HR Manager

Milieudefensie has experienced significant growth in recent years. This growth now calls for further professionalization of both the organizational structure and the HR strategy, as well as its implementation. The HR manager plays a key role in strengthening our organization and achieving our strategic goals.

You will ensure that our employees have the opportunity to grow and contribute to our mission: a climate-just and sustainable world. You will serve as the link between strategic HR policy and day-to-day operations, and you will position the HR department as a proactive partner within our organization.

What will you be doing?

Your main responsibilities are:

Leadership and team development:

• You will lead the HR department, which includes a strategic HR advisor, a safety & integrity coordinator, two HR advisors, a payroll administrator, and a recruiter. You will foster enthusiasm within the team, encourage collaboration and personal growth, and create an environment where employees can perform at their best.

Professionalization:

• You will develop a tailored HR strategy for our organization, optimize HR processes and systems, and build the department into a strategic HR partner that actively contributes to core business processes and organization-wide goals. This includes areas such as strategic workforce planning, leadership development, diversity and inclusion, labor market communication, and pre-, on-, and offboarding. You will also develop a comprehensive approach to talent development and succession planning for the Management Team and the Executive Board.

Development and innovation:

• You are responsible for strategically positioning the HR department as a new corporate function within the organization and will develop an HR strategy and implementation plan that addresses future challenges. You will leverage HR data and insights to identify trends, improve policies, and seize opportunities for innovation.

Projects and strategic themes:

• You will lead organization-wide projects in areas such as employee benefits, diversity and inclusion, absence prevention, pension regulations, talent development, and creating a safe workplace.

In 2025, you will focus specifically on topics such as:

• Safe workplace:You will strengthen our organizational culture by focusing on social and psychological safety. You will help create clear structures, promote project-based work, and foster a culture of feedback.
• Strengthening leadership: You will develop a leadership development program for our managers.
• Employer Branding:You will develop policies in the areas of talent development and management, labor market communication, and onboarding. You will lead the implementation of our revised HR review cycle, which is based on the Baarda method.
• Diversity and Inclusion: Youwill be responsible for developing new policies related to diversity and inclusion. You will oversee their implementation, monitor progress, and foster an inclusive organizational culture in which everyone feels welcome and heard.
• Optimizing Milieudefensie’s Pension Plan: Youwill take the lead in analyzing and updating our pension plan, based on the new pension system to be implemented, while keeping the needs of our employees and our organization in mind.
• Strategic workforce planning: Youare responsible for developing a strategic workforce plan and managing the department’s staffing budget.

What are you bringing?

You are an energetic, enthusiastic, and dedicated HR manager with a clear vision of how HR can add value within the organization. You combine strategic insight with a practical approach and know how to get people on board with your ideas. As a leader, you inspire and support the team, and contribute to a positive work environment where collaboration and personal development are central.

You have:

• a college-level education and analytical skills, preferably in HRM, business administration, change management, or a related field;
• At least 7 years of relevant experience in similar positions, preferably gained in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors;
• extensive experience in leading and implementing change initiatives, project management, and HR systems and process design; 
• strong strategic insight and the ability to get the team on board with this;
• an innovative vision of HR and the skills to translate this into a concrete contribution to organizational development;
• a role model as a manager and member of the management team. You demonstrate the direction in which the organization aims to grow in terms of leadership and culture;
• the ability to persuade and the flexibility to adapt quickly in a dynamic environment;
• experience with organizational restructuring, facilitating change processes, and advising management and employees.

Who do you work with?

As a member of the management team (MT), you will work closely with fellow department heads, the campaign manager, and senior management. You will share responsibility for developing and implementing our organization-wide strategy and advise the MT and senior management on strategic HR issues.

You will report directly to the Executive Director. You will work closely with your colleagues in your department and with the management team. As HR Manager, you will serve as a key point of contact for all Milieudefensie employees. You will also be a key point of contact for the Works Council.

What do we offer?

• A one-year contract that will be renewed or converted to a permanent position upon satisfactory performance.
• A salary ranging from €4,847 to €7,456 for full-time employment, depending on your knowledge and experience. At Milieudefensie, this is a 37.5-hour workweek.
• Your own laptop that you take home with you every day, so you can work from home as well.
• The option to arrange your work hours flexibly and to swap (Christian) holidays for other holidays.
• A casual and open work environment with enthusiastic colleagues.
• A sufficient travel allowance, work-from-home allowance, and leave policy.
• An excellent pension plan at a.s.r.
• An office in Amsterdam Overamstel, accessible by bike and public transportation.
• Fresh fruit every day and a vegan lunch three days a week for a small fee.
• Free access to the OpenUp interactive platform for mental well-being.

Milieudefensie staff work partly from home. We meet both online and in the office.

We believe in the power of diversity and strive to build a diverse workforce with balanced representation across gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, and ethnic background. That is why we especially encourage people from groups that are underrepresented within the climate movement to apply.

Want to apply right away?

Interested? Please upload your cover letter (maximum 1 A4 page) and resume, both in PDF format, by Sunday, May 4, usingthe online application form.

Do you have any questions?

If you have any questions about this job opening, please contact Caroline Visser, Interim Business Director, atcaroline.visser@milieudefensie.nlor 020 550 7300.

This job opening is being advertised both internally and externally. We do not welcome unsolicited recruitment inquiries regarding this position.