AI Tooling Lead - Zeist - Utrecht - The Netherlands

all-skills; Utrecht; Hybrid; EUR 39,000 - 47,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Home-working budget

Flexible hours

Professional development budget

Pension scheme

Home-working allowance

Ample holiday entitlement

Job summary

VMN media is seeking an AI Tooling Lead to bridge day-to-day operations with AI developments and to drive the practical use of AI tools across the organisation. You will work with editorial teams to tailor AI integrations and lead the rollout of AI platforms and PoCs into production.

You will transform Lab prototypes into stable software, automate workflows, and manage stakeholder expectations while promoting adoption. Dutch language skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Practical AI experience applying AI technologies in real-world situations.
• Good command of Dutch.
• Adaptable and empathetic communication across audiences.

Responsibilities

• Building & productionising experimental Prototypes/PoCs from the AI Lab into robust software.
• Automating editorial and production workflows with accessible AI/LLM integrations.
• Developing and leading data analytics platforms and research tools.
• Managing stakeholders across editors, publishers, analysts and IT teams.
• Supporting rollout and adoption of new AI solutions with a pragmatic approach.

Skills

Practical AI experience

Dutch language

Automation & tool-building

Empathetic communication

Education

University degree in CS/DS/Business & IT/Journalism

Job description

Do you have a passion for AI, a pragmatic mindset and a strong ability to understand the needs of others?

As AI Tooling Lead within our publishing company, you will be the vital link between day-to-day operations and the latest developments in AI technology. The world of media and journalism is changing rapidly, and you will make sure we do more than simply talk about AI — we put it into practice. You will be the driving force behind selecting, building and rolling out practical AI tools across the organisation.

Our organisation is highly diverse. You will work with editorial teams and publishers whose levels of digital experience and enthusiasm for AI vary considerably. You know how to navigate these differences with sensitivity and in an accessible way. On the one hand, you will help teams automate their daily workflows in ways that suit their level of experience. On the other, you will lead the development of research platforms and advanced analytics tools for our readers and users.

You will also form a crucial bridge between our stakeholders and the AI Lab. You will take the Lab’s most promising prototypes and, together with the team, turn them into stable, scalable applications that can be used in everyday practice.

What will you be doing?

Building & productionising: Rolling up your sleeves and turning experimental prototypes and Proofs of Concept (PoCs) from the AI Lab into robust, practical software and tools.

Automating workflows: Analysing editorial and production processes and using accessible AI/LLM integrations and workflow automation to make them more efficient — and more enjoyable to work with.

Developing research & data platforms: Actively leading the continued development of our data analytics capabilities.

Stakeholder management: Working closely with editors, publishers, analysts and IT teams. You listen to their challenges, identify their needs and know how to explain AI concepts clearly and enthusiastically — regardless of your audience’s level of digital experience.

Supporting rollout & adoption: Helping colleagues adopt and effectively use new solutions in a patient and pragmatic way.

What do you bring?

You do not need years of experience as a ‘Lead’ or ‘Product Owner’. What matters to us is that you have hands‑on experience with AI, can work effectively with a wide range of people and enjoy building tools that people actually use.

A completed university degree, for example in Computer Science, Data Science, Business & IT, Journalism/Media with a strong technology component, or a comparable field.

Practical AI experience: Demonstrable experience applying AI technologies in real-world situations, such as Large Language Models, prompt engineering, RAG, API integrations or no-code/low-code automation.

Adaptable & empathetic: You can adjust your communication style seamlessly to your audience — from an editor who is hesitant about AI and needs things explained in plain language, to a data scientist with whom you can discuss the technical details in depth.

An interest in building & automation: You enjoy turning ideas into working tools and making operational processes more efficient.

Mindset: Patient, pragmatic, results‑oriented, curious and a natural bridge‑builder.

You have a good command of Dutch.

What do we offer?

A hands‑on role in which you can have an immediate and visible impact on both your colleagues’ day‑to‑day work and the products of the publishing company.

A competitive salary based on your experience and expertise.

A pleasant hybrid working environment, with a generous home‑working budget and flexible working hours.

A generous professional development budget to keep your knowledge of AI, data and tooling up to date.

Excellent secondary benefits, including an attractive pension scheme, a home‑working allowance and ample holiday entitlement.

What you will receive from us

A hybrid working model with plenty of flexibility in how you organise your work.

A laptop.

A gross monthly salary of €3,500 to €4,200, depending on experience, based on a 36-hour working week.

A profit‑sharing scheme worth 2.5% of your gross annual income.

A 12% Personal Choice Budget (PKB).

A home‑working allowance, pension scheme, travel allowance or NS Business Card.

VMN media

We are VMN media, the media company for working professionals in the Netherlands and Germany. Every day, we reach millions of Dutch and German professionals across more than fifty industries. Through our websites, podcast series, apps, newspapers and magazines, we provide news, background stories and practical how‑to content that helps professionals make better decisions.

Over the past five years, we have successfully transformed from a traditional publishing company into a digital media business. We operate through a matrix organisation made up of teams of curious professionals, including journalists, marketers, account managers and IT and product specialists.

Our ambition is to reach 100,000 digital business subscribers — and we are already well over halfway there. Our organisation has also grown, both organically and through acquisitions. This year marked the start of our first venture beyond the Dutch market with the acquisition of DETAIL in Germany.

Today, we generate approximately €60 million in annual revenue and have around 350 colleagues. We see ourselves as an entrepreneurial, growing SME with plenty of ambition for the future.