School Attendance Officer

The position

As a truancy officer, you provide young people with access to the education they are entitled to. And you stand up for their future. You assess what each individual needs to move forward on a case-by-case basis, and above all, in collaboration with the young person and their support network. This means a solution-oriented, tailored approach that prioritizes connection and the best interests of the student. In addition to supporting students, you will also enforce laws and regulations on behalf of our municipality and are authorized to issue official reports.

There is a great deal of variation among schools and students, as well as their needs. That is why we work together to determine how many and which schools you will be assigned to. As a school attendance officer, you will follow the Methodical Approach to School Absenteeism and the work instructions we develop together. These provide guidance and clarity, and help you and your colleagues work in a consistent manner. Using our guidelines as a starting point, you determine the best approach yourself. Do you have a good reason to be flexible with the guidelines? Then you’ll have the freedom to deviate from them with proper justification. After all, the best solution for the young person always comes first.

An important and varied role? You bet! You’ll have plenty of freedom to organize your work the way you see fit. At the same time, your colleagues are there to support you, and you’ll work closely with schools, parents, and partners such as community centers, safety agencies, and youth services. Plus, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to further develop yourself, our teams, and our work methods. For example, by participating in masterclasses during school breaks and contributing ideas on how to improve work instructions.

Here's what you do on an average day

• You will handle requests and reports related to leave, exemptions, absences, and staff shortages.
• You discuss challenges and solutions with young people and their parents or guardians. You record information and agreements regarding your students in their files.
• At schools, you advise principals, educational coordinators, and teachers on attendance policies and individual cases.
• You will participate in consultations with various partners in the social sector and in working groups focused on specific topics, such as school leavers or dealing with exemptions.
• You discuss work tasks, challenges, and successes with your team, support your colleagues, and seek guidance from senior truancy officers.

Meet & Greet!

Would you like to know what a typical workday might look like before you apply? And whether this position is a good fit for you? On Thursday, February 15, from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM, we’re hosting an in-person Meet & Greet with several colleagues from the Compulsory Education team! During the Meet & Greet, there will be plenty of time to ask questions or just chat more about the job details. The Meet & Greet will be held at ROC Noord, Gare du Nord 13, 1022 LD Amsterdam. Would you like to stop by? Please email Ismahan Massaabi, corporate recruiter for Social Services, in advance of the event. i.massaabi@amsterdam.nl to sign up!

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!

Your home base will be the Education Department within the Education, Youth, Care, and Diversity Division. There, you’ll join one of our three truancy prevention teams: the East Team, the North-South Team, or the West Team. Together, these three teams consist of approximately 65 field truancy officers and 10 senior truancy officers who work every day to ensure the right to education for all children in Amsterdam. As colleagues, we’re always there for one another: to offer help to another team, to share our knowledge and experience, and to celebrate successes together. We prioritize a fair division of tasks and a healthy work-life balance.

To fulfill our role as a unifying force in the social sector as effectively as possible, our role in enforcing compulsory education will evolve over the coming years. Our focus will be on tailored solutions, equal opportunities, and high-quality services for children, parents, and schools. Will you join us in making this initiative a success?

What you bring

For the position of truancy officer, you must have:

• At least 3 years of verifiable work experience in organizing and planning your own work or managing your own caseload.
• At least 3 years of work experience in a role where you are able to make final decisions independently. Please explain this in your cover letter;
• At least 3 years of work experience in an executive management role, involving collaboration with various internal and external partners at different levels to achieve a common goal. Please explain this in your cover letter;

You should have the following skills:

• Decisiveness: You’re not afraid to make decisions, you persevere in the face of setbacks, you take a solution-oriented approach, and you do whatever it takes to achieve your goals.
• Planning and organizing: You’re good at keeping track of things and taking the initiative to take the right steps.
• Commitment to development: You enjoy working in a learning organization that allows room for mistakes, encourages open communication, and is dedicated to continuous improvement.
• Collaboration: You enjoy working as part of a diverse team and are skilled at communicating effectively at various levels, connecting people and organizations, and empathizing with others’ situations. Working together to make the project a success.
• Analytical skills: You can distinguish between main and secondary issues, break down a problem into its components, and establish logical connections between the various aspects.

What we offer you

As a truancy officer, you will join our team for 32–36 hours per week and can expect the following terms of employment.

• A gross monthly salary ranging from a minimum of €3,317 to a maximum of €4,752 (pay scale 9) 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 with ABP, the pension fund for the public sector and education.
• 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 a laptop.
• An (electric) rental bike that lets you travel between work locations in a sustainable and healthy way.

Curious about all our employment terms and conditions? View the Amsterdam Municipal Personnel Regulations (PGA) at www.amsterdam.nl/pga.

Apply for this job

If this job opening interests you, we look forward to receiving your application no later than February 25, 2024 via the application form on our website.

• 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.
• The selection process begins immediately after the application deadline and consists of a CV/cover letter review and an interview round. If you pass the initial interview, you will be invited to an assessment. The assessment consists of a personality test, an interview, and a role-play exercise. The selection committee consists of a Compulsory Education team manager, a compulsory education officer, and a recruiter/HR advisor.
• If your resume meets the job requirements, we would be happy to invite you for an interview.
• The interviews will take place at one of our office locations.
• 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.
• 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, please contact: Ellen de Wit, Team Manager for Compulsory Education North/South, at: e.de.wit@amsterdam.nl and/or 06-39-33-35-49Do you have any questions about the application process? Please call or email Ismahan Massaabi, corporate recruiter: i.massaabi@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.