Commercial Director

Great that you are curious about our vacancy!

Technically, we are more than equipped to bring our projects to a successful conclusion and our internal operations are solid. Sales has never been our strong suit. We lack commercial leadership, so we are looking for someone to develop our commercial strategy, expand our network and generate new work. Is this exactly what you want to do? Then read on quickly.

Keep in mind! We close this vacancy on the 6th of January.

De Voorhoede is not a we-do-everything agency, but a real web development club. With a team of 15 people we build exciting projects for PostNL, TU Deft & TNO, Deltares and the Kindertelefoon, for example. Our goal is sustainable growth: we focus on more challenging projects for meaningful clients, so we can grow in diversity and expertise of the team. We prefer to work on projects with a social character. Diversity, inclusiveness and good care for our people and the world is our priority. As of 2023, we have established this impactful business practice by achieving our B Corp certification. We work from our offices in Amsterdam and Delft, or from home. We prefer not to limit ourselves with all kinds of rules and procedures. With freedom, trust and responsibility you get the best results. We are convinced of that.

You are the initiator of the commercial side of De Voorhoede. You will set a commercial strategy and enthuse the team about your plans and the opportunities they can offer. As a result, we attract new clients with technically challenging projects with which we make an impact. You ensure that we not only maintain but also expand our relationships with clients. This is how you drive sustainable growth.

You keep an eye on the market so you are always aware of the latest trends. You translate this into opportunities for De Voorhoede and a practical plan to generate new business. You develop new ways and/or services to attract customers and are ultimately responsible for our marketing. You will also improve the sales process so that potential clients get a positive image of us during every step of the sales process.

If we manage to achieve the desired growth, there may be room to expand this team. For example with a Sales & Key Account Manager. Once hired, you will manage that person. In the meantime, you and other colleagues will carry out activities related to sales, marketing and account management. Where necessary, we call in external help, such as a designer, copywriter or SEA specialist. You have a leading position in this.

You will be given a lot of responsibility and space to think out strategy, but you will also get to work yourself. You work in a senior operational team. This means that we are also jointly responsible for the execution of our plans. You will be part of the Management Team and work closely with our CTO and owner (Jasper Moelker) and Head of Operations (Nena de Clercq), both of whom have been with De Voorheode from the beginning.

First and foremost, we are looking for new commercial leadership. If you have the ambition to grow further in your leadership role, there will eventually be room to take on more MT responsibilities. Think for example of directing finances or general management of the organization.

The ideal candidate has proven experience in scaling a business and understands what it takes to lead De Voorhoede to the next phase. How the agency and digital markets work is right up your alley. You know what's going on and bring your own network from this industry. You continue to expand this network and find new ways to bring De Voorhoede to the attention of potential clients. 

You communicate convincingly and can quickly build relationships. When it comes to a tough conversation with a client, you know how to bring it to a successful conclusion with an eye on the relationship. You are also at ease in front of a group while leading a session or presenting a proposal. Within De Voorhoede, you know how to connect with the developers. This allows you to use the knowledge and experience of our team to generate new business and you know what type of projects will make our people happy. 

You share our passion for making impact. You set a good example to the team, provide guidance and inspiration, but, like us, are not keen on hierarchy. You are an energetic, results-oriented commercial leader who wants to achieve ambitious goals together with a passionate team.

You also bring:

• At least 10 years of work experience within a digital agency
• At least 5 years of experience in a leadership role
• Bachelor's or WO work and thinking level
• Experience writing custom proposals
• You are curious by nature and have a keen interest in understanding the business model of our clients
• You speak and write fluently Dutch and English
• You are available for 32-40 hours per week 

Do you have no experience at director level, but the right qualities, ambitions and work experience at an digital agency? We would love to talk to you. There is room to grow in this role.

Not sure if you meet every qualification? Studies show that women and individuals from underrepresented groups often hesitate to apply if they don’t meet every requirement—even when they're highly qualified. At de Voorhoede, we believe that differences make us stronger and we’re committed to creating an open and inclusive culture. So when in doubt, just apply and let us decide! 

A good work-life balance. You could say that we do have a 9-5 mentality. Our offices are equipped for the 'new way of working', where we assume that people work 50/50 at home and at the office. Each workplace is equipped with a sit-stand desk, laptop stand and monitor. The breakout rooms, video workstations, focus room, call boxes, quiet room cum flask room and a well-stocked refrigerator complete the offices. In short: an office you want to show everyone.

This is also what you can expect:

• Freedom, responsibility and plenty of room for your own ideas
• A salary between €6,000 and €8,000 per month based on a fulltime contract
• A contract for 32, 36 or 40 hours per week
• Monthly allowance for your old age (4%)
• 8% vacation pay + 25 vacation days (can be purchased)
• A Macbook to your liking
• Furnish your home office with a one-off budget of €1,000
• Annual coaching and study budget of €1,500
• Full reimbursement of travel expenses or an NS business card (no lease car at the start, but possible over time if we can come up with a smart arrangement together)
• Fresh lunch at the office
• Bi-weekly mat massages in Amsterdam
• Working from our shiny new office with 270º views over the Houthavens in Amsterdam, or our cozy stained glass canal hideout in Delft a stone's throw from the train station

Got excited? Apply via the application button! Or looking for more information? Let's (e-)meet! Send your email to HR at sollicitaties@voorhoede.nl. Or call/app with Réni via: 06 2833 1148.

Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated. Really not.