Business Manager

The fund operates within a dynamic cultural and social context. As a national cultural fund, it works closely with the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science, other national cultural funds, and partners in the literary field. At the same time, the organization deliberately remains small-scale: the strength of the Dutch Foundation for Literature lies in its commitment, expertise, and direct lines of communication. The organization is driven by a deep commitment to literature and reading. 

The organization has 40–45 employees and fosters an open and informal culture. In recent years, efforts have been made to further professionalize the organization, particularly in the areas of digitization, archiving, internal processes, and HR tools. There is room for the business manager to further develop these initiatives. 

The assignment

The organization is currently undergoing development, and significant progress has already been made in recent times. A current priority is to further enhance coherence and structure in the areas of organizational development, HR, and financial management. Within the organization, there is a need for greater clarity regarding roles, responsibilities, and the implementation of HR policies. The business manager will contribute to the further development and consolidation of this structure, building on the existing foundation.

In addition, the digital systems and work processes require extra attention. The coming period will focus on ensuring quality, further development, and strengthening the coherence between systems and processes, particularly in support of the grant process and information management. The Operations Manager helps to refine priorities, streamline processes, monitor progress, and further strengthen collaboration between teams. At the same time, work is underway on the development and implementation of a new grant management system. The business manager is involved in the selection process and contributes to a careful rollout, ensuring the system is seamlessly integrated into the organization. 

The role

The Business Manager is responsible for the internal organization, financial and business policy, and operational management of the Dutch Foundation for Literature, working closely with the Executive Director. The Business Manager oversees the operational departments, including finance and control, HR, IT, legal affairs, information management, and support for the grant process. Within these areas, work is carried out by two teams, led by coordinators: the controller also serves as team coordinator for the operational management team, and the legal counsel also serves as coordinator for the team that supports the grant process (PIT). Together with these coordinators, the business manager ensures sound financial management, control over legal matters, and smooth-running processes in all areas of operations and support.

The role requires someone who is closely connected to the organization, maintains an overview of the big picture, fosters cohesion between processes and teams, and ensures that responsibilities are clearly defined. The business leader not only focuses on continuity but also on further professionalizing the organization and serves as a driving force in that regard. 

As a sparring partner to the executive director, the business manager helps strike a balance between strategic goals and organizational feasibility. The strength of this role lies in creating structure and stability, enabling the organization to fully fulfill its social mission and freeing up the executive director to focus on their important external role with all stakeholders, while ensuring the organization operates at peak efficiency.

The profile

The ideal candidate has extensive experience in organizational development, strengthening internal processes, and managing operations within a professional organization. Experience in developing and implementing HR tools and strategic HR processes is essential.

Experience in a public and/or cultural context is a plus, as is an affinity for literature and/or the broader cultural field. The executive director understands how organizations function in which a passion for content and social engagement play a key role, and knows how to integrate these elements into a well-structured organization.

The business leader thrives in an organization of 40–45 employees with short lines of communication and an open culture. This is an approachable and unifying leader who maintains a broad perspective and is capable of making decisive calls when necessary. In addition, the role requires sensitivity to the organization’s dynamics: the ability to navigate between different perspectives and experience in engaging the organization, teams, and individuals in new developments.

Interested?

The Dutch Foundation for Literature is being assisted in this process by the executive search firm Colourful People. If you have any questions about the position or the process, please contact René F. Burgler, Esq., Partner at Colourful People, at r.burgler@colourfulpeople.nl or via 06 28 57 54 36. You can apply by submitting your resume and cover letter (both in PDF format) no later than Wednesday, May 17 to upload via the application form on the Colourful People website. If there is sufficient interest, we may close the application process early.

Based on your resume, we expect to gain a clear understanding of your substantive and technical expertise. In your cover letter, we are therefore particularly interested in:

• What appeals to you about the Dutch Foundation for Literature’s social mission, and the role that organizational development and operational management play in achieving cultural impact?
  
• How do you ensure that business processes run smoothly and effectively while also keeping the people in the organization in mind?
  
• What characterizes your leadership style?

Terms of Employment

You will be appointed in accordance with the terms and conditions of employment of the Dutch Foundation for Literature. The position is classified in grade 13 of the Central Government Collective Labor Agreement. This is a 0.89 FTE (32 hours per week) position. Initially, a fixed-term employment contract will be offered, with the intention of converting it to a permanent contract upon satisfactory performance.

Schedule

You can respond until no later than Wednesday, May 17. The preliminary interviews will take place in weeks 21 and 22. The final interviews will be held on Friday, June 19. We aim to complete the entire process in June.