Key Skills

Job Description

Are you the type of person who always follows through on what you say, keeps track of the big picture when others lose the thread, and gets a rush from seeing things through to completion? Do you regard AI as a key tool for getting things done—rather than a competitive threat? If so, consider becoming our CEO’s right-hand assistant and help keep our organization running smoothly. Brightlands is the name under which Limburg is pushing boundaries. From four campuses, home to some 400 companies, 16,000 employees, and 14,000 students, we’re working on solutions to the major challenges of our time, from health to digitalization. The Brightlands Data & AI Campus in Heerlen is Limburg’s innovation hub for data and artificial intelligence, and one of the seven national AI hubs in the Netherlands. In collaboration with partners, we innovate, develop, test, and implement AI solutions in healthcare, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), public organizations, and cybersecurity—from pilot to practice. Together with Maastricht University, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, Vista College, and others, we invest in talent, research, and partnerships. Brightlands Limburg has been named the “smartest region” by the Intelligent Community Forum. And we’re looking explicitly beyond our national borders: in the Crossborder AI Valley, we collaborate with digitalHUB Aachen and Corda Campus in Hasselt, serving as the Dutch gateway to Europe. At the campus in Heerlen, we work with a small team of about twenty colleagues. And we put into practice what we advocate: AI is integrated into how we work every day. Limburg innovates without limits. Your role As an Executive Assistant, you’ll serve as the CEO’s right-hand assistant. You’ll ensure that administrative processes run smoothly and that agreements within the organization—as well as those with our stakeholders, such as our shareholders and the Board of Supervisors—are followed through. You’ll rely on AI tools to handle routine tasks as much as possible, freeing up your time to focus on the big picture, quality, and follow-up. You’re not just an assistant who carries out tasks; you play a key role in our team. You’re the linchpin that ensures decisions are implemented and helps enable the CEO to focus his time on the right priorities. What will you be doing? Governance processes You’ll oversee the cycle of these meetings: planning, agenda requests, supporting documents, and minutes. You’ll review documents for completeness and quality before they reach the CEO or the board, and send them back if they’re not up to standard. You’ll use AI tools to generate minutes, action items, and agendas, and ensure they’re accurate and shared on time. Follow-up on agreements You’ll review documents for completeness and quality before they reach the CEO or the board, and send them back if they’re not up to standard. Calendar, correspondence, and gatekeeping You manage the CEO’s schedule and protect his time for what really matters. You assess incoming inquiries and emails for priority, respond to anything you can handle yourself, and route the rest to the applicable colleague. You maintain contact with shareholders, supervisory board members, partners, and their board secretariats. Organization and Administration You arrange work visits, travel, expense reports, and the administrative processing of agreements. You take a hands-on approach to getting things done. You manage confidential documents and archives. Working smart with AI You proactively use AI tools and agents for routine tasks and continuously improve how we work. Who are you? You have at least five years of experience as an executive or management assistant, with relevant experience, for example, as an executive secretary. You thrive on structure, planning, and well-defined processes. You spot the mistakes that others might overlook. You’d rather finish something well than start something new: whatever you take on gets finished. Steady and tactful: you hold colleagues accountable for their commitments and serve as a sparring partner who also keeps the CEO on his toes. You already work with AI tools such as Copilot, ChatGPT, or Claude, or you have a proven interest in them. Proficient in Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and Teams. Excellent written and spoken Dutch and English; German is a plus, given our collaboration with Germany and Belgium. You are discreet and reliable. What do we offer? A key role working closely with senior management, at the heart of AI development in Limburg, with plenty of freedom to organize your work smartly and using AI. You’ll work in a small team with short lines of communication, where everyone’s contribution counts. A one-year contract for 24 to 32 hours per week, with the possibility of extension. A gross monthly salary between €3,804 and €5,100 on a full-time basis, depending on experience (excluding 8% vacation pay). 30 days of vacation on a full-time basis, plus six additional days off: Carnival Monday and Carnival Tuesday, Good Friday or Eid al-Fitr, Liberation Day, the day after Ascension Day, and New Year’s Eve. Flexible working hours and an allowance for working from home and travel expenses. A company phone and laptop. An attractively structured pension plan.

Core Responsibilities

Support the CEO by managing governance meetings, calendars, correspondence, stakeholder communications, travel, expenses, and confidential records. Use AI tools to streamline routine work, ensure decisions and commitments are followed through, and maintain high standards for documents and administrative processes.

Requirements

At least five years of experience as an executive or management assistant, strong organizational and planning skills, attention to detail, discretion, and reliability are required. Candidates should be proficient in Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and Teams, have experience with or a strong interest in AI tools, and communicate excellently in written and spoken Dutch and English; German is an advantage.

Benefits

• 30 Days Of Vacation
• Six Additional Days Off
• Flexible Working Hours
• Work-From-Home Allowance
• Travel Expense Allowance
• Company Phone
• Company Laptop
• Pension Plan