Opening: General Director

Location: The Netherlands
Employment type: staff
Starting date: to be determined
Hours per week: 24-36
Salary indication (FTE): 80 000-100,000 € ¹ gross per year, + pension provision

¹ Dependent on background and experience.

For its Netherlands based office, Edsger Institute is looking for a general director to shape its significant ambitions. Edsger Institute is a European non-profit knowledge organisation committed to an open, transparent and human-centric digital society where technology serves society. Edsger Institute is a foundation ("Stichting") under Dutch law, established in 2025. The foundation currently has nine staff members.

As an organisation, Edsger Institute develops and manages free and open technology, produces (open) data about e.g. software provenance, and executes research on how to make software work in the public interest. Its current main source of funding are research grants. The foundation is currently active in a number of European research programmes, such as Fediversity, Restack and Rebase. The current focus is twofold: empowering service providers to reliably deliver portable services levering fuctional package management, and understanding the software supply tree.

To spearhead its bureau and handle the operational management of its current projects, the Board of Directors is looking for an inspiring General Manager. Edsger Institute is a young and ambitious organisation working in a very dynamic environment, you need to bring along a pioneering mindset.

This is a regular employment contract (full-time preferred, minimum 24 hours/week) for a senior role with an initial runway of 3 years. The possibility of prolongation is determined by how successful you are in managing the portfolio of ongoing projects, and the ability of the General Director (and the team they lead) to onboard additional follow-up projects and/or attract other funding. You bring relevant organisational experience to the table, learn fast and are committed to the public good. You have experience running a team, dealing with finance and people management. We operate in an international context, a willingness to travel is appreciated.

You have good writing skills in English, and a positive and constructive attitude. You do not need or use AI to function. Furthermore, you:

• have an academic level of work and thinking
• at least two years experience in leading a team
• are capable of assuming budget responsibility and dealing with financial administration.
  (Familiarity with Netherlands tax law (or a clear ability to obtain this familiarity) is a prerequisite)
• have up-to-date knowledge of and interest in open source software and operating systems
• are eager to learn and willing to dive into potentially unknown areas of knowledge
• are a good networker

We offer:

• an attractive market-based salary
• a responsible job in an exciting international context with cutting edge technology
• 27 vacation days and the possibility to accrue additional days
• a good pension scheme
• room for personal growth, education and training

Are you interested and do you meet the requirements in the profile? Then send your application, accompanied by an up-to-date CV and a targeted motivation to openings@board.edsger.eu. We will reject applications written with generative AI.

Details

Core Tasks & Responsibilities

• Strategic direction & vision

  As General Director you embody the values and unique culture of free and open source, and position Edsger Institute as a trustworthy partner and expert voice to be listened to.

• Establish and maintain a clear strategic vision on how digital commons can be used to achieve digital sovereignty.
• Ensure coherence, continuity and relevance of the work done within the foundation.

• Fundraising & external relations

  You are in charge of fundraising, and can operate effectively within both the private sector and with professional bureaucratic institutions (e.g. European Commission). You are able to deal with anything from project reporting and audits to consortium governance.

  • Identify and execute on relevant opportunities within funding programmes (Horizon Europe, CEF, Digital Europe, etc.)
  • Ensure continuity across projects and budget streams
  • Manage subsidy lifecycles from application, throughout the execution phase and final reporting, levering expertise in the foundation's network where possible/needed.
  • Build and maintain strong partnerships with stakeholders, funders, policy makers and other relevant international institutions and initiatives.

• Organisation & People Leadership

  You use your excellent people skills to manage a diverse team in an inclusive manner compatible with free and open source culture. You are demonstrably able to communicate well with technical experts.

  • Lead the team and give direction by motivating, without falling back on hierarchical pressure.
  • Keep people on track, and monitor progress, structure and priorities.
  • Ensure a culture of transparency, cooperation and autonomy.
  • Maintain good communication with the board.

• Finance & Governance

  Responsibility for financial administration, grant accountability and managing overall financial stability.

  • Prepare annual and project budgets, and make sure the financial basis of the foundation is solid.
  • Supervise the financial administration and audit processes.
  • Familiarity with Netherlands tax law is a requirement

• Technical context

  Edsger Institute has a strong focus on technological excellence, and is resposible for producing and maintaining state-of-the-art technology. You work with domain experts and are interested in grasping their technical ideas, and create technology that benefits society. You have an affinity with free and open source and its underlying principles.

  • Experience with software development is appreciated.