Team Leader, Export Certification of Animal (By-)Products

In this role, you will be responsible for the Animal Products team within the Remote Export Certification (ECOA) department of the NVWA’s Trade Inspection Directorate. The team is responsible for the export certification of animal by-products, animal feed, and products intended for human consumption that are certified remotely.

You will be joining a team that is in the midst of a major development phase. The planners for the Animal Products and Human Consumption Products teams are working together more closely than ever to improve the consistency, flexibility, and appeal of the work. This collaboration is still in its early stages, but the first steps have been taken. As the new team leader, you will be responsible for further shaping and embedding this integration. 

You know how to engage people in the change process, encourage knowledge sharing across team boundaries, and work closely with the team leader of the Human Consumption Products team. Your role is crucial to the future-readiness and job satisfaction of both teams.

What will you be doing?

Together with your team, you ensure that animal by-products, animal feed, and veterinary products for human consumption that are certified remotely are prepared correctly and on time. For animal by-products and animal feed, your team handles the entire process: from assessing the application to issuing the export certificate. For veterinary products for human consumption, your team is responsible for the preparation, while the Products for Human Consumption team issues the certificate.

Your team is also responsible for conducting administrative spot checks, contributing to the preparation and assessment of replacements, and managing and updating certificate texts. You ensure that the content of e-CertNL is up-to-date, accurate, and complete—including during temporary measures such as animal disease outbreaks. Together with supply chain partners, you continuously work on improving and updating the certification process and the supervision system. Your team also provides training on export certification for colleagues within the On-Site Export Certification department and answers questions from exporters regarding certification.

A key responsibility for you as a team leader is to further shape and oversee the integration between the planners on your team and those on the Human Consumption Products team. You will ensure that collaboration between both teams is strengthened, with a focus on knowledge sharing, flexibility in deployment, continuity of work, and employee job satisfaction. In this role, you will work closely with the Human team leader, with whom you will coordinate the joint strategy.

As a team leader, you are responsible for:

• The quality and timeliness of certificates for animal products;
• Keeping the e-CertNL content up to date and accurate;
• Ensuring the smooth running of operational processes and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders;
• Strengthening collaboration with the Human Consumption Products team, together with that team’s leader;
• Leading team development and implementing process and quality improvements;
• Facilitating change processes at the team and department levels;
• Providing input for strategic policy and translating that into practical action.

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

As a team leader, you provide guidance by offering direction, calmness, and attention. Your communication is clear, and you easily establish contact and build connections with those around you. You are able to deploy professionals with diverse talents based on their strengths. You are mindful of (cultural) diversity and lead in an inclusive manner. You are attuned to what is happening in your immediate environment and throughout the organization. Furthermore, you switch quickly between content, process, people, and organization, and you are able to think and act beyond the confines of your team. You identify with our core values of reliability, transparency, independence, and professionalism, and you demonstrate this through your attitude and behavior. 

In addition, you have:

• University-level work and thinking skills. A degree is nice, but relevant experience counts just as much;
• At least 3 years of managerial experience, preferably in a technically complex environment;
• Experience with change management processes and guiding teams through development;
• Experience with process improvement and lean practices;
• Strong social and communication skills (both verbal and written);
• Knowledge of business operations and an understanding of organizational dynamics.

Skills:

• Managing a group
• Employee Development
• Reflecting
• Organizational sensitivity
• Environmental awareness
• Ability to adapt 
• Connective leadership 

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 Trade Inspection Department

The CoA department brings together the fields of veterinary exports, phytosanitary exports, and non-veterinary exports (foodstuffs, etc.). In all these areas, the CoA contributes to export certification on a daily basis.

If live animals, live products, animal products, foodstuffs, or other products are being exported, an exporter can apply to the NVWA for the necessary export documents. The CoA department plays an important role in this process. CoA certifies exports that can be certified without an on-site inspection. In addition, CoA prepares the certificates and certifications for inspections at export locations.

The entire process, from applying for an export certificate to its issuance, has been digitized and is handled through the e-CertNL system, regardless of whether a physical inspection is required or if the entire process can be handled remotely. This means that the content of e-CertNL—including its creation and maintenance—is a significant responsibility. This responsibility lies with the CoA department. For this reason, an affinity for ICT, in addition to subject matter expertise, is just as important for the employees working in the CoA department.

In the CoA department, we work centrally and as a team, and we are constantly looking for ways to improve the process and the e-CertNL system in order to ease the workload on our colleagues in the field and bring more work in-house, while at the same time enhancing the quality and consistency of our inspections.

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

• 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 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