Division Manager, Diversity

The position

As Diversity Department Manager, you will lead a department that operates at the heart of the city and the public discourse. You will steer the department’s strategic direction, visibility, and further development. In doing so, you will work closely with two strategic advisors and two coordinators, each of whom brings their own responsibilities and expertise to the role.

You serve as a bridge between the board, management, and the team, and are able to translate the board’s strategic goals into substantive and actionable policies. At the same time, you remain attuned to social realities and the people who make a difference in that context.

The role requires strong advisory skills, especially when interests clash or social tensions rise. You combine professionalism with sensitivity and a steady hand with empathy. Furthermore, you work not only for your team but also with your team. Employees can count on you as a sparring partner, and you actively draw on their expertise and experience. It is a collaborative partnership in which everyone contributes to the shared result.

You ensure that the department can respond flexibly and substantively to urgent developments, whether they involve social unrest or current incidents. At the same time, you and your team develop sustainable policies that allow for change and improvement. Where possible, you seek—from a diversity perspective—ways to appropriately address the underlying concerns, messages, or needs behind these developments.

Internally, you’ll collaborate with other departments, such as Public Order and Safety and City Districts, and build strong networks both within and outside the organization. You’ll help shape policies that challenge conventional norms, thereby contributing to an inclusive city.

As a diversity department manager, you constantly navigate between different perspectives and levels: political, organizational, team-oriented, and external. In doing so, you balance strategy and execution while always keeping an eye on coherence and buy-in.

• Political/Administrative- As a department head, you serve as the primary advisor to the executive board. This role is informed by and carried out in collaboration with the knowledge and expertise of your team.
• Within the municipality – As a department head, you play a key role in positioning the department, including raising cross-cutting issues with other departments and divisions. You oversee finances, Planning and Control, and operational management.
• Within the team- As a department head, you provide personalized attention to employees, focusing on their development, ideas, and well-being, and you work on organizational development (role clarity, processes, and frameworks).
• Outward-facing -As a department head, you serve as the department’s public face (to our partners and the field) and are a strong point of contact for external partners.

Here's what you do on an average day

• You will serve as the strategic point of contact for aldermen, senior management, and other departments on matters related to diversity, equality, and anti-discrimination.
• You will lead the Diversity Department and ensure quality, strategic direction, and alignment between two teams.
• You have an open conversation with an employee about their development, ideas, and well-being, because genuine attention helps build a strong and engaged team.
• You advise the board and management.
• You closely monitor social and political developments and, together with the department, translate them into policy and action.
• You will work closely with other departments and external partners.
• You create an environment that is safe, professional, inclusive, and diverse.

This is where you get started

We strive to be a great employer that ensures all our colleagues feel seen and valued. We embrace the differences among our colleagues; these differences lead to better results for both our organization and our city. We aim to build a workforce that reflects Amsterdam’s diverse population. So, whoever you are, you’re more than welcome here!

You will be working within the Youth, Care, and Diversity Department. The department consists of the Youth, Care, Contract Management, Diversity, Services & Data, and Custom Solutions and Breakthroughs divisions. The JZD Department (of which you will become a part) is part of the Social Cluster within the municipality, which includes the Work Participation and Income Department, the Municipal Health Service (GGD), Social Services, Education, and the Social Procurement and Subsidies Office.

The Diversity Department is working to create a more inclusive city where every Amsterdammer has the space to be themselves and feels free and safe. The department implements this through the Inclusion and Anti-Discrimination Policy framework by, on the one hand, combating discrimination and proactively eliminating the conditions that foster it, and on the other hand, by promoting emancipation and supporting emancipatory initiatives in the city. In doing so, the department pays special attention to Black, Jewish, Muslim, Asian, and LGBTQ+ communities, women, and people with disabilities. Additionally, the department plays a role in setting the agenda for the rest of the organization and the City Council, as working toward a more inclusive city requires a city-wide effort.

