Director of the Legal Department

The position

As Director of the Legal Office, you’ll make a difference for thousands of Amsterdammers, whether it involves complex legal issues or practical solutions to everyday challenges. Your work touches the heart of the city.

You will lead a team of 200 legal professionals, always prioritizing inclusion and innovation. You are the driving force behind legal innovation, from digitization to the development of the first “value case” approach in the Netherlands, through which we prioritize justice over bureaucracy.

To ensure that our legal services are future-proof, you will collaborate with other organizational units that also perform legal tasks, such as the Legal Affairs Department, the Grants, Procurement, and Legal Affairs Department of the Social Services Bureau, the city districts, and external partners. In doing so, you will strengthen cooperation within the legal chain and ensure that your team always puts the needs of Amsterdam residents first.

In short: you’ll make sure that the Legal Office is the go-to place for Amsterdammers looking for justice with a heart!

Here's what you do on an average day

• You will provide inclusive leadership to the Legal Department and oversee a diverse team

• You focus on results within administrative, substantive, and financial frameworks

• You will lead the management team’s development initiatives and service innovation in a collaborative and inspiring manner, seeking to collaborate with other management teams and relevant external partners
• You will have overall responsibility for operational, tactical, and strategic legal matters
• You will be responsible for improving the quality of services provided by the Legal Department and will actively identify the needs within the organization.
• You will help improve the quality of the process, from policy development and implementation to appeals
• You will report to the City Director of the Operations Cluster and be part of the cluster’s management team

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!

Working for Amsterdam means working for approximately 900,000 residents of Amsterdam and Weesp. We ensure that Amsterdam is and remains an attractive capital—a place where it’s pleasant to live, work, and go to school, with room for entrepreneurs and visitors. We work for Amsterdam alongside some 19,000 colleagues who continually challenge themselves and grow, working together with Amsterdammers to do what’s best for the city. Together, with pride, and above all, with a passion for the city.

Operations Cluster The Operations Cluster manages the day-to-day operations of the City of Amsterdam and provides flexible and reliable group-wide services to colleagues and the administration. The cluster consists of the following departments: Human Resources, Finance & Procurement, Facilities Management, Communications, Legal Affairs, Interim & Consulting, and Verzekeringsbedrijf Groot Amsterdam (VGA).

Law Firm

The Legal Department is part of the Operations Cluster, which manages the day-to-day operations of the City of Amsterdam and provides flexible and reliable group-wide services to colleagues and the administration. The cluster consists of the following departments: Human Resources, Finance & Procurement, Facilities Management, Communications, Legal Affairs, Interim & Consulting, and Verzekeringsbedrijf Groot Amsterdam (VGA).

The Legal Office provides primary legal advice, both at the case and program levels, regarding the city’s major initiatives across a wide range of legal fields, including private law, procurement law, environmental law, and general administrative law.

What you bring

• You are a visionary with the ability to drive change: You have experience with complex, diverse organizations and know how to engage people in the change process. You have a clear vision for legal services and are a pioneer when it comes to innovation.
• You embody inclusion: You understand that diversity makes Amsterdam stronger and that an inclusive culture is essential to success. You know how to motivate and bring together a diverse group of professionals.
• You’re not afraid to innovate: AI, legal tech, and digitization aren’t just buzzwords to you—they’re tools for improving the legal world. You see opportunities where others see challenges.
• You care deeply about the city: You feel a strong connection to Amsterdam and its residents, and you’re driven to help build a more equitable city.

