PBCN (Junior) Civil Engineering Project Managers

HBO/WO | Temporary | Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba | 36 hours | Vacancy number: P&O2025_10_017 | Closing date: 11 November 2025

PBCN works for and on all three islands and is positioned within the staffing establishment of the National Office of the Caribbean Netherlands (Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland, RCN). The office is an independent entity and works on a project basis under the leadership of a programme director.

We are now looking for five enthusiastic colleagues who would like to work with us on expanding the Caribbean Netherlands Project Office. Are you someone who is focused on achieving results and brilliant at collaborating with others and delivering projects in the built environment on the BES islands? Do you find it easy to turn ideas into a reality? If so, please read on and apply for this position.

The islands of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba are, as the Caribbean Netherlands, experiencing a period of significant development. A great deal has already been achieved and there is a desire on the islands for lasting progress in the field of climate, nature and the environment and spatial development. Policy officers, project managers and implementing parties of the Public Entities on the three islands are already working hard to achieve this goal. However, there is still plenty of work to do and that requires both intensive cooperation between different parties and experienced and driven programme and project managers who know how to join up all the dots.

We are looking for experienced (junior) civil engineering project managers who:

• can prepare, tender, execute and deliver projects in the built environment;
• are willing to work to complement and strengthen those already working on these themes with our clients;
• can monitor technical quality, sustainability requirements and applicable safety and environmental regulations;
• are versatile, not only in terms of themes but also geographically, given that the Project Office works on behalf of the populations of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba.
• are flexible and are able to work on all three islands;
• excel in result-oriented collaboration and project realisation;
• are able to add to the office’s know-how by securing and managing information;
• have a can-do mentality;
• have an affinity with the region and experience of working in a Caribbean context;
• have ample and demonstrable experience with programme and project management within the sector;
• will enjoy working in a relatively new team.

A civil engineering project manager is expected to lead large, complex and multidisciplinary projects, will be responsible for preparing and realising civil engineering projects in the public space in the form of, for example, roads and sewers, as well as in relation to the maritime and aviation sectors and nature and the environment. The role combines in-depth technical knowledge with process and environmental management.

A junior project manager is expected to assist in the preparation and implementation of civil engineering projects. He/she will develop into becoming an independent project manager who is responsible for planning and coordinating smaller projects or parts of larger projects, as well as all necessary communications.

The National Office for the Caribbean Netherlands

Since 1 September 2010, the Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland (RCN) has been the organisation within which the national government in the Caribbean Netherlands works together. Various ministries and their implementing agencies are involved in this. These include the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the Tax and Customs Administration, the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND), the police, the fire department and border control. The associated work is performed from locations on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, which are special municipalities within the Kingdom.

What do you have to offer?

We are looking for people with strong, broad and demonstrable programme and project management skills in the sector and who are brilliant at bringing people together and joining up all the dots. You identify with phrases such as: ‘Getting things done’ 

• You have a qualification from a university or a university of applied sciences in civil engineering, architecture (infra) or a similar subject and the same level of professional and intellectual ability.
• You have knowledge of procurement law and contract management.
• You have project management certification (for example IPMA-C/B, Prince2 Practitioner).
• You have in-depth knowledge of UAV-GC and DBFM;
• You have in-depth knowledge of project management (planning and risk management).
• You have strong analytical skills and are able to cope with stress.
• You have at least two years of experience (junior project manager) and at least five years of experience (project manager) of working in the realisation phase of construction and infrastructure projects.
• You have demonstrable experience with supervising multidisciplinary teams.
• You have demonstrable experience with managerial decision-making in a complex environment.
• You know how to act with sensitivity within an organisation and in terms of political management, you possess good advisory skills, you are persuasive and you are focused on getting results and cooperating with others.
• You have excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• In addition to a good command of Dutch and English, a (spoken) command of Papiamento is crucial (and therefore an obligatory element of the onboarding process and the work).
• Experience of working in the Caribbean Netherlands or the wider Caribbean region would be a distinct advantage.

What do we offer:

• A temporary appointment in accordance with the Rechtspositiebesluit ambtenaren BES (Legal Status Decree on Civil Servants BES) for a period of two years;
• A market-conform monthly salary ranging from scale 9 up to and including scale 13. Assignment to a pay scale based on knowledge and experience;
• Junior Project Leader: scale 9 (minimum gross salary of $3,121) up to scale 10 (maximum gross salary of $4,644)
• Project Leader: scale 11 (minimum gross salary of $4,111) up to scale 13 (maximum gross salary of $6,785)
• Holiday pay (8.33% of the annual income);
• A thirteenth month (8.33% of the annual income);
• Vitality allowance;
• A pension provision placed with Pensioenfonds Caribisch Nederland (PCN);
• 182 holiday hours for a working week of 36 hours per week;
• A relocation arrangement for candidates who apply from outside Bonaire, St. Eustatius and  Saba;
• Location: May vary (Bonaire, St. Eustatius or Saba). This depends on assignments and the Project Leader's personal situation. However, flexibility to take on (temporary) assignments for and on all islands is a requirement.

Procedure

An assessment, case and/or reference check may be part of the procedure.
This vacancy is being opened internally and externally simultaneously, with the following order of preference being observed during the selection process:

• Official RCN staff on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (internal);
• Residents of the Caribbean part of the Netherlands (external);
• Other candidates (external);

Appointment requirements

• A Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG);

• A medical examination for admission to the pension fund (participation is mandatory, including a personal contribution to it;

• Dutch citizenship.

Good to know for those interested outside the Caribbean Netherlands

• The salary is in US dollars which is the official currency in the Caribbean Netherlands;
• The Caribbean Netherlands has its own tax regulations. Income above the tax-free allowance ($21,373 in 2025) will be taxed at a rate of 30.4% in payroll tax in the first bracket; In the second bracket, a tax rate of 35.4% applies.
• You are or will become a resident of the Caribbean Netherlands.

More information?

For information about this position, you can contact Sorayda Swinkels, Program Director PBCN/CN Academy, sorayda.swinkels@rijksdienstcn.com.

Digital application

You can send your Curriculum Vitae accompanied by a motivation to vacature@rijksdienstCN.com.