Administrative Advisor for Disclosure and Transparency

Administrative Advisor for Disclosure and Transparency

Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy / Operations Directorate (DB)

Job Description

Are you a political junkie? Do you produce razor-sharp memos and annotations at the strategic level? And do you draft the best responses to parliamentary questions and documents for government officials? Do you instinctively grasp the political and administrative risks associated with a given issue? Do you write fluently and quickly? Then read on! The Transparency in Information program is looking for an experienced administrative advisor for whom political and administrative sensitivity is second nature and who doesn’t shy away from hectic, fast-paced days.

The Transparency in Information (TiI) program was launched in 2021 in response to the Childcare Allowance scandal and operates on behalf of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy and the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. Our mission is to bring about improvement, acceleration, and innovation in the areas of information management, Woo, and disclosure. And these issues are currently politically and socially sensitive. There is significant pressure on the ministries to disclose more information, act more transparently, and improve the processing times for Woo requests. Almost every day, we are faced with reports, media inquiries, and parliamentary questions that fall within our program’s purview and to which we must respond.

As part of our mandate, the TiI program works, among other things, to support policy directorates in getting their information management systems in order and keeping them that way. We also support the organization in actively disclosing decision memos to the Senate and House of Representatives. Additionally, we are working to reduce processing times for Woo requests, for example through the use of intuitive tools and process optimizations. As an administrative advisor, you will collaborate with the project leaders on these themes from a strategic perspective. Together, you will be responsible for providing sound advice to the program manager. In addition, you will ensure that the political-administrative decision-making process runs smoothly and address risks and opportunities, both internally and externally. You are, in effect, the program’s public affairs advisor.

Work

Examples of specific tasks include:

• Drafting concise reports and memos for various strategic stakeholders, such as the program manager, directors, and the Deputy Secretary-General.
• You will be responsible for the overall strategic organization of the Steering Committee on Transparency in Information. This includes: setting the agenda (in collaboration with the program manager), advising and supporting the steering team in drafting documents, distributing the documents, and preparing an annotated agenda. You will also take minutes during the meeting and write a concise report.
• Contact person for all parliamentary questions answered (in part) through the TiI program.
• Drafting responses to parliamentary questions regarding information management, disclosure, and transparency.
• Gathering substantive information from project leaders to be incorporated into memos, annotations, and responses to parliamentary questions.
• Preparing documents and supporting memos for the Operational Management Meeting and the Board of Directors.
• Preparing periodic meetings or written updates for Deputy Secretaries-General (clients).
• Serving as a point of contact for other administrative advisors and secretaries of various committees, departments, and programs.
• Coordinating and contributing to the drafting of annotations for various departmental and interdepartmental meetings.
• Serving as a strategic and managerial sounding board for the program manager and the team.
• Identifying opportunities and risks at the administrative and political level.
• Supporting team members (project leaders and coordinators) with political and administrative issues and the drafting of strategic documents.
• Organizing and facilitating coordination with internal stakeholders.

The program covers a wide range of topics and projects. It’s up to you to quickly familiarize yourself with the projects, their content, and the sensitivities involved. You’ll actively monitor developments related to our topics—both within the organization and externally in the political arena and society at large. When new developments or current events arise, you’ll immediately inform the program manager about relevant opportunities and risks. In addition, you may also contribute to substantive projects involving significant administrative interests or strategic risks.

Within TiI’s program team, there is always an operational component to the strategic roles. This means that, as an administrative advisor, you will also draft documents yourself, liaise with secretariats as needed, and be willing to take the lead in organizing meetings or creating schedules. You not only provide advice to the program manager and project leaders but also genuinely take the pressure off these colleagues at the political-administrative level. Part of this role also involves coordinating with internal stakeholders, such as other departments and programs. You know who to involve at what stage to ensure that relevant stakeholders are properly engaged and that documents can be approved smoothly.

