Are you a practical networker that is able to connect with various types of audiences and enjoys connecting businesses and government from the US and the Netherlands? Do you have diplomatic skills? Are you great at organizing events, missions or work visits, and can you work hard and stay calm under pressure? Do you have a background in mobility, circular economy, water management or relevant working experience in this field? Then this vacancy may be a great opportunity and experience for you!

The Consulate-General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in San Francisco has a fulltime (40 hours per week) vacancy for a Senior Advisor on Infrastructure and Water Management. This job will be offered at pay scale 9 for a fixed term of two years with a probationary period of two months, with a possibility for extension.  

The Infrastructure and Water Management (I&W) office in the USA covers many different subjects, ranging from infrastructure (such as roads and waterways, bridges and tunnels) to mobility and transportation (for example aviation, shipping, rail, heavy duty transport, cars) and to environmental themes like circular economy, water management and climate adaptation. The colleagues in the I&W office work on all of these subjects.

The Netherlands has high ambitions in these fields. For example, the Netherlands aims for all new passenger vehicles to be emission free by 2030 and has also set a goal for the country to be completely circular and without waste in 2050. To achieve these and other goals, it is important to work together with other countries or regions to exchange knowledge and best practices. One of the partnerships is with the state of California. California has one of the strictest environmental legislation in the world, and this has boosted innovation. Both the Netherlands and California can benefit from working together and exchanging knowledge and business opportunities.

Job description

We are looking for a new colleague with great diplomatic, organizational and communication skills to help us strengthen the relationship between the Netherlands and the US, and more specifically California. Your main focus will be on the western part of the USA and on subjects related to smart & green mobility, environmental issues such as circular economy, water management, climate adaptation and resilience.

As senior advisor on Infrastructure and Water Management, you will be part of the I&W office in the USA. The team consists of five people; four are located in Washington DC and one in San Francisco, where you’ll be a member of the economic department. On occasion you might coach an I&W trainee or intern (usually for a period of 6 months). The I&W counselor in Washington DC is head of the team and you report to him. The team works closely together in the USA and with the ministry in The Hague. There’s for instance a weekly coordination meeting with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management in the Netherlands

For more information please about this vacancy please contact:
Bastiaan van den Berg, Counselor for Infrastructure and Water Management at the Netherlands Embassy Washington DC: bastiaan-vanden.berg@minbuza.nl

Application letters together with resume should be submitted to: Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, bastiaan-vanden.berg@minbuza.nl

Closing date for applications: 1 December, 2024
Starting date: 1 February 2025

Indicative monthly gross salary:  $ 10,144 (pay scale 9, step 0 ), depending on work experience.

*This vacancy is open to internal candidates (local employees and partners of officials posted to a Mission in the US) and external candidates. If a local employee and a partner of an official posted to a Mission are equally qualified, the local employee shall be given priority. Furthermore, if an internal candidate and an external candidate are equally qualified , the internal candidate shall be given priority.

**As per US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), employers in the US are required to ensure that all employees have the legal right to work in the US. Under US State Department requirements, the embassy and our consulates may only employ, as non-diplomatic staff, persons who are US citizens, US Green Card holders, visa holders with and Employment Authorization Document or “A” visa holders. There is a max term for A2 visa holders of 5 years, the Netherlands Embassy/Consulate General cannot sponsor any work permits for family members.

General features of the job

• The senior advisor is primarily responsible for activities and tasks following the priorities set in the annual working plan.
• The senior advisor is accountable to the head of Infrastructure and Water Management for effectively identifying and promoting business opportunities, and opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange between the Netherlands and the USA.
• Ministerial policy guidelines as well as available funding are of importance when making proposals and project plans.

Actual Duties

The senior advisor Infrastructure and Water Management:

• builds and maintains a relevant and up-to-date network in the mobility sector and other I&W areas such as circular economy, both in the US and in the Netherlands;
• contributes to the yearly I&W work plan and the economic plan of the network in the USA. Once adopted, the work plans describe the priorities for next year’s activities;
• identifies potential partners and areas for business opportunities, opportunities for government collaboration and knowledge exchange, both in the USA and in the Netherlands, and facilitates these;
• initiates and organizes activities to stimulate the interaction between Dutch organizations and their US counterparts, such as (incoming and outgoing) missions, working visits, meetings, events and Dutch participation in (strategic) fairs and conferences;
• identifies trends and developments and informs our network in the Netherlands about potentially relevant technical, scientific, innovation and policy developments in smart and green mobility or circular economy;
• answers to individual and collective questions from Dutch parties (including trade requests) on smart and green mobility, circular economy or other relevant I&W subjects if relevant;
• the senior advisor monitors, manages and is responsible for his own daily activities in close interaction with the I&W office and the colleagues at the Consulate-General in San Francisco.

