museum, the oldest and most intriguing museum in the Netherlands. Since 1784, we have been a place where science and art come together. Visitors are in for a treat as they stroll through our historic building on the Spaarne, following in the footsteps of Einstein and Napoleon.

Teylers is unlike any other museum. Our mission is to broaden our visitors’ horizons and expand their world. We are authentic, curious, welcoming, surprising, and contemporary. The coming years will be focused on enhancing the visitor experience and carrying out necessary renovations. We dare to experiment and believe in the power of collaboration, inclusivity, and sustainable development.

Is business management your passion, and do you have a passion for culture? Are you able to bring people together, improve processes, and translate strategy into operations—all while keeping people in mind? Then we’re looking for you!

The position

As Business Director, you will be part of the management team and will work closely with the Executive Director, for whom you will serve as deputy. You will oversee the finance, facilities, HR, IT, security, and museum shop departments. You will also be responsible for the museum café, which is operated by an external party.

You will translate the museum’s ambitions into a solid and agile organization. You will ensure sound financial management, a safe, pleasant, and diverse work culture, and optimal support for the museum’s activities. You will create a safe and pleasant work environment.

What will you be doing?

• You will manage the heads of the support departments and ensure effective collaboration.
  
• You will develop and oversee policies related to finance, facilities, human resources, IT, security, the museum café, and the museum shop.
  
• Together with the managing director, you are responsible for making the historic complex more sustainable and overseeing a number of renovations.
• You will prepare (multi-year) budgets and reports and be responsible for financial accountability.
• You will be responsible for legal matters, contract management, and risk management.
  
• You will contribute to the strategic direction and organizational development.
  
• Together with the Executive Director, you will maintain external contacts with, for example, the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science and the Museum Association.
  

What are you bringing?

• HBO+ or university-level work and thinking skills.
  
• Experience as a manager in an organization of comparable size.
  
• Demonstrable knowledge of and passion for finance, business operations, and organizational development.
  
• Experience in the field of housing.
  
• Experience with legal and contractual issues.
  
• A strategic perspective and an affinity for the cultural sector.
  
• Strong communication skills, a results-oriented approach, a collaborative leadership style, and an eye for talent and development
  

What do we offer you?

• A meaningful role in a unique setting.
  
• Work with a passionate team that puts the audience first
  
• Opportunities for initiative and professional growth.
  
• A one-year contract for 32–36 hours per week, with the intention of offering permanent employment. Salary will be based on pay scale 14 of the museum collective bargaining agreement (depending on experience, €5,374–€7,931 based on 36 hours)
  

In addition, you can count on:

• An inspiring environment in the oldest museum in the Netherlands, with your workspace just a few steps away from “The Extraordinarily Large Electrifying Machine,” the summit of Mont Blanc, and drawings by Michelangelo.
  
• Employee benefits, such as an ICOM museum card, an 8% vacation allowance, a year-end bonus, and participation in the bicycle purchase plan.
  
• An inclusive and open work environment where we actively work to build a diverse organization.
  
• The opportunity to further your professional development.
  

We believe in a diverse and inclusive organization

Teylers Museum aims to be a place where everyone feels welcome and comfortable, both in the museum and in the workplace. Do you see yourself in this role, even if you don’t meet all the requirements? We still encourage you to apply. We’d love to hear your story.

Interested?

Please send your cover letter and resume to vacatures@teylersmuseum.nl by June 18 at the latest. For questions regarding the position, please email directie@teylersmuseum.nl. The first interviews will be held on June 30 or July 4.

Motivation

In your cover letter, be sure to answer the following questions:

How would you promote collaboration between public-facing activities (such as organizing exhibitions or educational projects) and support services within a museum? Please provide a few examples of how you have done this in the past.

To what extent do you have experience with property management or housing in a historic building open to the public? Describe a relevant situation and your role in it.

Describe a situation in which you successfully led an organizational change within one or more support departments (such as facilities, security, or finance). What was your approach, and what results were achieved? What challenges did you encounter, and how did you resolve them?