Job description

The projects of the Central Government Real Estate Agency (Rijksvastgoedbedrijf, RVB) in the Caribbean Netherlands are unique and range from the renewal of a complete climate control system and the renovation of a listed building to the construction of a new office building. As a project manager your job will be to make sure these projects run smoothly and successfully. Your field of work will mainly cover Bonaire, but you will also carry out projects on the Caribbean area and that is what makes your role even more exceptional.

Although your primary focus will be on complex maintenance projects, where you will be responsible for leading major renovations and renewing technical installations, you will also be involved in investment projects, for example for the construction of new buildings. You will be involved in projects from A to Z. Due to the small scale of the islands and our team, we expect you to have a hands-on mentality and actively support your colleagues.

Your duties in this role include the following:

• Drafting project plans while taking account of customers’ wishes, legislation and regulations and other requirements.
• Engaging colleagues or external market players in engineering aspects and assessing whether specifications and drawings meet quality standards and are aligned with the local context.
• Working with the procurement department to determine procurement strategies, put out tenders to the market and hold discussions with the implementing parties.
• Monitoring the technical quality, work processes, safety, planning and finances of the projects you are involved in, which means you will regularly be present at the project sites.
• Thanks to your stakeholder management, clients, colleagues, and other involved parties are always well-informed about the progress and any challenges within your projects;
• Involving the property manager in your projects in plenty of time and ensuring a proper handover upon completion so that the project can be properly managed.

You will be part of the Caribbean Netherlands cluster and will work closely with fellow project managers, property managers and the asset manager. You will also maintain regular contact with your colleagues in the Netherlands. This means you will constantly have to switch between cultures and working styles. Sometimes you will be assessing a project on site and then, on other occasions, you will be discussing a schedule with colleagues on St. Eustatius or in The Hague. All this makes your work multifaceted, challenging and special, not just because of the unique working environment, but also because of the considerable responsibility you have as a project manager.

Organisation

The real estate management department of the Central Government Real Estate Agency is responsible for managing the buildings, (technical) installations, sites and grounds, both while they are being used and when they are vacant. The Carib section, which is part of this department, has 35 team members. We are responsible for preparing and implementing all projects and contracts in the region, varying from maintenance projects to investment projects. Our portfolio is extremely diverse and ranges from offices and official residences to police and fire stations, military sites and prisons.

The Carib section is divided into two teams. Twelve team members focus on the Caribbean Netherlands (Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba), while the remaining team members are responsible for Curaçao, Aruba and St Maarten. We work across the islands and are familiar faces for the users of Central Government Real Estate Agency's properties. An open and pleasant working atmosphere exists within the team, with the key qualities being trust and a ‘go-getter’ mentality.

Competencies

• Leadership: you are able to motivate and lead teams in order to achieve common goals.
• A feeling for context: you are aware of the political, social and cultural context when it comes to decision-making and communication.
• Planning and organisation: you are able to manage time and resources effectively in order to achieve the project goals.
• Independent: you are able to work independently and take personal responsibility.
• Flexibility: you are able to switch rapidly between different tasks and adapt to changing circumstances.
• A focus on results: you are able to focus on achieving the project goals.

Job requirements

If you live or have lived on the islands, you will be familiar with the island feeling and the opportunities and unique aspects of living and working on an island. If you are from somewhere else, it is important that you think you can feel at home on an island and know how to adapt. The most important thing is that you have a huge capacity to persevere in order to be successful in this role! Other qualities:

• You have a qualification from, at least, a university of applied sciences, having completed a technical degree programme, or you have at least 5 years of relevant work experience.
• You have demonstrable experience with managing construction and technical projects.
• You have an affinity with complex maintenance projects.
• You have a broad technical affinity, for example in terms of architecture, mechanical and electrical engineering, as well as knowledge of the legal aspects of contracts.
• You have a good command of the Dutch language and preferably knowledge of Papiamentu.

What are we offering?

• A job in accordance with the BES Legal Position of Civil Servants Decree (Rechtspositiebesluit ambtenaren BES).
• A salary in line with the market, in preliminary salary scale 11 and job scale 12 (a gross monthly salary of at least $ 4,111.00 and a maximum of $ 6,009.00) based on a working week of 36 hours per week. Job scale allocation will take place on the basis of knowledge and experience.
• Holiday bonus (8.33% of the annual income);
• A 13th month(8.33% of the annual income);
• Vitality allowance;
• A pension scheme with the Caribbean Netherlands Pension Fund (Pensioenfonds Caribisch Nederland, PCN).
• 182 holiday hours based on a working week of 36 hours.
• A temporary appointment for a year, with the prospect of a permanent appointment in the event of good performance and a positive assessment result.
• A relocation scheme for candidates who are not resident on the island.

Procedure

The procedure may include an assessment, case study and/or reference check.

This vacancy is being simultaneously published internally and externally and selection will take place on the basis of the following order of priority:

• Official staff of the National Office for the Caribbean Netherlands (Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland, RCN) on Bonaire, St. Eustatius or Saba (internal).
• Residents of the Caribbean part of the Netherlands (external).
• Other candidates (external).

Appointment requirements

• A Certificate of Conduct (Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag, VOG).
• A medical assessment in order to be admitted to the pension fund.
• Dutch citizenship.

Important information for interested parties outside the Caribbean Netherlands

• The salary is in American dollars, which is the official currency in the Caribbean Netherlands.
• The Caribbean Netherlands has its own tax regulations. Income over and above the tax-free amount ($ 21,373,- in 2025) is subject to wage tax of 30.4%.
• Participation in the pension fund is mandatory and includes a personal contribution.
• You are, or will become, a resident of the Caribbean Netherlands.

More information

For information regarding the vacancy. Go to the website of Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland for more information

Digital applications 

Go to the website of Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland to see how to send your Curriculum Vitae and cover letter to Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland

HBO | Bonaire | 36 hours | Vacancy number: P&O2025_12_006 | Closing date: 9 January 2025