What you bring

For this position, we are looking for an experienced professional with strong strategic skills who is comfortable navigating the intersection of policy, governance, and society. You possess:

• At least 5 years of managerial experience in a political, administrative, and social context.
• Proven experience in strategic policy development, setting the agenda, and providing advice in the areas of diversity, inclusion, empowerment, and anti-discrimination.
• Practical experience connecting various networks within and outside the government. In your cover letter, explain which networks these are and how you connect them.
• What social trends related to diversity do you foresee, and how would you respond to them? Please explain your perspective in your letter.

You should have the following skills:

• Leadership and positioning: You know how to raise a department’s profile, provide direction, and firmly establish its position.
• Political sensitivity: You recognize and navigate administrative dynamics and public sentiment.
• Awareness of the environment: You are aware of what is happening both in the community and within the organization, and you translate that into substantive and administratively relevant proposals.
• Inclusive thinking and action: You actively incorporate diverse perspectives and backgrounds into your work and help foster an environment where everyone feels welcome and valued. You consciously promote equal opportunities and inclusive collaboration.
• Analytical skills: You can assess complex issues, clarify the various interests at stake, and are not afraid to make tough decisions.

What we offer you

As Diversity Department Manager, you will join our team for a minimum of 32 and a maximum of 36 hours per week, and you can expect the following terms of employment:

• A gross monthly salary ranging from €6,395 to €8,889 (pay scale 15) based on a 36-hour workweek. The exact salary will be determined based on your education, knowledge, and experience.
• A one-year employment contract, with the possibility of a permanent contract thereafter, if you do not currently have an employment contract with the City of Amsterdam, or if you have only a temporary one.
• If you already have a permanent employment contract with the City of Amsterdam, you will retain it and be transferred.
• Opportunities for professional development and training. Our in-house training center, the Amsterdam School, offers a variety of training programs, professional development tracks, and on-the-job coaching to help you continue to challenge yourself.
• An individual flexible budget (IKB) equal to 17.05% of your salary, which you can use for things like additional pension contributions or extra days off.
• A pension plan through ABP, the pension fund for the public sector and education. We pay 70% of your pension contribution.
• A travel allowance of €0.10 per kilometer for travel by car, €0.15 per kilometer for travel by bicycle, and €0.21 per kilometer for travel by public transportation. This applies to a one-way commute of up to 45 kilometers and for the number of days you work in the office.
• For days you work from home, you will receive a work-from-home allowance of €3 net per workday that you work from home.
• A monthly contribution toward health insurance.
• Hybrid work: In this role, you can work partly from home and partly in the office. We provide the necessary equipment to help you set up a safe and healthy workspace at home.
• A cell phone and/or laptop.

Interested in learning more about our employment terms and conditions? Check out the Municipality of Amsterdam Personnel Regulations (PGA) on the website.

Apply for this job

• If this job opening interests you, please submit your applicationby July 9 at the latestvia the application button.
• We would like to receive your cover letter, in which you explain, in no more than one A4 page, why your work experience and skills are a good fit for this position. Your cover letter will be taken into consideration during the selection process.
• This job opening is being advertised internally and externally at the same time. Employees of the City of Amsterdam will be given priority in the hiring process.
• The selection process begins immediately after the application deadline and consists of a review of resumes and cover letters, followed by two interviews.
• If your resume meets the job requirements, we would be happy to invite you for an interview.
• The interviews will take place at Amstel 1.
• We require a recent Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG) from every colleague who joins our team.

Do you have any questions about this job opening?

If you have any questions about the position and/or the application process, please contact Karima Arichi, Director, at k.arichi@amsterdam.nl. If you have any questions about the application process, please contact Santini Heijmans, Recruiter, at s.heijmans@amsterdam.nl.

We do not appreciate unsolicited solicitation from recruitment agencies, and such actions may result in exclusion from our other recruitment initiatives. We also consider the unsolicited submission of resumes by agencies to our employees to be solicitation. We will not review these resumes.