About this job
As Director at the Academy for AI, Games & Media (AGM), you will provide inspirational leadership and embody the vision that students are at the heart of BUas – a close-knit, international learning environment.
You will operate effectively within a complex organisation, guided by a clear ambition and strategy. You have proven leadership experience in higher education (higher professional education (hbo in Dutch) or university education (wo in Dutch), combining strategic, business, and operational insight. As a director, you will effectively delegate responsibilities across organisational layers, combining hands-on facilitative leadership with decisive strategic action. You are capable of addressing both long-term strategic issues and the detailed, complex challenges that arise in day-to-day operations. You are committed to maintaining and strengthening each of the three core domains (AI & Data Science, Games, and Media) as distinct yet interconnected pillars of the academy, and you have a demonstrated understanding of the unique needs and opportunities within each domain. You will create an inclusive and positive environment in which professionals feel valued, empowered, and motivated to perform at their best. You will demonstrate intellectual humility and a willingness to rely on the technical expertise of team members in specialist AI, games, and media domains. You will translate BUas’ strategy into concrete, forward-looking objectives for the academy, implementing them through constructive cooperation with stakeholders and colleagues across other academies.
You proactively bridge the gap between applied and academic fields, both within the Netherlands and across Europe. Thanks to your natural networking skills, you will develop strong partnerships with industry, government, and higher education institutions (hbo and wo), particularly in the Breda region (including the municipal, provincial, and partner organisations). You are experienced in, or aspire to, strengthening collaborations between universities of applied sciences (hbo), research universities (wo), and industry stakeholders.
You are committed to sustainability, integrating it into education, R&D, and the responsible use of AI. You advise the Executive Board on long-term objectives, and are responsible for AGM’s strategic vision, programme development, and multi-annual planning. Additionally, you manage the academy’s budget and ensure its long-term financial stability. Together with the directors of the other academies, the R&D director, and four support services, you act as sparring partner to the Executive Board, contributing to the strategic vision and direction of BUas as a whole.
What do we offer?
- The salary for this position amounts to a monthly minimum of €7,006.77 and a monthly maximum of €9,046.60 (gross amounts based on full-time employment);
- This position is classified in scale 15 of the cao-hbo (collective labour agreement). Your official job title will be Academy Director;
- Upon appointment, you will be given a four-year employment contract. After three years, a performance interview (Go-NoGo moment) will be conducted with the option of renewal of the contract for the next four years;
- Relocation support and financial reimbursement for candidates moving to the Netherlands;
- Your commuting expenses will be fully reimbursed when you travel by public transport;
- You will receive a contribution towards your health insurance costs;
- You will receive an end-of-year bonus of 8.3% in December and an annual holiday allowance of 8% in May;
- You will also be awarded professional development hours every year and almost 11 weeks of holiday entitlements in a full-time position;
- You have the option to work partly from home, which can help improve your work-life balance;
- You will build an attractive pension through the ABP pension fund;
- The chance to make a direct impact on the future of education, research, and industry engagement at BUas;
- Working at BUas means always striving for ‘the plus’. BUas aims to be more than just a university of applied sciences, continuously focusing on development and creating meaningful experiences;
- You will be working at a top-ranked university of applied sciences on a green, sustainable campus near the city centre of Breda;
- You will be working in an attractive and friendly working environment together with enthusiastic colleagues from the industry and students from around the world.
- Moving from abroad to Breda in the Netherlands? We provide support and financial compensation for relocation and settling in the Netherlands. Dutch tax authorities may offer tax reductions to applicants from abroad, making tax rates comparable to those in the UK and US.
What do we ask of you?
- You have a higher education degree in a relevant field, with proven senior management experience in higher education (hbo or wo) and affinity or experience in the fields of AI, games and/or media;
- You are a people-focused leader who can make difficult decisions while considering diverse perspectives. You have an entrepreneurial spirit and are creative, with the ability to seize opportunities across disciplines and sectors;
- You have strong self-reflection skills, flexibility, innovative capacity, and a sense of humour;
- You are reliable and decisive, with a growth mindset that fosters a learning organisation;
- You have experience in managing teams of autonomous professionals using a facilitative, coaching leadership style;
- You are an expert in organisational and educational processes, research, and quality assurance, with the courage to set priorities and challenge when needed;
- You have analytical skills, with the ability to connect academy-level ambitions to institutional goals. You have proven experience in change management and know how to secure effective practices;
- You are confident in taking a strong position on societal debates, community building and internationalisation;
- You are able to create an inclusive culture within an international context in which the team’s diverse qualities, experiences and insights lead to the further qualitative development of AGM within the whole of BUas;
- You have a fitting vision on integrating education and R&D, with the ability to implement this within the academy and BUas;
- You have excellent English speaking and writing skills as you will interact with both national and international colleagues and stakeholders across the organisation and beyond (both in Europe and with partners in other parts of the world). Dutch proficiency in speaking and writing is preferred, or you are willing to learn the Dutch language if needed.
The application process
For this strategic position, we are looking for a candidate who not only meets the professional requirements but also fits BUas’ culture and ambitions. We welcome applications from candidates who share our vision of integrating education and research, and who are energised by shaping the future of practice-based research in higher education.
The first interviews will take place on 29 September and the second interviews will take place on 1 October. We kindly request you to reserve these dates in your diary.
We would be pleased to receive your application before 23 September. Do you have any questions? Please feel free to contact Jorrit Snijder via snijder.j@buas.nl / +31(0)76-5332203 for substantive questions about the position itself, or recruitment via recruitment@buas.nl for questions about the application process.
You will receive a response to your application within two weeks of the closing date. Being able to provide a Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG) is a condition for employment at BUas. We will initiate the application for this after the terms of employment discussion. Where candidates are equally suitable, internal candidates will be given preference.
More about us
Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas) is a leading international university of applied sciences with a strong reputation in the field of research and education. In addition to our bachelor's and master's programmes, we offer two academic master's programmes and have positioned ourselves as the first university of applied sciences in Europe by fully integrating AI/Claude into education and support service functions. With our international profile and innovative approach, we create an inspiring environment for students, staff and partners.
BUas believes in an interconnected world which is ever changing. Within this dynamic, interconnecting environment, we empower young professionals on their journey to shape a better world. We offer our students plenty of opportunities to create meaningful experiences and pursue their dreams in a small-scale and international study environment, for example starting their own business, joining a national or international organisation, or developing an innovative product or concept. Students, lecturers and researchers work together in our national and international learning communities on meaningful knowledge, research and projects alongside global industry professionals. BUas is committed to educating for and in a continuously changing world. The organisation has an informal culture and operates on a Team-Based Working principle, whereby responsibilities and authority lie with the different teams.
External recruiters need not inquire.
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