Director of the Academy for Leisure

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The Academy for Leisure & Events (ALE) at Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas) is a national and international leader in education and research in the field of leisure. The academy is one of the seven World Leisure Centres of Excellence, an internationally renowned knowledge network of scholars. We address today’s challenges, such as:

As the director of the Academy for Leisure & Events (ALE) you are not only responsible for maintaining our strong position in the international field of leisure research and education. You are also committed to aligning academic research with industry- and educational demands, thus taking professional research to the next level. If leadership within a knowledge institute - that aspires to be a front-runner in all of the above - appeals to you, we offer you an excellent opportunity to make a significant contribution to it.

About this job
You are an inspirational leader who can operate within a complex organisation based on a clear ambition and strategy. Together with the management team of ALE you facilitate professionals in achieving high quality in education and research. You combine relevant business, strategic and operational insight, your own experience, skills and competences with a solid understanding of the higher education landscape and the dynamics that drive the success of specialist top educational institutions and you possess the ability to effectively manage and navigate within this field. We believe in decentralising authority within the organisation. As a result, your hands-on facilitative leadership will foster a positive, inclusive environment where professionals are empowered to work autonomously, enabling them to excel and deliver their best PLUS. Additionally, you will engage with our students, becoming a recognisable and approachable figure to them, listening to their interests and concerns.

You are able to translate BUas strategy into concrete (future-oriented) academy objectives, develop and implement these through productive cooperation with other stakeholders and you dare to be different in doing so. At the same time, you are adept at handling the intricate and multifaceted challenges and decisions that arise on a daily basis.

You advise the Executive Board on the long-term objectives and are responsible for academy's the strategic vision and curriculum development. Together with the directors of the other four academies and four support services, you are the sparring partner of the Executive Board and contribute to the strategic vision and direction of BUas as a whole. You have a vision for the development of professional research within universities of applied sciences, and you can articulate how your vision distinguishes BUas as a front-runner in this regard. You take the lead in long-term planning and oversee the academy’s budget (including the multiannual budget). You serve as the bridge between colleagues in both applied and academic fields, the various academies and industry stakeholders.

About BUas
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. This includes, for example, launching their own business, joining national and/or international organisations, or developing innovative products or concepts. 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 is characterised by an informal culture, and we operate on a team-based working principle where responsibilities and authority are assigned to the various teams.

About Academy for Leisure & Events
BUas delivers high-quality education, research and research projects (at academic as well as professional level), and is committed to building close industry partnerships, fostering internationalisation, striving for operational excellence, and promoting student well-being. Within the Academy for Leisure & Events (ALE), we focus on creating impact through Leisure & Events, also extending beyond the field of events and entertainment. As one of seven World Leisure Centres of Excellence, the academy is a national and international leader in education and research in the field of leisure.

The academy develops scientific and applied knowledge and devises new concepts for the diversified business sector for which it prepares its students. The academy offers professional and academic degree programmes at bachelor’s and master’s level and has approximately 1,650 students and 130 staff members.

We focus on several key topics, namely: Placemaking & Events, Storytelling, Consumer Behaviour, Experiences & Well-Being, and Imagineering. The latest focus attached to these topics, is ‘Leisure for a Better Society’. With these topics, the academy ensures a strong connection to the BUas-wide themes of Sustainability, Digital Realities, Experience Measurement & Design, and Places & Flows.

In our education, we foster small-scale learning communities, each with a unique focus. With six specialisations in the professional bachelor's programme, two professional master’s programmes and an academic programme, we tailor education to suit individual student needs and interests. Students are educated to create meaningful experiences, with an explicit focus on entertainment, business and societal impact. The main challenge for the upcoming years is to further improve cross-academy, multidisciplinary courses.

Our research focuses on three key themes: Leisure Experience Design and Management, Events & Placemaking, and Leisure in a Social Context. In the first theme, we help our leisure industry partners to design and measure experiences that enrich people’s lives, using innovative tools such as storytelling and imagineering.

The second theme is about the role of leisure and events in the development of places, leisure practices and experiences. Finally, the third theme sees leisure as a catalyst to address societal issues such as inclusion and social sustainability.

Education and research at our institute are interconnected and carried out in close cooperation with our industry partners. We strive to take a leading role as a centre of education and research in the Netherlands and beyond. Innovation is our keyword. Over the last few years, the Academy for Leisure & Events has established itself as a top knowledge institute, recognised as such by our international industry and research partners.

What do we offer you?  

This position will be at level 14 of the cao-hbo (collective agreement). Your official job title will be ‘Director of the Academy for Leisure & Events’; The salary amounts to a monthly minimum of € 6,030.72 and a monthly maximum of € 7,687.55 (gross amounts based on full-time employment); Considering the required qualities and depending on the experience and terms of employment of the appointed candidate, an additional allowance (equivalent to scale 15) is possible. The salary ranges thus to a maximum of €8,445.29 gross per month;You will receive an end-of-year benefit of 8.3% and an annual holiday allowance of 8%;Dutch tax authorities may offer tax reduction to applicants from abroad (which makes tax rates comparable to the UK and US); Upon appointment, you will be given a four-year employment contract. After three years, a performance interview will be conducted, the outcome of which will determine whether the contract will be renewed for the next four years; Your commuting expenses will be fully reimbursed when you travel by public transport, and you will receive compensation for health insurance;  You will be awarded professional development hours every year and almost eleven weeks of holiday entitlements in a full-time position;  You will be working at a top-ranked university of applied sciences with a clear strategy and focus; 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 reimbursements in the case of relocation and settling-in in the Netherlands.

What do we ask of you?  

You have a master's degree, preferably a PhD, in a relevant field, as well as experience and a relevant network in the domain of leisure and events; You either have management experience in the leisure industry and demonstrable affinity with higher education, or management experience in higher education and a relevant network in the leisure industry; You are empathetic, approachable and are open to the contribution and perspectives of others. Your entrepreneurial spirit and drive to seize new opportunities are inspiring; You are reliable and decisive. You aim to develop a growth mindset and feedback culture in the academy’s efforts to create a learning organisation and you play an exemplary role in this process; You have demonstrable experience and expertise with managing and motivating highly autonomous teams and professionals that function across departments and domains, using a facilitative, coaching style of leadership;  You are genuinely interested in people, education and research processes and you have the courage to choose, prioritise and respectfully question behaviour, agreements and quality; You have strong analytical skills and understand the relationship between the academy’s organisational level and its ambitions, and are capable of making appropriate interventions to enhance this relationship. You possess experience in change management and know how to ensure and sustain effectiveness; You are able to take a strong position in societal debate, community building and internationalisation. You foster an inclusive culture within an international context, where the diversity of the team’s qualities, experiences and insights contribute to the ongoing quality development of ALE; 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. Dutch speaking and writing proficiency is a preference, or you are willing to learn the Dutch language to an accredited level.

The application process

Please apply  before 6 May 2024  via the online application form. The first interviews will be held  on 14 May 2024 , where candidates will have interviews with two committees, each interview lasting 45 minutes. In the second round, on  28 May 2024 , candidates are requested to deliver a presentation of 45 minutes on a given case, the details of which will of course be shared with the candidates concerned in due time. A final interview will take place with our Executive Board on  18 June 2024 . You are kindly requested to reserve these dates in advance.

We welcome you to ask further questions you might have via . You will receive a reply to your application two weeks after the closing date at the latest.

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