The Netherlands Consulate General in Chicago is looking for a temporary Senior Economic Policy Officer. Possessing a thorough understanding of entrepreneurship, doing business internationally and (the ability to quickly build) a strong network in the Netherlands/USA, an ideal candidate will have expertise in industrialization and the manufacturing sector. The successful candidate will work as one of the principal advisors to the Consul General and his deputy, with responsibility for building trade relations between Dutch businesses and US Midwest with a focus on reindustrialization and analyzing reshoring. Detailed information can be found in the attached job profile.

The Netherlands Consulate General in Chicago supports Dutch companies in the US market, particularly focused on helping small-and-medium-sized Dutch enterprises grow their business in the Midwest. The CG provides market information, identifies opportunities, and connects interested parties in the public and private sector. The CG has a dedicated team of highly motivated staff. Each staff member functions with a large degree of independence, with collective responsibility for results. Reporting lines are short, and the atmosphere is informal.

For more information, you can contact:
Deputy Consul General and Head of Economic Affairs: Steven Trijsburg, tel. +1 (312)-504-8472
Applications, consisting of a cover letter and a resume, should be addressed to: Deputy Consul General and Head of Economic Affairs: steven.trijsburg@minbuza.nl

Application deadline: December 1, 2025
Starting date: as soon as possible
A fixed-term employment contract will be offered for a 1.5-year period.
Indicative monthly gross salary starts at $9,064 and will depend on qualifications and experience (based on a full-time work week according to salaries table CG Chicago, pay scale 9, step 0).

401K Plan is offered.
Health/Dental/Vision is provided on a 72%-28% Employer-Employee basis.
A fixed term employment contract will be offered for a 1.5-year period.

*This vacancy is open to internal (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 a local employee and an external candidate are equally qualified , the local employee 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.

Specific information

In the area(s) of primary responsibility, the policy officer will carry out the following duties:

• Design and conduct policy analysis of relevant federal and state level policies and regional investment attraction plans
• Identify key hubs, industrial ecosystems, organizations, and companies within the priority sector and the region to pinpoint concrete opportunities for Dutch companies, developing strategies and activities to realize those opportunities in close cooperation with relevant government institutions, sectoral organizations, regional development organizations, knowledge institutions and companies.
• Build the networks, relationships, and expertise needed to raise awareness, make connections, and create opportunities for NL-US collaboration and trade.
• Serve as a sector expert and network hub connecting Dutch and American businesses, organizations, and individuals in the focus sectors.
• Develop private/public partnerships to strategically enhance long-term opportunities for the Netherlands in the priority area.
• Promote and execute concrete activities (missions, explorations, publications, etc.) to transform opportunities and possibilities into real trade and investment transactions.

Work environment

The Consulate General in Chicago is a small mission representing the Netherlands in the Midwest with three expatriate and eight local employees; The economic team cooperates with the four employees of the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency.

The geographic jurisdiction of the mission extends to the 13 states of the Midwest. In this jurisdiction the CG is supported by 6 honorary consuls. The mission is part of a broader network in the US, consisting of the embassy in Washington DC, 5 CGs in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Miami, and Atlanta as well as Netherlands Business Support Offices in Houston, L.A, and Phoenix.

The role of the CG is primarily focused on economic diplomacy, trade, and investment promotion. Consular support to Dutch citizens, cultural and political as well as public diplomacy work are also relevant tasks for the CG.

The office is centrally located on the 29th floor of 303 East Wacker in downtown Chicago and can easily be reached by public transportation.

Job requirements

Knowledge and areas of experience

• Academic level (MSc, MBA or similar) relevant to the economic activities of the mission.
• At least 2 years working experience, preferably in public and private sector.
• Fluency in English and preferably Dutch.
• A thorough knowledge of the American market (with a focus on the Midwest) and of the opportunities that market offers for Netherlands’ business.
• Knowledge of the American political and economic institutional environment.
• Affinity with the priority areas defined by the mission, in particular with industrial policy and manufacturing.
• Preferably knowledge of the Dutch business ecosystem, economy, market, and institutions.
• Preferably, experience with economic and trade work in a diplomatic mission.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office including but not limited to PowerPoint and Access is required.

This position requires that you will be able to work with substantial autonomy and work collaboratively with other team members across disciplines. The CG is looking for an analytic, creative, and result oriented person with a strong pro-active attitude. You are a team player and value a positive team spirit. You take initiatives to actively advance the objectives of the CG in your area of responsibility. The position requires solid written and verbal communication skills and the ability to use these skills for analytical and policy-oriented reporting. The position also requires the demonstrated ability to solve business problems quickly and creatively. You are hands-on and with a positive attitude and know how to get people on board. You understand entrepreneurs and know how to speak their language and you have a good understanding of the role of the government. You are a networker and easy in connecting people. You have strong analytical skills and a good sense for spotting opportunities and translating them into concrete actions. Some travel might be part of the job.

Specific competences

• Analytical skills
• Flexibility
• Initiative
• Integrity
• Creativity
• Vision
• Networking
• Organizational sensitivity
• Result oriented.
• Cooperation

Framework

• The policy officer is primarily responsible for helping to develop policy and for drawing up project plans for the trade and economic cooperation.
• The policy officer is accountable to the Consul General / the Deputy Consul General for effectively helping to develop policy, drawing up, and amending project plans.
• Ministerial policy guidelines for Consulates General and for Economic Diplomacy, as well as available funding, are of importance when making proposals to improve policy and potential project plans.
• The senior economic policy officer takes decisions about the quality of the analysis of collected data and the translation of overall ministerial policy frameworks into proposals for specific action by the Consulate General and Embassy.

Contacts

• With co-workers on business developments in the priority areas, experiences with business support programs, and policy.
• With the management and co-workers on the progress of policy development and procedures, including administration and archiving issues.
• With the relevant American and Dutch business communities and governments.
• With representatives of other EU countries in the resort.
• With colleagues at the Embassy in Washington and at other Dutch Consulates General and Netherlands Business Support Offices (NBSO), and at the relevant Ministries in The Hague.

For more information, you can contact Deputy Consul General and Head of Economic Affairs Steven Trijsburg +1 312-504-8472