Social Issues Advisor

With nearly fifty colleagues, we work for municipalities, social organizations, and the province of Gelderland, among others. We are one of the partners in the Gelderland Quality of Life Alliance. Through this alliance, we support residents in improving the quality of life in the province.

We’re a consulting firm, but you won’t often find our consultants sitting behind their desks, and it’s not through thick reports that we make an impact. Our motto is “truly for everyone,” and that means we engage in dialogue with all parties involved in an issue to figure out what’s really going on. We regularly see that residents, organizations, and local government reason from their own perspectives. And that, as a result, they don’t understand each other well. This frustrates processes and clouds the view of solutions. Spectrum helps bridge those differences and brings the lived world and the systemic world together.

What does a consultant do?

• You will support community initiatives aimed at making neighborhoods livable and vibrant
• You advise municipalities and nonprofit organizations
• You contribute to collaborative leadership within our organization
• You work on several projects at the same time

What makes you special?

The work at Spectrum is incredibly diverse. We don’t expect you to be a jack-of-all-trades. But we can give you a few examples of areas that catch our attention—and we’d love to hear more from you about them:

• Strong project leadership; someone who excels at managing processes and also keeps the paperwork in order.
• Your heart beats faster at the sight of active community centers and neighborhood centers that are bustling with life (once again) and where groups—no matter how different they may be—feel welcome.
• Whether it’s community care or community building, you’re eager to get everyone involved and ensure that everyone’s interests are taken into account in the process. You’re the rock who builds connections with various partners in the neighborhood to create caring communities.
• You have a network in the province that addresses one or more of our key areas: inclusion, community services, sustainability, youth, livable neighborhoods, housing, and care.
• You tend to think in terms of social issues rather than policy topics.

Who are you?

• You have at least a college-level education and way of thinking
• You’re not afraid to think differently from others, and you’re also willing to question your own perspective
• You're independent and take the initiative
• Bringing people together is second nature to you
• You can keep interactions on track
• You have a knack for business
• You are socially engaged

What do we offer?

Spectrum isn’t your typical employer. We operate on a self-directed basis. In practice, this means you organize your own work and are involved in shaping the future of our organization. You’ll have a high degree of independence, but at the same time, we’re a close-knit team and expect you to contribute to the organization—by collaborating, sharing knowledge, brainstorming with your colleagues, and helping to shape the direction and strategy of our foundation.

We primarily operate in the province of Gelderland. We expect you to be available for at least 24 hours per week, and depending on your knowledge and experience, you will be placed in pay grade 8, 9, or 10 of the Social Work Collective Bargaining Agreement. 

Are we looking for you?

Our motto is “truly for everyone.” This applies to our work, and it’s how we want to be internally as well: an inclusive organization where people with a diversity of perspectives, identities, and cultural backgrounds feel welcome.

If our story resonates with you, please send your cover letter and resume to mensenwerk@spectrumelan.nl. The deadline is January 7, 2024. The first interviews will take place in week 3.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about what it’s really like to work at Spectrum, sign up for the onlineMeet & Greet on January 3 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Two colleagues will provide information about the organization, our strengths, but also the aspects that some people find less appealing. We’re honest about that. You can also sign up for the Meet & Greet at mensenwerk@spectrumelan.nl.