Director General

Page Executive; Brussel; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

The International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS) in Brussels seeks a Director General to lead the Institute, oversee strategic priorities, and drive international conferences, publications and accreditation initiatives. The role requires a PhD or equivalent senior standing, 10+ years in international organisations, strong fundraising, governance and multilingual capabilities.

Based in Brussels with regular international travel, the director reports to the Council of Administration

Qualifications

• Advanced degree or professional standing in relevant field (PhD or equivalent).
• 10+ years of leadership in international organisations, associations, NGOs, public sector or academia.

Responsibilities

• Shape and deliver IIAS core activities, including international conferences and events, research publications, and accreditation in public administration education.
• Provide executive oversight of people, finance and administration in a compact Secretariat; lead talent acquisition & development.
• Maintain relationships with members/partners across governments, universities and international bodies; foster coherence across IIAS, IASIA and EGPA.

Skills

Strategic leadership

People management

Financial planning

Stakeholder engagement

International experience

Event management

Digitalization

Communication

Board governance

Membership management

Languages (EN & FR)

Education

PhD in public administration / related

Job description

• Extensive travel
• Leading public administration practices globally

About Our Client

The International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS), founded in 1930, is a leading global learned society dedicated to advancing the study and practice of public administration. Headquartered in Brussels, IIAS fosters international collaboration among scholars, practitioners, and institutions in the field. Our members and partners include ministries of public administration, schools of government, universities, and international organizations worldwide. Through high-level conferences and events, scholarly publications, and quality assurance in public administration education, we contribute to effective, ethical and innovative governance worldwide.
IIAS has an annual budget of approximately €1.1 million and 7 FTEs. It is a compact organization with global outreach. The International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administration (IASIA) and the European Group for Public Administration (EGPA) are centrally supported by the IIAS Secretariat. Two further regional groups, the Asian Group for Public Administration (AGPA) and the Latin American Group for Public Administration (LAGPA), are independently managed.
Page Executive have been assigned to accompany the IIAS in the recruitment of their Director General to lead the Institute in its next phase. This is a full-time post based in Brussels, with regular international travel. The Director General reports to the Council of Administration and works closely with the President. The appointment is for a three-year term, renewable under IIAS statutory provisions, and is offered under Belgian employment law. Benefits are comparable to those in the Brussels public sector.

Job Description

• Strategic Leadership and Implementation: Support the Council of Administration and the General Assembly in shaping and delivering IIAS core activities, including international conferences and events, research publications, accreditation in public administration education, and strategic projects. Develop and oversee the annual program and budget so that they align with agreed strategic priorities.
  
• Operational Management: Provide executive oversight of people, finance and administration in a compact Secretariat. Lead talent acquisition, development, performance and engagement for a multicultural team, ensuring compliance with Belgian employment law and a constructive working culture. Direct financial planning, budgeting, procurement, internal controls and reporting so that resources are used with integrity and value for money, and so that the Council of Administration receives timely, reliable information for oversight. Lead the digitalization of Secretariat processes covering membership, finance, events, publications and communications.
  
• Stakeholder Engagement and Coherence: Build and maintain relationships with members and partners, including governments, universities, schools of government and international organizations. Maintain coherent working relations across IIAS, IASIA, EGPA and the independently managed regional groups, so that the Institute acts as one organization toward its constituency.
  
• Financial Sustainability: Monitor revenue and expenditure, identify opportunities for income diversification and cost optimization, and ensure transparent implementation of the IIAS financial control framework.
  
• International Advocacy: Represent IIAS at global forums and ensure that the Institute contributes visibly to international debates on public administration.

The Successful Applicant

1. Advanced Degree/Professional Standing: PhD in public administration, political science, law, management or a related field, or equivalent senior professional standing.
2. Senior Leadership Experience: Ten or more years of leadership experience in international organizations, associations, NGOs, public sector institutions or academia, including experience in a small or mid-sized organization.
3. People Management: Demonstrated experience in talent acquisition, development, performance management, and staff engagement in a multicultural environment.
4. Procurement and Operational Oversight: Demonstrated experience in procurement and operational direction of an organization.
5. Financial Planning and Control: Demonstrated expertise in financial planning, budgeting, internal controls, risk awareness, and transparent reporting to governing bodies.
6. Revenue Generation and Resource Mobilization: A documented record of success in resource mobilization that diversifies income (membership, partnerships, grants and earned revenue). Candidates must be able to provide quantifiable results for this criterion.
7. International Engagement: Demonstrated international engagement, preferably in multicultural and multilingual settings.
8. Event Management: Experience of international conference and event organization.
9. Digitalization: Demonstrated capacity to lead digitalization of organizational systems and working methods.
10. Communication and Stakeholder Engagement: Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills, including digital outreach.
11. Board and Governance Experience: Experience of preparing and implementing the decisions of a collegial governing body.
12. Membership Management: Experience of retaining and recruiting members in a membership organization.
13. Language: Fluency in English and French. Proficiency in both languages will be verified as part of the interview process.

Work authorization:

Candidates are not required to hold Belgian work authorization at the time of application. The selected candidate must be authorized to work in Belgium at the time of appointment. IIAS will provide sponsorship or legal assistance where needed, subject to Belgian migration rules.

The deadline for applications is 30 September 2026.