Strategic Advisor, Public Affairs

The position

Health and prevention are high on the agenda. Yet these issues do not automatically take center stage in policy and decision-making at the regional, national, and international levels. As a Strategic Public Affairs Advisor, you will ensure that these topics are systematically integrated into political and administrative decision-making. The municipality is actively committed to this, but relies on cooperation with the federal government, other public authorities, and civil society partners.

You will develop and coordinate the public affairs and advocacy strategy for the Healthy Living department. You will maintain and leverage relevant networks to effectively bring key issues to the attention of the right stakeholders. In doing so, you will work closely with the communications and public relations teams to translate insights from the field and policy developments into strategic decisions and interventions. Together with stakeholders, you will determine what to communicate, when, and through which channels, ensuring that influence is applied in a targeted and effective manner.

You work in a political and administrative environment with diverse interests and actively monitor developments in The Hague, at other government agencies, and among partners and collaborators. You translate these developments into concrete advocacy strategies and recommendations for leadership and management regarding timing, positioning, and decision-making. Where necessary, you connect issues and stakeholders to strengthen influence and ensure that topics are effectively incorporated into policy and decision-making.

Why this position is interesting

• You’ll be working at the intersection of policy, politics, and collaboration with partners, and you’ll see right away where you can make a difference.
• You are involved from the very beginning of the policy and decision-making process and can respond to developments immediately.
• You ensure that collaboration leads to tangible results, rather than just discussions.
• There's a lot of momentum in the areas of health and prevention, which means you can really make a difference.

Here's what you do on an average day

• You will develop and coordinate the lobbying and advocacy strategy for the Healthy Living initiatives and work with partners to determine the areas of focus.
• You regularly consult with the program teams and policy colleagues and translate feedback and trends into adjustments to your approach, ensuring that it remains relevant to current events.
• You will maintain contact with policy staff at organizations such as the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS), the G4 (the four major cities), the province, GGD GHOR Netherlands, and the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG), and ensure that our issues are brought to the right tables and raised in relevant meetings.
• You will collaborate with national and regional partners such as Samenwerkende Gezondheidsfondsen (SGF), the Amsterdam Economic Board (AEB), LHV, the Council for Public Health and Society (RVS), and Pharos, and strengthen existing and new partnerships.
• You connect initiatives and people and ensure that activities are better coordinated, thereby enhancing the coherence and impact of existing efforts.

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 diversity among our colleagues; all these differences lead to better results for our organization and our city. We aim to build a workforce that reflects Amsterdam’s working population. So, whoever you are: you’re more than welcome here!

The Healthy Living Department of the Amsterdam Public Health Service (GGD Amsterdam) works to improve the health of all residents of Amsterdam and the Amstel region. We focus on prevention and reducing health disparities. In doing so, we look not only at behavior but also at circumstances that influence health, such as work, income, living environment, and access to care. Research, practical experience, and collaboration with partners in the city and region form the basis for our decisions.

Your team

You will be part of a cross-departmental team of strategic advisors and communications advisors. We combine diverse areas of expertise, share knowledge, and work on solutions that make a tangible contribution to the city’s well-being.

What you bring

For this position, you must have:

• At least 5 years of experience in public affairs or strategic consulting within a complex social or political-administrative environment;
• at least 5 years of experience influencing policy at the federal level or with comparable government bodies;
• experience working in a political and administrative context involving multiple and diverse stakeholders;
• demonstrated ability to translate complex content into clear, accessible, and persuasive communication for various audiences.

You should have the following skills:

• Environmental awareness: You identify and understand developments both within and outside the organization and take into account the interests of various stakeholders. You can put yourself in their shoes and take cultural differences and backgrounds into consideration. This helps you effectively shape policy proposals and collaboration.
• Creativity: You come up with new ideas and solution strategies. You approach problems from a different angle and place them in a new context. You devise multiple scenarios and alternatives and develop solutions that are widely applicable within the organization and deliver long-term results.
• Risk tolerance: You determine what steps to take to keep risks as low as possible. You’re willing to think outside the box and take calculated risks. You make decisions and take action, even when you don’t have all the information. When setbacks occur, you accept the consequences and use those experiences to learn and improve.
• Relationship Management: You maintain and build a network of contacts both within and outside the organization. You actively seek out opportunities for collaboration, connect people and organizations, and leverage your network to get things done. You have a good sense of when to build connections, when to take decisive action, and when to coordinate efforts.

What we offer you

As a Strategic Public Affairs Consultant, you will join our team for a minimum of 32 and a maximum of 36 hours per week, and you can expect the following terms of employment.

• A gross monthly salary ranging from €5,885 to €7,740 (pay grade 13) based on a 36-hour workweek. The exact salary will be determined based on your education, knowledge, and experience.
• A one-year fixed-term employment contract, with the possibility of a one-year extension based on satisfactory performance, provided you do not currently have an employment contract with the City of Amsterdam, or if you have only a temporary contract.
• If you already have a permanent employment contract with the City of Amsterdam, you will retain it and be assigned to another organization under a temporary assignment agreement.
• 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.
• Travel allowance: €0.10 per km (car), €0.15 per km (bicycle), and €0.21 per km (public transportation), up to 45 km one way for days you work at the office.
• A pension plan through ABP, the pension fund for the public sector and education. We pay 70% of your pension contribution.
• For days you work from home, you will receive a work-from-home allowance of €3.25 net per workday that you work from home.
• Opportunities for professional development and training. Our in-house training center, the Amsterdam School, offers a variety of training programs, development tracks, and on-the-job coaching, allowing you to continue challenging yourself.
• A monthly contribution toward health insurance.
• A loaner laptop and phone.

Curious about all our employment terms and conditions? Check out the Personnel Regulations of the Municipality of Amsterdam (PGA).

Apply for this job

If this job opening interests you, please submit your applicationby June 10, 2026, via the application form on the website.

• Please note: For this position, you do not need to submit a cover letter along with your resume; instead, you must submit a document containing your answers to the 5 application questions below. Please give this your full attention, as your answers are the only information we will use to evaluate you in this round. Keep your answers concise, using no more than 200 words per question.
• In your answers to the questions below, please provide examples that are as specific as possible and that meet the STARR method.
• The selection process begins immediately after the application deadline and consists of two rounds of interviews and a discussion of employment terms.
• If your resume and answers to the questions match the job requirements, we would be happy to invite you for an interview.
• The first interviews will take place on June 18 or 19, 2026. The second interviews will take place on June 26, 2026, at our office located at Nieuwe Achtergracht 100 in Amsterdam. Please mark these dates in your calendar.
• 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.

Job Interview Questions

Please answer concisely, using no more than 200 words per answer:

1. Why are you applying for this position at the Amsterdam Public Health Service (GGD Amsterdam)? What appeals to you about the role and the context of Healthy Living?
2. Describe a situation in which you helped influence policy or decision-making. What was your role, and what was the outcome?
3. Describe a situation in which you worked in a political and administrative environment involving multiple stakeholders. How did you handle conflicting interests, and how did you facilitate collaboration and decision-making?
4. Describe a situation in which collaboration with internal and external partners was necessary to advance a social or administrative issue. What was your contribution, and what was the outcome?
5. Describe a situation in which you had to make a decision with limited information and in which you consciously weighed the risks. How did you handle this, and what was the outcome?

Do you have any questions about this job opening?

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Amina Ali, Strategic Advisor, at amina.ali@amsterdam.nl.

If you have any questions about the application process, please contact Nuray Simsek, corporate recruiter, at n.simsek@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.