Chief Finance & Operations Officer (CFOO) – he British School in the Netherlands

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For the British School in the Netherlands Chasse Executive Search is looking for:

Chief Finance & Operations Officer (CFOO)

A strategic senior leader committed to driving financial and operational excellence, ensuring the British School in the Netherlands remains a highly effective, compliant, and future-ready school.

The British School in the Netherlands
The British School in the Netherlands (BSN) is one of Europe’s leading British international schools, serving approximately 1,900 students aged 3 to 18 across four campuses in and around The Hague. Founded in 1931, the BSN has a proud history of providing high-quality education in the British tradition with an international outlook.
The BSN community brings together students from nearly 90 nationalities. Academic excellence, breadth of experience and character development are at the heart of the mission of the British School in the Netherlands — preparing young people with the knowledge, skills, and values to become successful global citizens who contribute positively to society.
As a not-for-profit Vereniging under Dutch law, the BSN is governed by an Association chaired by the British Ambassador and composed of members representing major international organisations and embassies. The Board of Governors provides strategic oversight and guidance.
The CEO leads the organisation, supported by the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), which includes the four Headteachers, the Chief Finance & Operations Officer (CFOO), the Head of Human Resources and the Director of Engagement & External Relations. Together, they ensure coherent strategy, operational excellence, and a strong, values-driven culture.
With a turnover of approximately €50 million and no government subsidy, the BSN must operate with financial prudence, foresight, and agility. The school is experiencing changes in its market context, including shifts in the international population of The Hague and increased competition. This demands strategic leadership and sound financial stewardship to remain fit for the future while maintaining premium quality and service.

The Position: Chief Finance & Operations Officer (CFOO)
The Chief Finance & Operations Officer is a key member of the Executive Leadership Team and plays a pivotal role in securing the school’s long-term financial and operational success. Reporting to the CEO and working closely with the Board of Governors, the CFOO ensures that BSN’s finances, infrastructure, and support functions enable the delivery of an outstanding education for every student. The CFOO combines financial excellence with strategic insight and human understanding — bringing clarity to complex decisions, helping the organisation make the right decisions based on sound analysis and context. This is a demanding but rewarding position that requires strong business acumen, composure under pressure and an appreciation of the educational environment.

Core Leadership Accountabilities

• Provide strategic, financial, and operational leadership across Finance, Operations & Facilities, IT, and Security & Data Protection.
• Develop and implement strategies and systems that ensure efficiency, sustainability and value for money while safeguarding educational quality.
• Serve as a trusted partner to the CEO, Board of Governors, and senior colleagues, helping the organization make informed, strategic decisions grounded in financial reality.
• Lead financial planning, forecasting, and reporting, ensuring accuracy, transparency and full compliance with Dutch financial and tax regulations.
• Oversee capital investment, infrastructure, and long-term maintenance planning, ensuring a safe, modern, and inspiring learning environment.
• Work collaboratively with the Head of HR to manage staffing — the school’s largest cost area — balancing financial prudence with the need to attract, retain and develop excellent people.
• Ensure robust risk management, governance, and compliance frameworks.
• Chair the Health & Safety Committee and ensure compliance across all campuses.
• Spend visible time on campus, maintaining close relationships with academic and support colleagues to understand the realities and needs of the school community.
• Represent BSN externally, maintaining relationships with auditors, banks, advisors, and peer networks in international education

Please find more in depth information on the position and organisation in the brochureprovided by the British School in The Netherlands.

Applications – closing date: Friday November 21st, 2025
The British School in the Netherlands is partnering with Chasse Executive Search to manage this procedure; the coordinating partner is Marrit Smit.

The closing date for written applications, including a motivation letter and curriculum vitae (in PDF format), is Friday November 21st 2025. Please submit your application via info@chassesearch.nl.

Your application is subject to Chasse’s privacy statement. You can find more information about the privacy statement here.

Initial interviews will be conducted by the search partner Marrit Smit. All discussions and applications will be treated with the utmost confidentiality.

An extensive job profile and an extensive Brochure with further information on the job requirements, context, employment conditions and procedure is available and can be downloaded from this page:

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Solliciteren tot: 21/11/2025