Head of Department C / Education & Welfare

Bonairegov; Bonaire; Hybrid; EUR 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation pay

13th month salary

Leave allowance (168 hours)

36-hour work week

1-year contract with potential for 1—

Job summary

Bonairegov is seeking a driven Head of Department C / Education & Welfare to lead the Education & Welfare portfolio on Bonaire. You will set the strategic direction, align policies with social and economic priorities, and ensure concrete results.

You will manage the department, coach staff, maintain stakeholder relations, and advise the executive board. A strong public administration background and relevant managerial experience are essential, with Dutch and Papiamentu language competencies

Qualifications

• University-level (WO) degree in public administration.
• 3–4 years of managerial or executive experience.
• Experience in strategic policy development.
• Ability to translate objectives into concrete programs.
• Strong leadership and staff development skills.
• Strong networking and collaboration abilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Affinity for Bonaire’s societal challenges.

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive leadership for the department and set strategic direction.
• Translate strategic objectives into concrete goals, programs and activities.
• Oversee development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of policies and projects.
• Advise senior management and the board on complex socioeconomic issues.
• Lead staff development and foster ownership and collaboration.
• Ensure coordination with other departments and external partners.
• Represent the department in consultations with external partners and agencies.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Policy development

Stakeholder engagement

Team leadership

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Education

Public administration degree

Job description

The Public Entity of Bonaire is looking for driven, motivated, and innovative new colleagues. Are you the future-ready colleague we’re looking for?

Location: Education & Welfare

36

What will you be doing?

As Head of Department C / Education & Welfare, you will lead a department that addresses socioeconomic issues that directly impact the development and quality of life on Bonaire. You will be responsible for the comprehensive management of the department and will ensure that social and economic challenges are translated into clear priorities, policies, programs, and concrete results.

Bonaire’s population is growing rapidly, which requires our organization to anticipate this growth and develop policies not only to manage it effectively but also to steer it in the right direction. As the population grows, so too does the complexity and diversity of needs and challenges. You are responsible for the comprehensive management of the department and ensure that these challenging tasks are translated into clear priorities, policies, programs, and concrete results.

You will lead the staff within the department and create a professional work environment in which employees can take responsibility and continue to develop. You will establish clear guidelines, monitor the progress and quality of the work, and make adjustments where necessary. In doing so, you will pay close attention to both the substantive tasks and the people working on them.

In this role, you’ll operate at the intersection of strategy, policy, implementation, and governance. You oversee the interconnections between various socioeconomic issues and ensure that policies are not only developed but are also feasible and actually contribute to Bonaire’s social challenges. You serve as a discussion partner and advisor to the executive board and the board of directors, and you are able to distill complex issues into clear choices and recommendations.

You will collaborate closely with other departments and divisions within OLB and maintain contacts with local organizations, community partners, the business community, the national government, and other relevant stakeholders. You are skilled at reconciling diverse interests and building the sustainable collaborative relationships necessary to achieve results.

In this role:

• You will provide comprehensive leadership to the department and be responsible for its strategic direction, results, and the team’s development;
• You will translate strategic and administrative objectives into concrete departmental goals, priorities, programs, and activities;
• You will ensure coherence between social and economic policy and related societal challenges;
• You will oversee the development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of policies, programs, and projects;
• You will advise senior management and the board on complex socioeconomic issues, opportunities, risks, and potential policy options;
• You will ensure that recommendations are administratively sound, substantively well-founded, and practically feasible;
• You will lead and coach staff and encourage ownership, collaboration, and professional development;
• You will monitor the quality, planning, capacity, and progress of the work within the department;
• You will ensure effective collaboration and coordination with other departments and divisions within the Public Entity of Bonaire;
• Maintain and develop a relevant network of local and (inter)national partners;
• Represent the department and, where appropriate, the Public Entity of Bonaire in consultations with external partners and other government agencies;
• Identify social, economic, administrative, and policy developments and translate these into opportunities, risks, and actions for Bonaire;
• You will contribute to organization-wide and cross-departmental issues and to the further development of the Public Entity of Bonaire as a professional organization.

What are the requirements?

For this position, we are looking for an experienced and collaborative leader who can think strategically and act in a results-oriented manner. You understand that socioeconomic issues are not isolated and can draw connections between social development, the economy, livelihood security, participation, the labor market, and other policy areas.

In my view, you do not need to come from a single, very specific professional background. Precisely because the previous recruitment effort yielded few suitable candidates, I would avoid unnecessarily narrowing the target pool. Someone with a strong background in, for example, public administration, socioeconomic policy, social development, economics, public services, or a similarly complex policy environment should be able to see themselves in this role.

You are a strong discussion partner for senior management and the board, yet you also know how to maintain connections with employees, colleagues, and external partners. You can navigate conflicting interests and administrative sensitivities while continuing to provide professional, independent, and thoughtful advice.

In addition, you meet the following requirements:

• You have at least a university-level (WO) standard of work and thinking and have completed a relevant degree in public administration;
• You have 3 to 4 years of relevant work experience, including demonstrable experience in a managerial, coordinating, or executive role;
• You have demonstrable experience with strategic policy development and/or complex societal or socioeconomic issues;
• You have experience translating strategic objectives into concrete implementation and results;
• You have experience managing, mentoring, and developing professionals;
• You are able to take a holistic approach to managing content, people, results, quality, capacity, and progress;
• You possess administrative and organizational sensitivity and can function effectively in an environment where diverse interests converge;
• You can analyze complex information and translate it into clear recommendations, choices, and decisions;
• You are a strong discussion partner for management, the board, and external stakeholders;
• You have strong networking and collaboration skills and are able to build support;
• You communicate persuasively and clearly, both verbally and in writing;
• You are analytical, decisive, a team player, and results-oriented;
• You have an eye for employee development and encourage ownership and collaboration within the team;
• You have an affinity for Bonaire’s societal and socioeconomic challenges and are able to quickly familiarize yourself with the local context.

To be eligible to work for the Public Entity of Bonaire, you must, in addition to the requirements mentioned above, also meet the criteria described below.

• You speak and write Dutch well;
• You speak Papiamentu or are willing to learn it within a year;
• You are proficient in working with digital systems.

What we offer you

At the Public Entity Bonaire, we value our employees. You’ll notice this in the workplace, but also in the compensation you receive for your work. The standard salary for this position falls within pay scale 14, ranging from a minimum of $6,555 to a maximum of $7,505 per month. In addition, you can count on:

• 8.33% vacation pay;
• A full 13th month’s salary;
• 168 hours of leave and 5 additional pre-determined days off;
• A full-time workweek of 36 hours;
• A 1-year contract. If both parties are satisfied, there is an option for permanent employment.

Your salary will be based on your education, skills, and experience. Your workweek schedule is flexible and will be determined in consultation with your manager. In addition, we offer a number of other attractive benefits, which we’d be happy to discuss with you in more detail during the application process!

Other important information

• An assessment is part of the application process;
• You must be able to provide copies of the diplomas listed on your resume;
• You must be able to submit a Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG).

If you still have questions or would like more information about the position, please contact Recruitment at ([phone]. For more information about the Public Entity of Bonaire, please visit www.bonairegov.com.