Legal Counsel, Executive Staff

How you contribute in your role

You will advise and support the Director of HRM and Organization (HRMO) and the Rijkswaterstaat Executive Board in their responsibility to steer the organization in the broad field of HRMO. Your role will focus on a number of key tasks. For example, you will advise the (Deputy) Director-General on non-mandated personnel matters and integrity issues. You will advise on complex legal status issues that affect the entire Rijkswaterstaat organization. You will do this in collaboration with a coordinating senior HRMO advisor.

You will hold regular meetings with a delegation from the employee representative body and serve as secretary for meetings with the Group Works Council (GOR) on behalf of the director. You will also be responsible for preparing, managing, and implementing multidisciplinary advisory processes.

This is what gives you a sense of fulfillment

In your recommendations and policy proposals, you prioritize quality and are always on the lookout for opportunities for improvement, including ways to simplify, harmonize, and standardize processes and tools. You initiate changes, build support for them, and continuously develop your own skills.

You will work closely with board members, consultation partners, colleagues across the government, the internal HRMO chain, and other operational disciplines. You will do so with the necessary administrative flexibility.

What we appreciate about you

You think and work in a cross-functional manner and maintain a critical perspective, while naturally keeping in mind the importance of maintaining good working relationships. You build an effective network both internally and externally. You coordinate the development, adjustment, and implementation of the corporate strategy and frameworks within the organization, working with the directors of Operations, process owners, and process advisors, among others. Naturally, you maintain good relations with the administrative department and participate in government-wide consultations. You serve as an expert for colleagues in the chain.

Want to know more?

Would you like more information about the job description before applying? Or are you curious to find out what this role is really like in practice? Feel free to get to know a potential future colleague—Nicoline Coorens, HRMO Director—by calling 06-10427496. She’d be happy to talk to you!

Job Opening Number: BS-22-012

Job Requirements

• You must have at least a relevant associate's degree, for example in labor law or public administration;
  
• You can prepare administrative decisions and draft them into well-written documents;
  
• You have experience in building support for the development and implementation of policies and working methods;
  
• You have knowledge of and experience advising on issues related to employment law and terms and conditions;
  
• You have experience managing complex organizations in a political and administrative environment. Knowledge of a government organization is a plus.
  

Terms of Employment

Salary Level 12

Salary: Min . €4,092 – Max. €6,045 gross per month. The salary listed is based on a full workweek.

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

Minimum number of hours per week: 32

Maximum number of hours per week: 36

Plenty of opportunities for growth and development

The Dutch government is strongly committed to personal growth and career development and offers numerous opportunities in this regard. These include taking courses and earning certifications. We also offer career coaching if you need it.

Interesting extras

In addition to your salary, you will receive an Individual Choice Budget (ICB) consisting of an 8% vacation allowance and an annual year-end bonus. This ICB consists of money (16.37% of your gross annual salary) and/or time. With the ICB, you can make the choices that suit you best and customize part of your employment benefits yourself. For example, you can have part of your monthly income paid out whenever you wish, convert the IKB into leave, or spend it on tax-friendly purposes. Our other benefits include company fitness programs and full reimbursement of your public transportation costs for commuting.

Details

• Your work location is The Hague. At Rijkswaterstaat, we follow government guidelines. This means that we work from home as much as possible and spend up to half of our time at a Rijkswaterstaat office or site if this offers you added value;
  
• The (online) interviews will take place on a date to be determined;
  
• If we receive a sufficient number of suitable applications, we may close the position early;
  
• An (online) pre-selection test or assessment may be part of the application process. Completing a case study and (online) screening, for example through databases, may also be part of the application process. Checking references is part of the application process.
  

Talent as a foundation, diversity as a strength

Rijkswaterstaat is an inclusive organization. It is an organization that welcomes everyone and harnesses the power of its workforce’s diversity to achieve better results for the Netherlands together.

Inclusivity means that everyone feels included and valued—not in spite of, but because of our differences. That’s why we invite you to apply if this job description resonates with you.

Hybrid job applications

This means that all initial introductory and/or selection interviews will take place online via Microsoft Teams. Follow-up interviews and/or discussions regarding terms of employment will then be conducted in person whenever possible. Would you prefer to do this online? The Recruitment and Selection Consultant will contact you to discuss your preferences. You can find more information on the"Apply" page.

We do not accept unsolicited applications for our job openings.

Your future department

Would you like to work at Rijkswaterstaat within the Executive Staff (BS)? This unit is responsible for the overall functioning of the organization. The BS supports the Director-General in the national management of the organization and ensures a strong connection between Rijkswaterstaat and its environment. In this way, the BS looks from the outside in, bringing Rijkswaterstaat into contact with external developments. Furthermore, the BS supports the management by providing advice based on overview, coherence, and integration.

In total, approximately 120 people work at the BS, spread across four staff departments: Environment, Communication & Strategy, Production & Information Services, Finance & Control, and HRM & Organization.

HRM and Organization Executive Committee

The HRM and Organization Executive Committee advises the Rijkswaterstaat Board on the development and monitoring of HRM policy and strategy, in alignment with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and the national government. Key themes at present include: being an attractive employer, knowledge and expertise, employee-centricity, leadership and ownership, and agility.

In addition, we advise the board on organizational development. Key areas of focus include broadening the board’s capabilities, corporate improvement initiatives, and strategic capacity management. The executive board also addresses issues related to integrity, working conditions, legal status, and labor law.

Do you have any questions about the details of this job posting?

Nicoline Coorens, Director of HRMO

06–10427496

Application Process

Job Applications and Selection

Please apply for the position by submitting your resume and cover letter. We will review your resume and cover letter based on the job requirements listed. Applications will be accepted until the deadline specified in the job posting.

E-assessment

For some positions, an online assessment is part of the application process. In that case, you will receive more information about the process and the deadline via email.

Digital Recruitment Day

We will invite you by phone or email to a virtual recruitment day, during which you will have up to two interviews. Depending on the position, a role-play may also be part of the recruitment day.

Feedback

After the selection day, we’ll get back to you and discuss whether we’re a good fit.

Employed

Your manager has invited you to a discussion about your employment terms (by phone). You will be told where and when you can start your new job at Rijkswaterstaat. Welcome aboard!

You can submit your response by October 10, 2022