Senior Auditor / Senior Investigator

What will you be doing?

You will work in the Internal Audit Department (IAD) under the direction of the Inspector General and the NVWA’s senior management. Together with 17 colleagues, you will contribute to the NVWA’s mission—ensuring the safety of food and consumer products, animal welfare, and the environment—through in-depth and rigorous audits.

Your work within the IAD makes a difference. Whether it’s an audit report with relevant conclusions and recommendations or a consulting report with incisive advice, your recommendations and advice provide the client with a clear path forward. In doing so, you help the organization identify and mitigate relevant risks and improve its operations and internal organization. Working at the NVWA offers you the opportunity to grow professionally and make a meaningful contribution to society. 

Who are we looking for? 

As a senior auditor, you serve as a reliable and critical discussion partner for the clients of your audits and investigations. You coach junior auditors and help them reach their full potential. You formulate clear audit objectives and questions, and deliver investigation results that actually lead to improvements within the organization. You are a strong sparring partner for your client and know how to convey your conclusions convincingly. You delegate tasks within your team, empower your colleagues, and offer guidance where necessary. Your team knows they can turn to you for advice and support.

What do we offer?

As an experienced senior professional, you will have the opportunity to stay abreast of relevant developments and serve as the lead auditor for customized audits and investigations in a complex environment. You will have direct contact with directors and the Inspector General, and you will influence the approach and execution of the investigations. Whether it involves investigating the NVWA’s capacity for innovation or the quality of oversight of vapes, you are in charge. You are responsible for the approach, execution, and results of the investigations and lead the audit team. 

Would you like to join the NVWA Internal Audit Department as a senior auditor?

Job Requirements

You are a critical auditor/investigator with a keen sense of risk and an eye for the organization’s best interests. You naturally seek to build connections while maintaining your impartiality and independence. You are curious and self-motivated. In your role, you actively contribute to the quality of audits and investigations, driven by a desire to help the organization move forward. You can work methodically and responsibly and are quick to make connections. You are skilled at forming judgments based on a considered interpretation of facts, taking various interests into account. You are able to distinguish between main issues and side issues and can effectively translate research results into conclusions and recommendations. You contribute to the improvement and further development of our audit products. You are a true team player and know how to maintain your networks.

You also possess the following:

• A completed university degree.
• Extensive experience in auditing or relevant investigative experience.
• A RO certification or a willingness to obtain one.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience in research related to culture and behavior is a plus.
• Experience with or knowledge of the NVWA’s field of activity and relevant laws and regulations is a plus.

Even if you have less experience but are interested in this position, we encourage you to apply. Depending on your experience, you will be placed in pay grade 12 or 13. We look forward to hearing about your motivation and experience!

Competencies:

• Organizational sensitivity
• Analyze
• Environmental awareness
• Persuasiveness

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.

Terms of Employment

• Salary level: Grade 13
• Monthly salary: Min. €5,212 – Max. €7,747 (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 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 receive an Individual Choice Budget (ICB) equal to 16.50% of your gross annual salary. You can 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 per week, you are entitled to 144 vacation hours and 64 IKB leave hours per year. Do you work more or less? Then these hours are calculated proportionally. And do you need a little less vacation time? Then you can also choose to have your 64 IKB leave hours paid out or added to your IKB saved leave

Travel Allowance You will receive a mobility card 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 have a field-based position, you are often also eligible for an electric company car. You may also use this for personal purposes based on the additional tax liabilityplus a personal contribution.

Leave Policies
The government offers leave policies for various situations, such as (additional) 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 has an attractive pension plan with 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, this is compensated by additional allowances or reimbursements. For example, we offer an on-call and standby duty allowance and an irregular shift allowance.

Details

• 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.

More about the Senior Operations Advisor 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 

More about your future department

The IAD conducts various types of audits and serves the entire NVWA. Its scope of work extends to all areas of the NVWA and all levels of the organization. Operational, financial, and IT audits often require a customized approach. To this end, you will consult with the client or the organization’s management to formulate an assignment that delivers added value. In addition, there are mandatory audits. Various audits of the primary process are required of the NVWA under (EU) laws and regulations. There are also compliance-focused accreditation audits based on ISO standards, as part of the NVWA’s activities is accredited.

By conducting audits and investigations, the IAD actively contributes to improving the NVWA’s oversight, enforcement, and service delivery.

The IAD carries out its work in close collaboration with the organization. It provides both solicited and unsolicited advice to the NVWA’s management on risks and opportunities for improvement regarding control, governance, and management aspects of primary and support processes. 
The IAD is part of the Internal Organization Directorate and reports directly and independently to the NVWA Inspector General regarding the substance of its work. The department has a staff of 18 FTEs.

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 businesses 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 those standards. 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 take these matters seriously. 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 an important role in export inspections and 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.

Interested in applying?

The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) invites you to apply on their website. Clicking the button below will take you away from this site and directly to the application form. The government values a diverse and inclusive organization. Working in diverse teams makes us more effective, more innovative, and makes the work more enjoyable. Everyone is therefore invited to apply.