Vacancy Director Marketing, Com­mu­ni­ca­tion & Part­ner­ships

Become the strategist of our brand and the architect of engaging communication. Build powerful partnerships and put Leuven & Beyond on the world map as European Capital of Culture 2030. Realize substantial supplementary financing through partnerships and sponsoring. Grasp a unique opportunity to drive societal impact through innovative storytelling and alliances.

About LOV2030 – Leuven & Beyond

In 2030, Leuven will serve as Belgium’s European Capital of Culture. Together with the wider East Brabant region, and under the banner LOV2030 – Leuven & Beyond, the city successfully secured the title.

LOV2030 represents a unique opportunity to position Leuven and its region as a cultural and societal frontrunner in Europe, acting as a catalyst for cultural, social, economic, tourism-related and sustainable development policies. Through imagination and experimentation, LOV2030 seeks to shape a new narrative for the future - one rooted in a fair, inclusive and sustainable way of living together.

Under the overarching concept HumanNature, LOV2030 addresses major societal challenges such as polarization and the climate crisis, positioning culture as a driver of connection, innovation and systemic change.

Following the bid book phase, LOV2030 is now entering the planning and delivery phase. We are therefore seeking engaged and visionary leaders who combine strategic insight with collaborative leadership. The open positions are part of a transparent and open recruitment process. With strong attention to continuity between the bid book phase and the years ahead, we are building a strong management team to deliver LOV2030 as a distinctive, ambitious and sustainable European project.

Your key responsibilities

• Strategic Mastery
  You fuel our results with a powerful local, national, and international marketing strategy and communication plan. You work in synergy with existing channels and the (international) strategy of the city and region, Flanders, Belgium, and Europe.
• Partnerships & Sponsoring 
  You close strategic alliances and partnerships, thereby guaranteeing a solid funding mix through supplementary financing. You develop the sponsorship strategy and an engaging value proposition.
• Communication with Impact
  You build enthusiasm and resonance around LOV2030. You increase our reach and social relevance by telling compelling content in an impactful and innovative way.
• Connection & Reach
  You achieve broad involvement, connection and reach. With your team, you purposefully design campaigns to not only reach different target audiences but also actively engage.
• Leadership 
  You manage and coach a growing team of both experts and young potentials.

What can you expect?

• One-in-a-lifetime: a unique key leadership role  in a European top project with profound  societal impact.
• Permanent employment: an open-ended contract with vzw LOV2030. Formally, this is currently the non-profit organisation vzw KU[N]ST Leuven, which will be restructured and rebranded as vzw LOV2030 in the coming months.
• Salary: a competitive salary package (indicative A4a to A5b scale for Flemish local government, with a gross monthly salary ranging between €6,100 and €8,600), complemented by an attractive package of extra-legal benefits. The overall remuneration package will be aligned with your experience, expertise and proven track record.
• Network: the opportunity to work with top-tier teams and driven change makers across Leuven, the region, Flanders, Belgium, and Europe.

Are you our new MarCom Director?

• You have at least 7 years of experience in strategic marketing and communication management. You have demonstrated leadership capability in complex environments.
• You have a natural talent for transforming societal themes into bold, impactful campaigns. You bring a proven track record in innovative storytelling and creative content, or strategic marketing initiatives.
• You have a proven track record in securing large-scale partnerships, product deals or sponsorships.
• You have at least 3 years of experience in leading a team.
• You speak and write Dutch and English fluently. Candidates who do not yet fully master Dutch commit to achieving the required level within one year of starting employment. Fluent French is an asset.
• Entrepreneurial, a connector, and values-driven. You are a natural trailblazer who flourishes in temporary projects that deliver extraordinary impact.
• You have the flair and diplomatic skills to close deals at all levels and in various environments.
• The position starts at 80% employment, increasing to 100% by 1 January 2027 at the latest.

Information about the selection procedure

In every job, we strive for the best possible match. Both for you and for us. You will go through these steps. You must pass each step in order to proceed.

1. Screening of candidates

   We will screen candidates during the week of 27 January.
   We will assess your motivation and relevant professional experience.
   We will select the 6 to 8 highest-scoring candidates from the screening and invite them to an interview with the jury.
   We will inform candidates by Friday 30 January at the latest whether they have been selected for an interview with the jury.
    

2. Interview with the jury

   This step is reserved for the 6 to 8 highest-scoring candidates from the screening.
   During this interview, we would like to get to know the person behind your CV. We will focus on a dialogue that centres on your intrinsic motivation and leadership skills. We are curious about your vision for the role and how your experience and skills can contribute to the success of LOV2030.
    

3. Timing of interviews

   The interviews for Artistic Director will take place on Monday 23 February 2026 in Leuven.
   The top 3 candidates from the interview will be invited to the assessment centre.
    

4. Assessment centre

   We simulate situations in which you demonstrate behaviour that is relevant to this job.
   The assessment for Artistic Director will take place in mid-February 2026. The date will be set in mutual consultation.
   Location: Brussels (Diegem)
    

5. Job offer or recruitment reserve

   We will rank all candidates who pass the interview and assessment centre. The highest-ranked candidate will be offered the job.

Did you pass, but didn't get the job?

We will keep your details on file. If we have a similar vacancy, we will contact you. You will not need to reapply.
We select applicants based on their qualities and motivation. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, origin, culture or beliefs.
We work with Hudson Belgium for this procedure. They support us throughout the entire recruitment and selection process.

How to Apply

Apply latest by Saturday 24 January 2026 (i.e. no later than Friday 23 January at 11:59 p.m.).

Please send the following documents to email hidden; JavaScript is required

• Curriculum vitae
• Motivation letter
• A brief explanatory note demonstrating how you meet the following experience criteria (for screening purposes)
  • At least 7 years of experience in strategic marketing and communication management, preferably in a complex public, cultural or international context. Proven success in securing large-scale partnerships or sponsorships is a strong asset.
  • A proven track record in innovative storytelling and creative content, and/or strategic marketing initiatives.
  • A minimum of 3 years of experience leading teams.

Further Information

If you have any further questions regarding the procedure or the content of the positions, you may contact the following persons as from Monday, 5 January 2026:

• Piet Forger, Director of Culture, City of Leuven, via email hidden; JavaScript is required
• Geertrui Vanloo, Managing Director, City of Leuven, via email hidden; JavaScript is required

In case of any issues with the dates or the location, please contact us and we will look for a suitable solution.