Sector Manager, Crisis Management

What will you be doing?

In recent years, society has been confronted with new types of crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, extreme weather, digital disruptions, and, most recently, the new geopolitical situation in the world. Our crisis response organization, which used to focus on fires and train accidents, must also be prepared to develop an effective approach to these types of crises. This requires flexibility, new skills, and, above all, collaboration with new and existing crisis partners. In the Amsterdam-Amstelland region, we have worked hard in recent years to establish an organization for this purpose: the Crisis Management sector.

As the Crisis Management sector, we ensure that crisis response personnel can act professionally and adaptively when the need arises. We invest in developing their expertise, work to foster a positive and sustainable partnership with our partners, and seek opportunities to make society more resilient. This requires leadership.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for a Crisis Management Sector Manager who not only drives innovation but, above all, ensures its sustainability. You will lead a sector that has grown rapidly in recent years to 30 (predominantly young) professionals, under the leadership of 4 coordinators from the Knowledge & Advice, Crisis Organization Preparation, Multidisciplinary Education, Training & Drills, and Civil Protection & Crisis Communication teams. Together, we ensure that our crisis organization is ready and in top condition to respond during crises. For example, work has been done on the 2025–2028 crisis and policy plan; it is your task to implement this effectively within the organization. We conduct drills, reflect on how best to manage current and future crises, build alliances with crisis partners and local governments, and advise mayors. In recent years, the foundation for the Crisis Management sector has been laid. Now it is up to you to steadily strengthen this foundation. Within the sector, you will continue to build a resilient team and enable employees to thrive within the established structure.

As Sector Manager for Crisis Management, you will be part of the Management Team of the Amsterdam-Amstelland Safety Region. As a facilitator, you will collaborate with and build bridges between the various disciplines within our safety region. You will do this from our office and, of course, from our partners’ offices as well.

As a Crisis Management Sector Manager, you are also actively involved in regional and national networks. You closely monitor developments, think from a collective perspective, and know how to foster collaboration within the region, with other safety regions, and with network partners. As a Crisis Management Sector Manager, you are part of the National Professional Council for Risk and Crisis Management and strengthen the national standing of our safety region. You find it challenging to advance one or more substantive portfolios in the field of crisis management at the national level. You are also able to translate national developments into our region.

As a sector manager, you will find that serving as a crisis manager on call within the crisis response team is a logical extension of your day-to-day work.

Click here for the 2025–2028 crisis plan.

Who are you?  

You have a positive attitude and are experienced in the field of crisis management. You are:

A strategic expert in crisis management – You have proven experience in (strategic) crisis management and a clear vision for the future of crisis management. You already have ideas on how to apply these to our crisis management organization and can stay the course in a dynamic environment.

An inspiring leader - You are a natural leader who empowers professionals and supports them in their professional growth. You create a safe and stimulating work environment that encourages independence and innovation.  

Connecting - You bring teams, sectors, and external partners together and know how to engage them with you and our safety region. You build and maintain a strong network and actively seek out opportunities for collaboration, both regionally and nationally. 

Network-oriented – You actively seek out opportunities to collaborate with new and existing network partners. You maintain these relationships with a view to promoting public safety. You build bridges between parties and create lasting connections that contribute to the safety and resilience of our region and beyond.

Politically savvy – You understand the dynamics of political and administrative processes and know how to navigate them effectively. You are able to translate complex policy issues into clear priorities and actions. 

Decisive and assertive - You know how to act quickly and effectively in crisis situations and are not afraid to make tough decisions. You combine a keen eye for detail with a pragmatic approach, responding flexibly to changing circumstances. 

You'll recognize yourself here

• You have a university-level education and way of thinking.
• You have demonstrable, up-to-date knowledge and experience in crisis management.  
• You have several years of managerial experience.
• You have proven experience working in multidisciplinary teams during crises.
• You have a relevant network in the field of crisis management.

What do you get from us?

A challenging and dynamic work environment that is constantly evolving and where there is always plenty to do. The Amsterdam-Amstelland region never stands still, which means there are always challenges for you to tackle. You’ll work alongside a team of dedicated professionals who are committed to building a safe and resilient society. In addition, you can count on:

• Salary in pay grade 15, up to a maximum of €9,066 per month based on a 36-hour workweek.  
• A job for 32–36 hours per week.  
• An individual flexible spending allowance (IFSA) of 18.63% of the gross annual salary.This includes the year-end bonus and vacation pay. 
• 187.2 hours of leave based on a 36-hour workweek, including 43.2 hours of overtime. May 1 and May 5 are fixed days off (10.3 hours); these are included in this total. 
• A one-year appointment, with the possibility of a permanent position.
• A generous pension plan through ABP, 70% of which is paid by us. 
• The option to work remotely with a work-from-home allowance of €3 per day. 
• Monthly health insurance premium. 
• Free access to all sports facilities and classes at the fire stations. 
• We place a strong emphasis on (personal) development, offering opportunities to participate in courses, training sessions, and workshops.  

The Team

Multidisciplinary education, training, and practice

How do you prepare for and become proficient in situations that rarely occur? By participating in education, training, and exercises. These activities are inextricably linked and together form a learning cycle. The Multidisciplinary Education, Training, and Exercises (MOTO) team develops and facilitates these learning opportunities for crisis response personnel from the safety region and network partners.

Crisis Management Team Preparation

The crisis management team must be able to function effectively at any time of day. This requires that the on-call schedules are accurate, planning is in order, and the facilities in the crisis rooms are operational. The Crisis Management Preparation Team serves as the driving force behind the on-call system.

Knowledge and Advice

The Knowledge & Advisory Team maintains close ties with our crisis partners, stays abreast of current social issues, and provides guidance to the crisis management sector. We identify new risks and their implications for the region. We do this in collaboration with our network of crisis partners. But we do more: we provide advice, help shape vision, delve deeper into issues, and track trends and developments within our field. We look, as it were, at how we can bring the outside world in and what this means for the crisis management sector.

Civil Protection & Risk and Crisis Communication

The Civil Protection & Risk and Crisis Communication Team is the newest addition to the Crisis Management sector at VrAA. Since January 1, 2024, the team has taken over the management and coordination of Civil Protection and the shared management and coordination of Risk and Crisis Communication from the municipalities within the safety region. Our task is to ensure that we have skilled on-call personnel who are ready to be deployed in the event of a crisis. This could be an acute crisis, such as a fire in a hospital, or a prolonged non-acute crisis, such as impending flooding that could escalate into a threat to public safety. 

Apply

Do you have any questions or comments regarding the job posting after reading it? If so, please contact:

Tijs van Lieshout, Director/Commander, is available to answer questions about the job description. tijs.van.lieshout@veiligheidsregioaa.nl or 06 30 08 24 49

George van Ee, our recruiter, is available to answer any questions you may have about the application process. George.van.ee@veiligheidsregioaa.nl or 06-15 69 46 19.

You can submit your response through Sunday, May 11, 2025

The interviews are scheduled for Tuesday, May 20, 2025

We are a safety region in the Netherlands made up of all kinds of people. For us, diversity is key to creativity, inspiration, innovation, and strong teams. Every day, we work to foster an open culture where there is room for everyone’s talents. No matter who you are, we’re here for you, and you’re more than welcome to apply!

Internal and external recruitment take place simultaneously, and an assessment may be part of the process.

We don't appreciate cold calls, but we do appreciate sharing!