Director of the Open Government Act, Tax and Customs Administration

Job Description

We welcome you to the new Disclosure and Transparency Department. The Ministry of Finance has ambitious goals to become as open and transparent as possible, as outlined in our Vision for Openness and Transparency 2026. To realize these ambitions, the Disclosure and Transparency Division will launch in 2024. Ultimately, approximately 100 professionals in various roles will ensure proper and timely disclosure, which includes both proactive disclosure and disclosure upon request.

Under the Open Government Act (Woo), anyone may submit a request for internal information to the ministry. The Woo stipulates that a request must be processed within four to six weeks. Unfortunately, the ministry is currently only able to meet this requirement to a very limited extent (see also the Matglas report by the Open State Foundation). The Ministry’s goal is to process Woo requests within the statutory deadline as much as possible by 2026. To this end, an improvement plan has been formulated that focuses on processes, systems, organization, and personnel.

A completely new role—the Woo Coordinator—plays a key part in our improvement strategy. This means you’ll have the opportunity to help shape this role in practice! The Woo Coordinator plays a key role in ensuring that Woo requests are processed in a timely manner. You’ll be involved in handling the request from the moment it’s received until it’s disclosed, ensuring that all steps in the Woo process are completed smoothly. In doing so, the Woo Coordinator assesses the substance of the request. You’ll therefore be active at the intersection of content and process coordination. It’s a position of responsibility where you’ll get to know the ministry in a broad sense. You will have frequent contact with policy officers, research specialists, and legal advisors. Additionally, while processing a Woo request, you will maintain close contact with the requester to ultimately meet their information needs as effectively as possible.

To ensure you can perform your duties effectively, you will be immersed in the world of the Directorate-General (DG) for Tax Administration during an onboarding period. This is the DG you will be working for in practice. At the Tax and Customs Administration, nearly 25,000 people work directly or indirectly on collecting taxes and social security contributions. The organization is divided into three types of directorates: primary process directorates (operational tasks), group directorates (quality & policy), and corporate services and shared service organizations (support tasks). The Tax and Customs Administration is a large organization, and the information you’re looking for may be scattered across multiple locations. As a Woo Coordinator, your scope of responsibility covers the entire organization. Thanks to the coordination you provide for requests, information is retrieved wherever it is located, even if it’s scattered throughout the Tax and Customs Administration.

At the same time, you will be introduced to the Woo process. You will quickly begin handling Woo requests—initially under supervision—and eventually coordinate a Woo request entirely on your own and assess whether any information cannot be disclosed. We will tailor the complexity of the Woo requests you handle to your knowledge and experience. We are looking for several Woo coordinators for the Directorate-General for the Tax and Customs Administration.

You’ll be working in a dynamic environment and will be part of a team that’s constantly evolving. We have a pleasant work atmosphere and believe it’s important to invest in your professional development. We view the role of Woo Director as a potential stepping stone to a position as a policy officer. Your work is at the center of political and social attention and is highly relevant, which can present interesting and sometimes significant challenges. Being able to keep things in perspective when things get tough is also part of the job!

Who are we looking for?

To handle Woo requests efficiently and effectively, we are looking for colleagues who know how to get things done. With your proactive work ethic and collaborative approach, you know how to engage those involved in the Woo process to achieve the desired outcome. You have strong communication skills, allowing you to effectively address the applicant’s needs and ensure their information requirements are met as thoroughly as possible. We look forward to welcoming new colleagues with work experience, and there is also room for entry-level candidates.

Woo requests can cover any topic relevant to the DG where you work. That’s why you have a broad range of interests and are very curious. You closely follow the news and current events. Gaining a deeper understanding of the subject matter is a key motivator for you. A legal background is expressly not a requirement for this position.

You look beyond your own area of expertise. When you identify problems, you seek out solutions. Thanks to your creative approach, you know how to bring things to a successful conclusion. You have strong networking skills, which allow you to build connections and overcome resistance. Do you see opportunities for improvement in your own role or elsewhere in the process? If so, you identify them so that such improvements can be implemented as quickly as possible. In this way, you also shape your own role.

Job Requirements

• You have a college-level education and way of thinking.
• You have an interest in public administration and recognize the importance of the government providing accurate information.
• You have strong verbal and written communication skills.
• You work well in teams with varying members.
• You enjoy brainstorming creative ways to improve processes and take the initiative in doing so.
• You have a keen sense of political and administrative sensitivities.
• You enjoy interacting with people and like to invest in relationships.

Terms of Employment

Salary level: Grade 11, Grade 12

Monthly salary: Min. €3,662 – Max. €6,320 (gross)

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

Contract duration: 1 year

Minimum number of hours per week: 32

Maximum number of hours per week: 36

Other terms and conditions of employment

In addition to your salary, you will receive an Individual Choice Budget (ICB). The ICB consists of money (16.37% of your gross annual salary) and time. With the ICB, you can make choices that suit you and customize part of your employment benefits. For example, you can choose to have a portion of your monthly income paid out whenever you wish. You can also convert this budget into leave and vice versa, or spend it on tax-friendly purposes. The Dutch government is strongly committed to personal growth and career development and offers numerous opportunities for this. Secondary employment conditions include various study facilities, company fitness programs, full reimbursement of your public transportation costs for commuting, and partially paid parental leave.

Details

We want everyone to feel at home at the Ministry of Finance and to be able to reach their full potential. Because working together to ensure a financially healthy Netherlands is what we stand for. We do this by drawing on diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and insights, because we believe this enhances our collective thinking. Everyone is welcome, regardless of cultural background, age, ability to work, gender, or sexual orientation. With your unique contribution, we can better respond to the needs of our society.

Would you like to help ensure the Netherlands remains financially sound? We’d love to have you. You can apply by sending us your resume and cover letter. However, we’re also open to other formats, such as a video application (with your resume attached) or a presentation (in PowerPoint). In the latter case, please paste the link to your application into a PDF or Word file. This will allow us to process your application properly. 

• The first round of job interviews is scheduled for Monday, February 12.
• The second round of interviews, if any, is scheduled for Thursday, February 15.
• The pay scale for this position is determined based on knowledge and experience. This means that a starting pay scale may apply.
• In this role, you may be designated as an insider under the Finance Department’s personnel regulations. In light of the prohibition on insider trading and to prevent conflicts of interest, you are not permitted to hold and/or trade in securities (such as stocks and bonds) of certain companies.
• Choosing a new job can be quite exciting. That’s why we make your transition as personalized as possible. Through an orientation session and an onboarding app, we’ll help you find your way and learn how everything works within Finance. Do you have any questions about the job opening or the selection process? Please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re happy to assist you as you consider your options.

Interested in applying?

The government is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive organization. Working in diverse teams makes us more effective, more innovative, and makes the work more enjoyable. Everyone is therefore encouraged to apply.