You have a life. We like that about you.

At OCLC, we believe you'll do the best work of your life when you're living the best life possible.

We work hard to build the technology that connects thousands of today's libraries. But we also work hard to make a job at OCLC a meaningful part of a balanced life- not a substitute for one.

As a Director of Development, you will contribute to software that keeps information accessible, supports children's reading skills and combats low literacy. Apply now for our great vacancy in Eelde!

For our office in Eelde we are looking for a Director of Development

for 40 hours per week (hybrid work is possible!)

What will you do?

Your team will focus on building our software product Wise. We'll explain more about that later. You will be responsible for the Wise Development department in Eelde and have a span of control of roughly 30 developers divided across several scrum teams. You will establish long-lasting partnerships with our international product management, experience design, quality assurance and business systems analysis teams, as well as other peers in the matrix organization, your US counterparts and various stakeholders inside and outside OCLC.

We are looking for a Director who:

Embraces and supports iterative software development

Ultimately is responsible for the delivery of the product roadmap with commitments spanning multiple regional markets. To achieve this, you will work together with the Product Management, Business Systems Analysis and Quality Assurance departments.

Is deeply involved in large scale projects from both a scope and capacity perspective.

Helps prioritize and attain organizational support for internal technical debt initiatives.

Develops and maintains team standards, tools, and best practices and uses them to help the team adhere to its definition of done.

Proactively identifies and removes impediments for the team, preventing distractions when possible and appropriate.

Actively mentors and develops leadership skills in direct reports.

Helps the team to make decisions and prioritize tasks.

Facilitates continuous improvement of the process for the team.

Creates an environment that fosters effective team behavior and culture.

Provides transparency for the team and stakeholders via communication of plans, problems, changes, and possibilities.

What can you expect from us?

A challenging job within a socially relevant, international organization.

A 40 hour work week, with home working options including home working allowance.

26 vacation days for full-time employment. You also get the opportunity to buy or sell vacation days, ideal for keeping your work-life balance.

There is room and attention for training and personal development.

Good fringe benefits: a non-contributory pension, flexible working hours, bonus, collective health insurance, travel allowance, coach available 24/7, bicycle plan and company fitness.

Who we are

OCLC is an international non-profit partnership that makes technology for libraries. OCLC has about 20 offices across four continents: Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. In the Netherlands, we have two offices: Leiden and Eelde. Our headquarters are in Dublin, Ohio (USA).

The members of our partnership are public, academic and special libraries. We are committed to our mission: What is known must be shared. With a job at International OCLC, you contribute to this mission in supporting libraries and keeping information accessible ... worldwide! We describe ourselves as an informal, close-knit and warm company.

About Wise

Wise is one of OCLC's software products and is used in public libraries. Wise was originally developed in Eelde and is now the market leader in the Netherlands and Flanders with 75% and 100% market share. More recently, Wise has expanded and is now also used in America. Wise provides an effective basis for streamlining the operations of a public library, allowing staff to focus on the social, connecting and educational tasks of the library. Through Wise, libraries can work closely with other libraries, educational institutions and cultural partners. The library is more than just books; it is also a meeting place with an important social function. The library world is changing - it is becoming more international, more digital and libraries are increasingly dealing with large amounts of complex data. 

As a candidate, you possess:

A BA/BS or Masters’ degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Business or related discipline, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Ten to fifteen years of experience in program/project leadership roles in developing software solutions.

Expected to have broad and solid technical knowledge while being able to demonstrate success in providing support that meets the business needs of OCLC.

Understanding of product architecture and appropriate application.

Ability to interact with diverse and global work teams.

Ability to organize and prioritize multiple tasks to meet deadlines.

Strong problem-solving skills; prior experience with working with Senior/ Executive management to implement solutions for business needs or challenges.

Ability to maneuver successfully in a changing environment.

Experience in driving strategic direction on initiatives and programs.

Strong leadership skills and demonstrated ability to manage team members and external business contacts including consultants and vendors.

Demonstrated track record of delivery of multiple technical projects on time and within budget.

Excellent written and oral communication skills, in both English and Dutch.

Demonstrated ability to interact with all technical and non-technical members of the organization including senior management.

High degree of competency within all phases of project management including issue and risk identification and management, change management, tracking dependencies and milestones, and communication of overall project status.

Critical thinking and the ability to focus others on higher level issues.

It is an advantage if you have the following:

Experience working in a technical capacity within the information management industry is preferred.

Deep understanding of the library, publishing, or educational information technology fields.

Experience working in a matrix organization.

Yes, this looks like something I would like! 

Is your interest piqued? Apply right away: click the apply button and follow the on-screen instructions. We ask you to create an account first, if you haven't done so yet. Through your account we will keep you informed about the application process.

Would you first like to know more about the position or OCLC? Our HR team is happy to help you! Feel free to contact Daisy Dam at +31626004382 or send an email to Daisy.dam@oclc.org.

Introduce Yourself

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Send your resume to our Talent Acquisition Team for future opportunities!

About Us

Who we are:

OCLC, a worldwide library services organization headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, is a leader in information technologies and innovative online services. With office locations around the globe, OCLC employees are dedicated to offering premier services and software to help libraries cut costs while keeping pace with the demands of our information-driven society.

What we do:

When the world’s information is within reach of every individual, nothing will stand in the way of a brighter future. Together as OCLC, libraries connect people to the information they need to solve problems, push boundaries and shape the future. Knowledge sparks learning, creativity, and innovation. Together we make breakthroughs possible.

Because what is known must be shared.

Live our values:

We offer a dynamic, fulfilling work environment that is productive, collaborative, innovative—and fun. There is a strong, team-based culture where everyone is appreciated and focused on common goals. You will make a difference.