Saba is a Caribbean Island, and is also the smallest special municipality (Public Entity) of the Netherlands. The island is characterized by its beautiful nature, the volcano Mount Scenery (which is the highest point within the Kingdom of the Netherlands at a height of 887 meters), a particularly beautiful underwater world and its inhabitants.

Saba became a special municipality within the Netherlands after the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles on October 10th, 2010. Currently about 2100 inhabitants (including several hundred medical students) live on an area of 13 square kilometres on Saba. 

This beautiful island is looking for a Domain Manager Citizens, Community & Care

Work Environment

The Island Government of Saba is known for its stability. This consists of a good relationship with ministries in The Hague to ensure that results are achieved in various areas. In the organization employees work together towards continuous development of the island in the interest of the community. Our colleagues work in different departments; airport, harbor, water management, public works, planning, waste management and recycling, tourism, daycare, community development, public health, agriculture, HRM, ICT, finance, communications, census, legal and safety, and other various policy and project areas. In total there are 240 employees.

The Island Government of Saba is working towards more self-sufficient and economic development, with a focus on sustainability, accessibility, poverty alleviation, and improving the quality of life on the island. Together with the stakeholders we work on topics such as; a healthy lifestyle, poverty alleviation, improvement of recycling, a new harbor, a new daycare and afterschool care buildings, marketing of eco-tourism, nature development, stimulating agriculture, expansion and renovation of the administration building, implement culture policy, digitalization, training and education of civil servants and ongoing professionalization, development of the organization.

Since the beginning of 2026, the Public Entity Saba has been organized around four clear and recognizable domains: Citizens, Community & Care, Economic Development & Mobility, Physical Environment, and Internal Services & Support. This new structure brings related responsibilities and expertise together, strengthens collaboration across departments and creates a stronger foundation for integrated and effective public services.

The Citizens, Community & Care domain plays a central role in the well-being of Saba's community. It brings together Community Development & Culture, Public Health & Sports, the Census Office and Absolute Childcare. The domain works across social, cultural, educational and health-related areas and aims to provide accessible, high-quality services that respond to the needs of residents and visitors. For Saba, the connection between government and community is particularly important. The scale of the island creates opportunities for close relationships and visible impact, but also requires flexibility, collaboration and a strong understanding of the local context. Working effectively with departments, residents, community organizations, NGOs, regional partners and ministries in the European Netherlands is essential.

This is where you come in.

The opportunity As Domain Manager Citizens, Community & Care, you have the opportunity to help shape one of the four newly established domains and make a tangible contribution to the future of Saba.

You are a member of the Management Team (MT), together with the Island Secretary and the other three Domain Managers. At this level, you contribute to the strategic direction of the Public Entity Saba and act as a strategic advisor to the Island Secretary and the Executive Council.

At the same time, you are responsible for the effective functioning and development of your own domain. You lead the department heads within Citizens, Community & Care and create the conditions in which their teams can deliver high-quality, accessible and resident-centered services.

A key part of your role is to develop the four departments into one coherent domain. You bring people and expertise together, create clarity around priorities and responsibilities, and encourage departments to look beyond their own boundaries and work from an integrated perspective.

You will operate at the intersection of strategy, leadership, public services and community needs. You translate strategic priorities into action while remaining closely connected to what is happening within the organization and on the island.

Your role

As Domain Manager, you are integrally responsible for your domain. You provide leadership to the department heads and work closely with them to establish a clear vision, strategic priorities and effective ways of working.

You will:

• Translate the strategic and policy priorities of the Executive Council into concrete objectives, plans and results within your domain. 
• Lead and further develop Citizens, Community & Care as one integrated domain. 
• Create clear priorities, responsibilities and accountability across the departments. 
• Strengthen collaboration between teams and encourage integrated approaches to policies, programs and services. 
• Ensure that people, budgets and other resources are effectively allocated and managed. 
• Develop strong relationships with residents, community organizations, NGOs and other relevant stakeholders. 
• Connect local priorities with regional partners and relevant ministries in the European Netherlands. 
• Identify opportunities to improve the accessibility, quality and effectiveness of public services. 
• Work with the Island Secretary and fellow Domain Managers to address cross-domain issues and strengthen organization-wide collaboration. 
• Contribute as an MT member to the development and implementation of the broader organizational strategy. 

Your priorities

In the coming years, you will have an important role in turning the new organizational structure into a way of working that delivers great value for the community.

Among your priorities will be to:

• Build a strong and integrated domain You strengthen collaboration between the departments and create a shared direction for Citizens, Community & Care. You ensure that responsibilities are clear while encouraging teams to work together where challenges and opportunities cross departmental boundaries. 
• Strengthen resident-centered services You help develop public services that are accessible, reliable and responsive to the needs of Saba's residents. You promote a clear and effective first point of contact and ensure that residents' questions and needs are connected to the right people and services. 
• Develop a community-driven approach You strengthen the connection between government and the community. You ensure that the experiences and needs of residents, community organizations and NGOs are considered in the development of policies and services. 
• Drive improvement and accountability You ensure effective follow-up on audit findings and recommendations. You monitor progress, address risks and encourage a culture of compliance, accountability and continuous improvement. 
• Strengthen collaboration across the organization As a member of the MT, you help identify and organize cross-domain processes, projects and challenges. You contribute not only to the success of your own domain, but to the development of the Public Entity Saba as a whole. 

Your leadership

This role requires more than strong management skills. You are a connecting leader who understands that results are achieved through people, relationships and clarity.

You are approachable and able to build trust with different groups. You listen, bring people together and create space for others to take responsibility. At the same time, you are comfortable making decisions, setting priorities and addressing issues when necessary.

You can move easily between strategic discussions and practical implementation. You understand that in a small island community, relationships matter, circumstances can change quickly and solutions often require creativity and pragmatism.

You are able to balance different interests while keeping sight of the broader interests of the organization and the Saban community.

What you bring

We are looking for an experienced manager who combines strategic thinking with a strong sense of responsibility for people and results.

You bring:

• Significant experience in a senior management or leadership position. 
• Strong strategic and analytical capabilities and the ability to translate strategy into concrete results. 
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and working across organizational boundaries. 
• Experience with organizational development, change and continuous improvement. 
• The ability to work effectively with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders. 
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills. 
• A results-oriented approach combined with empathy and an understanding of different perspectives. 
• The ability to create clarity, establish priorities and hold people accountable. 
• A proactive and reflective attitude and a genuine interest in developing people and organizations. 
• The ability to operate effectively in a complex environment where political, organizational and community interests come together. 

Experience within government, public services, community development, social services, health, culture or a comparable environment is an advantage.

Most importantly, you are someone who connects people, sees opportunities and gets things moving. You are motivated by the opportunity to contribute to a community where your work has a visible and lasting impact.