Knowledge and experience

• University-level education or equivalent; experience in the legal field and a clear vision of legal services
• You have at least 2 years of experience as a senior manager or director of an organization of a similar size composed of professionals
• You have at least 2 years of managerial experience in a similarly complex (political-administrative) and diverse organization
• You have at least two years of managerial experience in an organization that provides services to end users—preferably citizens—where the application of innovation (digitalization and AI) to improve service delivery is a key priority
• You have at least 2 years of experience as a change manager specializing in cultural change and organizational development 
• You have proven experience in inclusive leadership
• You have a relevant network outside the municipality

You should have the following skills

• Inclusive thinking and action: As a leader in an inclusive organization, you think and act inclusively, are sensitive to cultural and religious differences, are committed to fostering and maintaining a diverse work environment, and create a socially safe environment while caring for employees regardless of their identity. You are open, empathetic, and approachable. You are a good listener, reliable, and predictable, and you inspire trust by embracing vulnerability in yourself and others.
• Providing vision and direction: You have a clear vision and the ability to engage employees in it in a compelling way. You are a driving force and can create a culture that inspires and motivates employees to operate in a service-oriented manner—with an open heart, eyes, and ears—toward the people of Amsterdam and all partners within and outside the municipality. In doing so, you empower professionals and rely on the knowledge and skills of employees (coaching leadership). You are decisive and decisive, and you are aware of the dilemmas within the field, the various responsibilities, and the role fulfillment that task-oriented work entails.
• Fostering innovation: You believe in and champion innovation, and you are deeply interested in new developments; you identify opportunities and are driven to promote them both within and outside the organization (with a particular focus on digitalization within the legal field); You can quickly adapt to a changing environment and evolving circumstances. You initiate, organize, and drive change and innovation, and you engage others in this process with joy and enthusiasm. You are able to think outside the box and approach challenges from new perspectives.
• Collaboration: You are able to foster collaboration with other departments within the municipal organization and with external partners by emphasizing the shared interest in addressing our challenges. You are reliable and know how to create a culture of trust. You are a skilled networker who can effectively represent the municipality and the Legal Department and raise their profile, both within the municipality and regionally.
• Awareness of the organizational environment: Youhave an excellent understanding of bureaucratic and administrative dynamics, you can navigate conflicting interests, and you are able to maintain your independence in your role as director. In addition, you are mindful of your position and remain approachable to your staff and others within the organization.

What we offer you

As Director of the Legal Department, you will join our team for 36 hours per week and can expect the following terms of employment.

• A gross monthly salary ranging from €6,829 to €9,734 (pay grade 16) based on a 36-hour workweek. The exact salary will be determined based on your education, knowledge, and experience.
• A permanent contract with a five-year term of appointment.
• 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 with ABP, the pension fund for the public sector and education.
• A travel allowance of €0.10 per kilometer, up to a 45-kilometer one-way commute, for the number of days you work in the office, and/or a work-from-home allowance of €3 net per workday that you work from home.
• A monthly contribution toward health insurance.
• Flexibility when it comes to your work hours and location. With the Amsterdam Digital Workplace, you can log in wherever and whenever you want.
• A laptop and a cell phone.
• Hybrid work: The City of Amsterdam has adopted a hybrid work model. For you, this means that, if you wish, you can work partly from home and partly at the office, depending on your job responsibilities. You may request remote work equipment to set up a home office that complies with health and safety standards.

Want to know more about our employment terms and conditions? Check out theCity of Amsterdam Personnel Regulations(PGA).

Apply for this job

• If this job opening interests you, please submit your application by Wednesday, November 20, using the“Apply”button.
• The selection process will begin immediately after the application deadline.
• The selection process will consist of two interviews with the selection committee and the advisory committee. This will be followed by a consultation meeting with a delegation from the Employee Participation Council.
• An assessment may be part of the process.
• In addition to your resume, we would like to receive a cover letter in which you briefly explain the knowledge and experience required for the position. Your cover letter will be taken into consideration during the selection process.
• Requesting references may be part of the process.
• This job opening is being advertised both internally and externally. Employees of the City of Amsterdam will be given priority in the hiring process.
• Every new colleague who joins our team must submit a recent Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG).
• The municipality has a preference policy starting at level 15. This means that, when candidates are equally qualified, preference is given to those with a non-Western immigrant background.
• Would you like to review the job posting again? If so, be sure to save it, because it will no longer be available after the application deadline.

We do not appreciate unsolicited solicitation by 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.

Do you have any questions about this job opening?

If you have any questions about the position or the application process, please contact Babette des Bouvrie, Management Development Advisor, by phone at0628-364248 or by email atb.des.bouvrie@amsterdam.nl