Working environment

Brief description of the  mission (tasks, size) and the physical environment in which the successful candidate will be working: 
The Netherlands Embassy in Washington DC provides services to all Dutch nationals who want to travel, live, work or do business in the United States. The Consulate-General in San Francisco is responsible for the 13 western states of the USA. The Infrastructure and Water Management office is part of the economic cluster in the USA. Other teams in the economic cluster are focused on trade and business developments, agriculture, health, finance, innovation, and foreign investments in the Netherlands.

Brief description of the team in which the successful candidate will be working:
You will be part of the I&W office at the Netherlands Embassy in Washington DC. The team consists of five people; four are located in Washington DC and you are located at the Netherlands Consulate-General in San Francisco. The I&W counselor is head of the team. The I&W team covers all of the United States, and works closely together as a team and with other colleagues from the Embassy and the Consulates-General in the USA (besides San Francisco, other CG’s are located in Atlanta, Chicago, Miami and New York). The I&W team also works together with other teams in the economic cluster in Washington DC, for example on the relationship between water and agriculture. There is a weekly coordination meeting with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management in the Netherlands.

The Consulate General (CG) in San Francisco is a medium-sized diplomatic post with 4 seconded and 21 local employees and is active in the fields of economic and technological cooperation, innovation, climate policy, the promotion of Dutch culture & art, public diplomacy and consular advocacy. The working language at the office is English and the office is situated in downtown San Francisco.

Job Requirements

• At least 5 years of relevant work experience in the mobility sector or in a government organization with a focus on mobility, circular economy or related I&W subjects, such as infrastructure, water management, or the environment;
• Academic degree (MSc/Phd), in a relevant domain, such as a technical study;
• Fluent in English (reading, writing and verbal);
• Knowledge of the Dutch language is desirable, but not a condition;
• Skilled communicator and presenter (writing and oral) in English;
• An independent worker, while at the same time always looking for opportunities to work together with others in the network;
• Great organizing skills, able to meet deadlines and work flexible hours, able to stay calm under pressure and come up with solutions in unexpected circumstances;
• An evident interest in government, engineering, science and economic diplomacy;
• Being able to translate abstract requirements and demands into concrete proposals;
• A relevant network in infrastructure and water management, in the Netherlands and/or in the United States;
• An understanding of the Dutch and US government structure;
• Pro-active, entrepreneurial and service oriented, capable to prioritize, flexible and being able to deal with both USA and Dutch clients;
• Aware of cultural or ideological differences and able to respectfully work with people of all backgrounds;
• Candidate should be comfortable to work and communicate with people of all levels of seniority (USA & Netherlands) and a team player.

Profile

• Great organizer with enthusiastic, flexible and pro-active attitude to variable tasks and workloads; 
• Team-player with positive work attitude and collaborative mind set; 
•  Interested in international relations, willing to travel within the US and abroad, always looking for business opportunities and opportunities for knowledge exchange;
• Outgoing networker with excellent social and communication skills; 
• Pragmatist who is result-oriented and takes initiatives;
• Feeling for diplomacy in a multi-cultural context.

Knowledge and skills

Level of education: university level: MSc or PhD
Level of experience: at least 5 years experience required

• Understanding of social and specialised developments in relation to the area or areas in which the diplomatic network operates.
• Knowledge of general training methods and techniques and methods and techniques for drawing up project plans and performing evaluations, and skill in using them.
• Understanding of relevant ministerial frameworks and legislation in the policy area concerned.
• Skill in translating insights and information into advice, plans and reports and in assessing their policy and financial implications.

Competencies

• Ability to work with others: working actively with others to achieve joint objectives across sectors and cultures, even when these do not serve a direct personal interest. Improving communication to this end.
• Goal-centeredness: being actively focused on obtaining results and achieving objectives.
• Integrity: maintaining high legal, social and ethical standards at work, even under considerable temptation or pressure to sidestep the rules; showing integrity in word and deed; acting in accordance with the ministry’s policy and interests.
• Organizational sensitivity: recognizing the effect of one’s decisions or activities on other departments in the ministry or elsewhere; being aware of the interests of departments and missions, and political responsibilities at the ministry.
• Initiative: identifying opportunities and taking action; taking the initiative rather than waiting passively; acting decisively in a variety of situations.
• Ability to plan and organize: systematically determining targets and priorities; allocating sufficient time, resources and manpower to operations in order to achieve set targets.
• Ability to network: making and maintaining contacts inside and outside the ministry in order to set up a network that helps to achieve the aims of the department or mission in question.
• Decisiveness: taking action or committing oneself to a position or judgment.

The Netherlands Government celebrates all forms of diversity and is deeply committed to foster an inclusive environment within its organization. Individuals interested in advancing these diversity goals are strongly encouraged to apply.