The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Washington, DC is looking for a reliable and service‑minded Cleaning & Event Staff Member for the Ambassador’s residence and the Deputy Chief of Mission’s home.

This is a combined role:

• Approx. 50% cleaning & household support
• Approx. 50% event support

Your main responsibilities

Cleaning & household support

• Daily cleaning of private rooms in the Ambassador’s residence and once a week in the Deputy’s home
• Laundry and ironing for the residents
• Supporting facility staff (for example when contractors visit the residence)
• Responding quickly and professionally to requests from the embassy’s operational manager and facility officers

Event support

• Assisting during visits, receptions, lunches, dinners and other events
• Helping in the kitchen, serving food and drinks, and basic dishwashing/clean‑up
• Supporting with event set‑up and post‑event cleaning
• Helping to ensure the residence and home always look professional and welcoming
• Assisting facility staff when catering companies and other suppliers are on site

Events can take place outside regular office hours, so flexibility in working times (evenings, occasionally weekends) is essential. Working days are Monday to Friday; hours will vary depending on the event schedule. Overtime or compensation time is arranged according to the number of evening/weekend activities.

Who you will work with

You will work closely with:

• The Ambassador and the Deputy Chief of Mission
• The Ambassador’s social secretary and the embassy’s event coordinator
• Facility and operational management staff at the embassy
• Other residence and embassy staff, as well as guests and visitors

You report to the Head (or Deputy Head) of Operational Management.

What we are looking for

Knowledge & skills

• Experience with cleaning and working in a kitchen
• Experience with laundry and ironing
• Experience with representational activities (events, hospitality)
• Able to make or arrange flower bouquets, or willing to learn
• Comfortable working as part of a team
• Excellent spoken English

Competences

• High level of integrity and discretion
• Strong commitment to quality and eye for detail
• Client‑oriented attitude (thinking about the needs of hosts and guests)
• Good teamwork and communication skills
• Initiative – seeing what needs to be done and acting on it
• Flexibility in tasks and working hours

Education & experience

• Primary education level
• Up to 3 years of relevant work experience

Work environment

The Ambassador’s residence in Washington, DC is a representative home showcasing Dutch art and culture. It hosts a large number of VIP guests, senior officials and other visitors each year. The representative areas (first and second floor) are frequently used for official events, lunches, dinners and buffets.

The Deputy Chief of Mission’s home, located next to the embassy, is also regularly used for representational events.

All staff at the residence and home are locally hired.

You will be working in a high‑profile environment, where professionalism, discretion and reliability are crucial.

Contract & benefits

• Fixed‑term contract of 1 year (pilot), including
• 1‑month probationary period
• Intention to extend after successful evaluation
• Monthly gross salary starting from USD 3,618 (pay scale 1), with yearly growth
• 401(k) plan
• Health, dental and vision insurance: 72% paid by employer, 28% by employee

How to apply / more information

For more information about this position, please contact:
Lisette Hurkmans‑Berkers, Head of Operational Management and Consular Affairs
Email: lisette.hurkmans@minbuza.nl