Director General Operations

Introduction

In this strategic MT role, you are overseeing General Operations (HR, Finance, IT, etc) for the post-experience part of the international business school RSM: RSM BV. You enable the organisation to increase our impact as a force for positive change and you’re up for the challenge to balance our high professional standards in a leading business school with a lean and agile organisation.

Job description

The Cluster Lead and Director General Operations (DGO) is a facilitating leader, with a strong strategic perspective, a systemic outlook and excellent leadership DNA. The DGO has broad operations related knowledge and expertise, with a focus on finance, and will be part of RSM BV’s management team. We are in the process of growing our business and impact, which means we are looking for a leader who can support us in realising growth, whilst controlling costs.  
 

The DGO functions as the standard representative of general operations interests in strategic decision making. They facilitate the various leaders in their “cluster” of teams in realising fit-for-purpose services and facilities, and have a systemic perspective on professionalisation, collaboration and change. Where possible, they provide growth and performance opportunities to the directors and managers in their cluster. They will make sure general operations staff gets the opportunity to develop themselves and feels empowered and engaged. 

In the General Operations cluster, currently the following functions are grouped together: Finance, Human Resources, IT, Hospitality, Business Consultants, Executive Office, Legal and Privacy (approx. 30 fte). 

Job requirements

Geared towards the different gremia/stakeholder groups, the DGO has the following responsibilities:  

• RSM BV Programmes:  
  The DGO ensures that the different functions in the DGO cluster deliver services and facilities that are fit-for-purpose for successful programme operations. They make sure the right (strategic) dialogues with programme owners take place, so services and facilities continuously evolve with our programmes to optimize the customer experience, also from a strategic perspective.  
   
• Functions in the General Operations Cluster:  
  The DGO drives professionalisation and future proof development together with the directors and managers in their cluster and has a keen eye for improving on systemic issues related for example to contracting, information needs, cost management or collaboration. They own the strategy formulation processes for General Relations related functions. Processes in General Operations should be developed in a way to empower employees in the organisation to take responsibility to reach positive business results.  
   
• RSM BV Management Team:  
  The DGO is a full member of RSM BV’s management team and the first representative of the various functions that are part of General Operations. They play a key role in RSM BV strategic decision making, alignment between the different clusters, interaction with the BV board and RSM BV strategy formulation and execution. The DGO brings strong leadership skills, feeling strong ownership for RSM BV staff engagement and culture. They ensure optimal communication to the functions in their domain and pro-actively co-own organisational interests.  

• OneSchool:  
  The DGO embraces RSM’s OneSchool philosophy, where we collaborate optimally with our RSM EUR (public university) colleagues on all relevant levels, and where we try to optimise for the broader RSM in everything we do. The DGO is an active link and bridgebuilder to RSM EUR counterparts and encourages optimal collaboration with RSM EUR by everyone in the General Operations domain.  

To be successful in this position, you will need to have the following knowledge, expertise or skills. 

• A master's degree or equivalent through experience.
• Experience with “managing managers” 
• Excellent financial background and solid, proven understanding of business development and financial models 
• Experience with digitalisation projects, thereby increasing efficiency in tools and processes 
• Strong managerial and leadership experience, with a facilitating and coaching leadership style, empowering their team(s) and spotlighting team members  
• Well-developed strategic skills – both in strategy formulation as well as strategy execution  
• Strong collaboration and communication skills in English and preferably Dutch 
• Experience with policy development and implementation  
• Experience in managing broader operations functions like facilities and hospitality is a prerequisite 

Employment conditions and benefits

We offer an ambitious, international and dynamic environment, in which we compete with the top business schools in Europe. You will be part of a close, innovation-driven team on a vibrant university campus. Your ambition and personal drive will be greatly valued, and we invest in personal development. We make sure you feel good about yourself, that you enjoy your work and that you grow in your profession.  

You will also get: 

• A salary between € 6,500 – 8,000 gross per month on fulltime basis (ex. 8% holiday allowance), based on your education, knowledge and work experience.
• 25 holidays and 12 ADV days. 
• Variable end of year performance bonus. 
• The flexibility with regards to work from home. 
• Travel cost reimbursement (the possibility to travel with NS business card) 
• Discount on membership of Erasmus Sport.   
• Access to online learning platform GoodHabitz and wellbeing platform OpenUp. 
• Regular fun work events and drinks.  
• Participation in our collective pension scheme: premium full paid by RSM, voluntary employee contribution is optional. 

Employer

Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam (RSM BV) is one of Europe’s most international and innovative business schools. Its primary focus is to develop business leaders with international careers who can become a force for positive change by carrying their innovative mindset into a sustainable future. RSM BV is privately funded and providesa first-class portfolio of MBA and executive programmes with an international team of 150 staff working from the university campus in Rotterdam.

RSM BV offers an environment where the staff is encouraged to embrace change as a challenge in helping the organisation reaching its goals and those of its students. The working atmosphere at RSM BV is informal and communication lines are short. Being an independent and commercial company within the Erasmus University, the situation of RSM BV is sometimes complex and challenging. At the same time the company itself it small enough to maintain personal contacts and be able to have an overview of what’s going on throughout the organisation. The environment is culturally diverse and very international.

RSM BV is located in a pleasant and relatively small office, based at the Erasmus University campus in Rotterdam. It’s a lively environment, with students, staff and different companies and restaurants. The office is easy to reach by public transport as well as by car.

RSM BV is an equal opportunity employer and explicitly encourages applications from candidates of all genders, ethnicities and nationalities. RSM BV values internal mobility; therefore internal candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. For more information, please visit the RSM BV website: www.rsm.nl

Additional information

Would you first like to learn more about the position or about RSM BV? Please contact Charlotte Bakermans, HR Director at RSM BV via hr@rsm.nl

Applying

If you see yourself as a person who thrives by working in a innovating, stimulating, international and growing environment and you recognize yourself as a qualified candidate for this vacancy, please click on the application button on this page and send your CV and (short) cover letter (in English) to Richard Hageman, Managing Director, Rotterdam School of Management B.V.. The deadline for applying is May 9, 2025.