Food Safety Manager

What will you be doing?

The Industrial Food Safety team focuses on two areas of expertise: industrial food production (from raw materials to finished products, with a focus on food safety, labeling, and fraud) and specialty food and beverage products (such as dietary supplements, herbal preparations, and foods for specific groups). Risk-based and knowledge-driven oversight is central to our work. Developments in society and the food chain directly influence our work. The Netherlands’ international role as an import and transit country involves numerous national and international contacts and reports.

You will lead a team of 17 highly educated professionals who provide substantive guidance for oversight and inspections. You will contribute to achieving the objectives of both areas. You guide your employees in a constantly changing environment where flexibility is essential. You allocate tasks realistically and keep an eye on feasibility, capacity, and development. You encourage knowledge-building and innovative working methods.

As the workload grows, you identify areas for improvement in processes and work methods. You serve as the team’s leader and act as the link between management and staff. You provide management with insights into capacity, goals, and priorities. For the team, you translate these into practical actions. You contribute to reports and annual plans. You also maintain contact with other NVWA departments and external parties.

You act in accordance with the NVWA’s core values: transparency, reliability, independence, and professionalism. As a role model and leader, you provide direction, reassurance, and attention. You bring out the best in people, both professionally and personally.

Interested in applying?

Are you interested? Please submit your resume and cover letter, and be sure to answer the following questions in your cover letter:

1. What appeals to you about this management position?

2. Why choose the NVWA?

3. Describe a recent success in which you built a close-knit team.

4. What challenges did you face when balancing your time between team leadership and your management team role, and how did you resolve them?

5. What is your interest in food safety?

Here's what you get

• scale 13
• €5,212 – €7,747 (gross)
• Fixed-term employment contract with the possibility of conversion to a permanent contract
• 1 year
• 32–36 hours

Here's what else we offer

In addition to an onboarding program tailored to your role and extensive training and/or coaching opportunities to support your professional growth, we also offer the following employee benefits:

Individual Choice Budget

You will receive an Individual Choice Budget (ICB) equal to 16.50% of your gross annual salary. You can choose to have your ICB paid out, for example, on a monthly or annual basis, or you can use it to purchase additional leave hours. In addition, you can use your IKB to purchase a (electric) bicycle for commuting tax-free, set up your home office,pay off your student loan with tax benefits up to a maximum of €2,000 per year,or even make your home more sustainable. To encourage this, the national government offers an employer contribution on top of the IKB.

Vacation days

If you work 36 hours a week, you are entitled to 144 vacation hours and 64 IKB leave hours per year. Do you work more or fewer hours? In that case, these hours are calculated proportionally. And if you don’t need as much vacation time? Then you can also choose to have your 64 IKB leave hours paid out or added to your IKB saved leave.

Travel Expense Reimbursement

You will receive a commuter pass that allows you to travel by train in second class for your commute. Do you bike to work? If so, you will receive a travel allowance of €0.21 per kilometer cycled.

If you hold a field-based position, you are often eligible for an electric company car. You may also use this vehicle for personal purposes, subject to the additional tax liabilityand a personal contribution.

Leave Policies

The government offers various leave schemes for different situations, such as (supplementary) maternity leave (up to 5 weeks with 100% pay), parental leave (up to 9 weeks with 100% pay in the first year and an additional 75% for 4 weeks), care leave, and adoption/foster care leave.

Pension

The Dutch government offers an attractive pension plan through ABP, the General Civil Service Pension Fund. Read more about the ABP pension plan here.

Additional allowances and reimbursements

For some positions at the NVWA, it is necessary to work outside regular office hours or to be on call. However, these requirements are offset by additional allowances or compensation. For example, we offer an on-call and standby duty allowance and an irregular shift allowance.

Here is what we are asking for

In this role, it is important that you provide direction and autonomy to the professionals on the team and have a general understanding of the big picture. You take ownership, are not afraid to share your vision, and implement improvements. You accept that things don’t always go as planned and that priorities can change quickly. You focus on results and resolve bottlenecks.

Your team is built around passionate, results-oriented employees. You coach, facilitate, and champion your team’s interests. While working toward team and organizational goals, you remain focused on your employees’ development and well-being. You are a good listener and recognize your employees’ motivations and strengths. An open culture and a positive atmosphere are important to you, and you actively promote them. 

It’s also important that you have a good sense of proportion: you know how to interact with employees at different levels, as well as with various management tiers within the organization. You find it easy to collaborate and adapt within a broad network.

In addition, you have:

• A university-level standard of work and thinking, and at least a completed associate’s degree.
• Proven experience as a manager in leading and coaching professionals within a complex organization.
• Experience in a political environment is a plus.
• An interest in food safety; you are able to grasp the main points of the material.

Skills

• Team-oriented management
• Board sensitivity
• Environmental awareness
• Organizational sensitivity
• Reflecting

The NVWA is committed to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of society and places great importance on an inclusive hiring policy. We therefore encourage everyone to apply, regardless of cultural background, age, gender identity, religion, disability, or sexual orientation.

