Description of student board positions
Chairperson
An effective & inclusive working environment, internal communication, follow-up of yearplan in relation to our strategic plan, maintaining the overview of all ongoing work & representing HSIF to all kinds of external parties. Those are the main responsibilities of HSIF’s chairperson. Are you up for the task?
You will be responsible for leading all board and organizational meetings, ensuring they’re effective and to the point. The two key attributes of being the chairperson are “motivator” and “team player.” Your role will be to support the other members and making sure that the team is functioning properly, as well as keeping an eye on the long-term vision of HSIF. You are responsible for building an inclusive culture which allows team members to excel in their roles. Furthermore, you will oversee all HSIF projects reaching from organizing events to raising new capital for the fund. It is your job to make sure that these projects get executed successfully and on-time, which requires strong management and communication skills.
Furthermore, the chairperson of HSIF also has some HR tasks. You are responsible for identifying the need for additional members, attracting the new members and making sure they’re getting along with the rest of the team and feeling comfortable in their new role. Additionally, it is a chairpersons task to keep an eye on the wellbeing of the team and ensure that the workload matches the workforce. These tasks require strong social skills and a hands-on mentality.
For this role we are looking for a motivated someone with a strong can-do attitude, excellent communicational and management skills and a true hands-on mentality.
Financial Director
As the Finance Director, you will manage the internal finances of the fund. Additionally, you will help with managing the fund, working directly with it’s stakeholders.
In this role you will manage HSIF’s finances, by deciding on the yearly budgets, controlling the cash flow, identifying the risks and projected returns of potential investments and making sure HSIF is a financially healthy organization. It is your task to oversee and improve all operations and processes in the organization, which is crucial for the longevity of the fund.
Besides the regular financial tasks listed above, it is also the finance & portfolio director’s job to actively look for (funding) partners and sponsors. As a finance director you will be responsible for effective communication with these partners, and you will be responsible for making sure the partnership is as beneficial as possible.
This year HSIF is funding promising start-ups directly. These funds are a first “no strings attached” investment HSIF makes in a student start-up, of a few thousand Euros. The finance & portfolio director will be, in collaboration with the deal flow director, responsible for these investments, maximising their chances of success. This task consists of transferring the money, as well as staying connected with the start-ups and monitoring their progress.
The main tasks/ requirement of a good finance & portfolio director would be to have a clear overview of our budgets. You will be the member of HSIF most up-to-date about our budget so you can answer any question being fired at you about it.
For this role we are looking for someone with a hands-on mentality and strong organizational skills. It is considered a plus if you have experience with accounting and/or contractual law. However, this is not required (experience through university courses is more than sufficient).
Dealflow & Investment Director
As the Dealflow Director, your task is to get the hottest student start-ups in The Hague around the table and have a strong investment process that enables us to spot and invest into the next Booking.com. A steady dealflow is critical to the success of HSIF, allowing us to review and screen those deals that may provide the best performance and return on investment.
In this role you’ll be the first contact point for the start-ups we’re in touch with and it’s your job to structure and oversee HSIF’s dealflow. You will continuously maintain and strengthen current relationships and maintain records of contact meetings, and outcomes that are relevant to the groups’ goals, and report to the other board members when a potential opportunity is identified.
In addition, you’re tasked with acquiring new deal flow partners, actively sourcing start-ups, screening those companies and quantifying every step of it so we can easily compare the companies. Furthermore, you’ll work on dealflow strategies to reach new student communities where HSIF is not known yet. You will dive into The Hague’s entrepreneurial/start-up ecosystem, therefore it’s essential to learn who is who, and where to be. Additionally, you will assist the start-ups through the HSIF investment process.
For this role we are looking for an effective communicator who listens, digests and compares information to search for unique business opportunities. You must have a keen interest in technology, investing and entrepreneurship or have a willingness to learn. It isn’t a hard requirement, but a bonus if you already have some experience with start-ups or venture capital, and if you are able to speak Dutch fluently (makes networking easier).
Event Director
Are you up for the task to organize The Hauge’s biggest entrepreneurial events? Do you like organizing parties, events and just generally like bringing people together? Then the role of event director is definitely something for you!
As our event director you will take the lead in, and oversee, HSIF events which is one of HSIF core activities. These events are aimed at scouting start-ups, expanding our network, connecting student entrepreneurs, team building and having a lot of FUN!! Among other things you will organize: Pitch events, Network events, Team drinks and any other events.
In this role you need to function as a manager, you will lead a small team of dedicated students who will help you out with organizing and hosting events. Besides being responsible for organizing the event, you are also responsible for these students and making sure they are doing their tasks correctly. It is your job to make sure that this team co-operates excellently.
In addition, you are the center of communication when it comes to organizing events & attending the events of other organizations. This makes effective communication skills essential. It is the event director’s responsibility to identify upcoming events that are relevant for HSIF to attend. In general, everything related to events (our own or from others) is your responsibility.
We are looking for someone who is proactive and has effective communication, planning and leadership skills. Furthermore, applicants should be comfortable with working with deadlines.
Marketing Director
As the Marketing Director at HSIF it’s up to you to make sure that the entire start-up ecosystem in The Hague knows about us. We have to be everywhere, and you’re making sure that happens.
If start-ups don’t know about HSIF, we can’t invest. Therefore, it’s your job to have a strong online and offline presence. You’ll keep up all our socials and the website and use your creativity and marketing skills to reach our target audience. You’re responsible for designing, producing, and releasing marketing materials to potential investors, current investors, and the public. You also need to be present offline, may it be at industry events, workshops, pitch competitions etc. It’s up to you to represent HSIF and our network so that we can organise bigger and better events, meet potential investors and spot promising start-ups.
For our organisation, our online presence (for example on LinkedIn and Instagram) is crucial for our success. A good marketing director is expected to be active on our socials and is responsible for creating and publishing original content.
For a lot of HSIF’s activities and all of HSIF’s events we use marketing and publish marketing content. This leads to the marketing director being involved with a lot of different divisions and activities within HSIF. To manage this workload better, you will have a small amount of fellows working with you who can help lighten the workload. As the marketing director you are ultimately responsible for the end result and responsible for these fellows and their functioning & wellbeing.
In your role you’ll help organise big events and make sure that we have a full house every time. In addition, you will also be responsible to ensure that HSIF’s brand and communication speaks to people with diverse backgrounds and represents our inclusive culture.
For this role we are looking for someone who is passionate about marketing, venture capital and start-ups. A structured mindset, strong leaderschip and being good at long-term strategic planning are a bonus.
Fellow
Are you interested in joining HSIF, but would like to gain some experience in a junior position before taking the lead as a director? Than the fellow positions are ideal for you!
Each department has one or more fellow positions available. In this position you’ll work closely with the director of the department that you have applied to. The director is responsible for the result and management, but you work together as a team towards the same goals! The fellow position is ideal for students who have less time available to commit to HSIF or for students who’d like to gain some experience before stepping into a leadership role.
Often, a year as fellow is being followed up by a year as director in a certain boardposition. A great way to get to know HSIF and the investment world!