At its core, this role is a support role, serving the project leaders but ultimately reporting to the program manager, who approves all documents for strategic committees and initiatives. As an administrative advisor, you will therefore work closely with the program manager, project leaders, and strategic advisor. You will report to the program manager.

Job Requirements

You are a driven, strategic, and experienced professional who enjoys facilitating decision-making and driving progress within a hierarchical and complex environment. You have extensive experience working in government at the strategic level, preferably within a core department. You know what it takes to get things done quickly in an environment that requires a great deal of coordination and consultation, without compromising on quality. You are proactive, organized, and meticulous in your work.

You’re a skilled writer and find it energizing to craft concise, strategic texts. You understand that writing a good text involves a lot of editing and rewriting, and you enjoy this process of working with colleagues to produce razor-sharp memos and annotations.

You are comfortable working in a hierarchical organization with strict management, where frequent coordination is the norm. You understand that you cannot make decisions on complex issues such as disclosure and transparency on your own, and that thorough consultation and coordination of actions are essential for sustainable results.

You work independently and in a structured manner, and you develop detailed proposals to be reviewed with the program manager. You are flexible when it comes to adjusting plans. You handle fast-paced environments well, work quickly, and keep a cool head during periods of tight deadlines and high pressure.

You are someone who understands what it means to work within a pioneering unit of an established organization, and who can operate cheerfully, independently, and strategically within that environment to achieve results. You understand how stakeholder management works both within and outside the organization and can engage with these stakeholders from a strategic perspective.

Skills:

• University-level thinking and work skills.
• At least 4 years of work experience as a strategic or management consultant.
• At least 4 years of experience working for the federal government.
• At least 1 year of experience in a core department.
• It would be great if you have experience with WooCommerce or content management.
• Experience working on programs and projects.
• Proactive.
• Be confident.
• The ability to adapt quickly.
• Juggling multiple tasks and being able to prioritize.
• Independent.
• Connecting.

Terms of Employment

Salary level: Grade 12, Grade 13

Monthly salary: Min. €4,214 – Max. €6,989 (gross)

Employment status: Fixed-term employment contract with the possibility of conversion to a permanent contract

Contract duration: 1 year

Minimum number of hours per week: 36

Maximum number of hours per week: 36

Other terms and conditions of employment

In addition to your salary, you will receive an Individual Choice Budget (ICB). The ICB consists of money (16.37% of your gross annual salary) and time. With the ICB, you can make choices that suit you and customize part of your employment benefits. For example, you can choose to have a portion of your monthly income paid out whenever you wish. You can also convert this budget into leave and vice versa, or spend it on tax-friendly purposes. The Dutch government is strongly committed to personal growth and career development and offers numerous opportunities for this. Secondary employment conditions include various study facilities, company fitness programs, full reimbursement of your public transportation costs for commuting, and partially paid parental leave.

Details

• The introductory and selection process consists of at least two rounds of interviews and a final discussion regarding terms of employment.
• Checking references or conducting an assessment may be part of the selection process.
• Colleagues within the central government who are permanent employees may be seconded or transferred while retaining their current employment status.
• If you do not (yet) have a permanent position as a civil servant, you will start with a temporary position with the prospect of a permanent one.

What else do we offer you:

• A pleasant work environment with excellent facilities, just a short walk from the central station.
• Plenty of opportunities to continue developing your skills and specialize.
• We believe it’s important to maintain a good work-life balance. Working hours can be arranged flexibly by mutual agreement.
• If you are hired, hybrid work is an option; you will work partly from home and partly at the office. We believe it is important to have a good home office setup. We therefore offer a subsidy for home office equipment and a work-from-home allowance in accordance with the Central Government Collective Labor Agreement (CAO Rijk).

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We do not accept unsolicited applications for our job openings.

Interested in applying?

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy / Operations Directorate (DB) invites you to apply on their website. Click the button below to leave this site and go directly to the application form. The government values a diverse and inclusive organization. Working in diverse teams makes us more effective, more innovative, and makes the work more enjoyable. Everyone is therefore invited to apply.