This is where you'll be working

More about the NVWA and the Coordination and Expertise Department

The NVWA is responsible for food and consumer product safety, animal welfare, and the environment.

Within the Enforcement Division, we have the Expertise Department, which serves as the NVWA’s knowledge hub. Why? Because we build up that knowledge—or know where to find it—and share it with colleagues who need it for their enforcement work. And because we bridge the gap between the NVWA’s strategic objectives and their implementation. Tattoo shops, manure transporters, fishing vessels, hospitality businesses, amusement parks, agricultural companies, toy manufacturers—you name it, the NVWA checks these businesses to ensure compliance with laws and regulations. It’s an incredibly diverse field that requires a great deal of expertise.

No two days are the same

The Expertise Department serves as the central hub for bridging the gap between external and internal operations. We provide policy advice and assess whether new laws and regulations are feasible and enforceable in practice. We also keep our colleagues informed about changes in the law. We help draft work instructions for inspectors and inspection services. And we answer questions from members of Parliament, colleagues, ministries, citizens, businesses, and other regulators. This is just a small sample of our work. Every day is different. And what makes it even more interesting: the NVWA is evolving; we are undergoing a transformation where data-driven work and risk-based supervision are key themes. In our department, we are fully committed to renewal and innovation. Think, for example, of increasingly data-driven work to deliver high-quality information products. We make an impact!

Are you curious and eager to grow? In the dynamic work environment at the NVWA, you’ll continue to develop your skills. You’ll also have the freedom to share your ideas and take the initiative. We may be a large team of over 250 people, but the atmosphere is informal and we enjoy working together. What else characterizes our department? The passion that radiates from it. We are committed to the NVWA’s objectives and feel the drive to contribute to a better society.

About the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA)

In the Netherlands, we take it for granted that the products we use and everything we eat are safe. We expect animals to be treated well, even if they are destined for slaughter. We want to be able to consume fruits and vegetables without a second thought, and other products are “naturally” fine too. We want to be able to walk in nature without worry and buy toys for our children without suspicion. As consumers, we simply rely on that; for us, it goes without saying.

But we sometimes forget that companies work hard every day to maintain those high standards. That it isn’t always easy for business owners to comply with all applicable laws and regulations. We also forget that the government oversees this. Safety sounds so simple, but it isn’t.

What does the NVWA do?

The staff of the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) work hard every day to maintain that standard. Through dialogue with businesses in the hospitality sector, slaughterhouses, plant cultivation, and other producers, the NVWA monitors food and product safety, plant health, and the welfare of animals, nature, and the environment. We do so in accordance with national and international laws and regulations. We operate on a basis of trust, but we take firm action against businesses that do not adhere strictly to the rules. In the interest of society.

We closely monitor where the greatest risks lie and where oversight is most urgently needed, so that we can inform consumers and others in a timely manner. The NVWA also plays a key role in export inspections and in the import of products into Europe.

What does the NVWA stand for?

The NVWA is responsible for overseeing animal welfare, animal health, food safety, product safety, tobacco and alcohol prevention, plant health, and nature and the environment.

The Dutch government strives to be an employer that every employee—regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic background, or disability—wants to work for. Addressing social issues in diverse teams makes us more effective and innovative. That makes the work meaningful and challenging.

The NVWA is an agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security, and Nature (LVVN) and the Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport.

Details

• Job interviews will take place during the week of August 18.
• Applications will be considered in accordance with applicable agreements, including the Central Government Collective Labor Agreement and the NVP Application Code.
• A Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG) is required to work at the NVWA.
• If the position involves a fixed-term employment contract with the prospect of becoming permanent, the permanent contract is initially preceded by a one-year contract. Provided the employee proves to be suitable, the contract is generally converted into a permanent contract of indefinite duration after one year.
• Is this a job opening for a fixed-term contract with the possibility of becoming permanent, but do you already have a permanent position as a civil servant? If so, you will retain your permanent position.
• If the position is initially a fixed-term role, it will not be reopened if the role can be made permanent within the organization and the (initially) temporary position was filled by an internal employee with a permanent contract.
• Online screening—for example, through search engines or social media—can be part of the selection process.
• A competency test and/or an assessment may be part of the selection process.
• A comprehensive A or B screening by the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) may be required for certain positions at the NVWA, including those in the Intelligence and Investigation Service (IOD).
• Recruitment agencies are asked to refrain from contacting us regarding this job opening.
• We will review your application and respond no later than 10 business daysafter the application deadline.
• Are you applying for this position as a priority candidate through VWNW or due to a disability? (Priority Candidate) In that case, in addition to your resume and cover letter, you will also need a referral letter and a nomination letter. The nomination letter is prepared by the VWNW manager. You can add the additional documents, such as the designation letter and nomination letter, by first submitting your application (without the designation letter and nomination letter), and then clicking on the link to your application in the confirmation email. After logging in, you can then add the designation letter and the nomination letter under “Additional documents.”

About the Manager job category

The Central Government Performance Framework helps employees and managers establish performance and development goals during performance reviews and provides insight into career opportunities within the federal government.

For more information, visit the Central Government Job Classification System