Netherlands Embassy – Harare – Zimbabwe
Basic details
September 2025
Job title: Policy officer Economic Affairs
Unit/mission: Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Harare
Job level: 09
Number of hours: 40 per week
General features of job
▪ The Policy Officer Economic Affairs is primarily responsible for implementing Dutch economic
policy in relation to Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi and responsible for contributing to EU
economic policy in relation to Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi.
▪ The Policy Officer Economic Affairs is accountable to the Deputy Head of Mission for effectively
implementing Dutch economic policy and working on private sector development initiatives that
are of mutual benefit to the Netherlands and Zimbabwe.
▪ The Policy Officer Economic Affairs operates according to the embassy’s annual plan and
thematic focus areas, implementing Dutch economic policy and private sector development
initiatives in accordance with the latest ministerial guidelines from the Netherlands and the
available funding to the embassy.
Actual duties and result areas of the Policy Officer Economic Affairs:
- On policy advice, implementation, research and analysis
▪ Pro-actively signals and interprets relevant economic developments in the Dutch priority areas,
which include agriculture/horticulture, water, dairy, renewable energy, and land issues;
▪ Provides policy advice on doing business in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi, including the
opportunities and risks, also in relation to responsible business conduct;
▪ Advises and reports on economic governance issues including , but not limited to, debt
clearance and public finance management, Dutch entrepreneurs and farmers, land tenure ,
transparency, extractive industries, property rights, and corruption;
▪ Works closely with important Dutch stakeholders, included but not limited to PUM, Netherlands
Enterprise Agency (NEA/RVO), WaterWorX and FMO, and their ongoing initiatives and programs
in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi;
▪ Works in close cooperation with the EU, including on Team Europe Initiatives, the Global
Gateway strategy, and the Multiannual Indicative Programmes (MIP) in Zimbabwe, Zambia and
Malawi, actively seeking synergies with Dutch priorities and interests within these frameworks. - On trade and investment promotion
▪ Works on increased trade and investment between the Netherlands and Zimbabwe, Zambia and
Malawi;
▪ Pro-actively looks for business and investment opportunities for Dutch businesses and private
sector stakeholders, by structured business development;
▪ Identifies (sub)sectors with potential for intensified bilateral trade and investment ties;
▪ Handles trade requests from Dutch companies, assists in resolving trade and investment
issues, and arranges matchmaking between Dutch and Zimbabweans businesses;
▪ Records and archives all relevant activities into the ministry Achilles program;
▪ Works closely with important Dutch stakeholders, included but not limited to PUM, NEA,
WaterWorX and FMO, and their ongoing initiatives and programs in Zimbabwe, Zambia and
Malawi. - On project management
▪ Identifies, initiates and implements Private Sector Development opportunities and projects;
▪ Supervises the formulation and implementation of projects with the Netherlands Enterprise
Agency (NEA/RVO) and other relevant ministry stakeholders in the Netherlands;
▪ Monitors the results of projects and offers timely and relevant information to RVO and other
relevant ministry stakeholders in the Netherlands;
▪ Works closely with important Dutch stakeholders, included but not limited to PUM, WaterWorX
and FMO, and their ongoing initiatives and programs in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi. - On the development and maintenance of a strong network with Zimbabwean and Dutch
business communities and authorities
▪ Participates in external events and networking and is able to effectively use the network within
the embassies thematic focus areas and overall priorities;
▪ Maintains contact with Zimbabwean, Zambian and Malawian government institutions and
counterparts in the priority economic sectors and the financial sector;
▪ Assists/prepares the Embassy’s interventions on behalf of Dutch companies and/or investors
that encounter problems with Zimbabwean, Zambian or Malawian authorities/regulations.
▪ Works closely with important Dutch stakeholders, included but not limited to PUM, RVO,
WaterWorX and FMO, and their ongoing initiatives and programs in Zimbabwe, Zambia and
Malawi. - On the organization of incoming and outgoing missions
▪ Responsible for the preparation and execution of Dutch trade missions and other events, such
as networking events, business round-tables and matchmaking.
▪ Works closely with important Dutch stakeholders, included but not limited to PUM, WaterWorX
and FMO, and their ongoing initiatives and programs in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi. - On assisting in increasing visibility of Dutch trade and investment relations
▪ Promotes public diplomacy efforts of the Embassy and organized events;
▪ Occasionally organizes (public) events (like dinners, receptions, seminars, roundtables) in the
economic priority areas of the embassy with relevant stakeholders.
▪ Works closely with important Dutch stakeholders, included but not limited to PUM, WaterWorX
and FMO, and their ongoing initiatives and programs in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi.
Working environment
The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Harare is located in Newlands in a beautiful,
modern and spacious building with all relevant amenities. The Embassy consists of 12 team
members in total.
The main objective is to represent Dutch interests and policy, to provide support to Dutch nationals,
to support economic reforms, and to support an increase in bilateral trade and private sector
development, all in close cooperation with the Government of Zimbabwe and relevant stakeholders.
The management team will also seek support and advice with regards to the compensation of
farmers, outstanding debts and the role of international financial institutions (IMF, WB, AFdB) in
Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi.
The Embassy has an influential role in the international community and operates at a high level, also
with regards to stakeholders, interlocutors, colleagues and the overall level of performance and
ambition. Since 2013, the embassy in Harare is also responsible for representing Dutch interests in
Zambia and Malawi.
The Policy Officer Economic Affairs works in a team with 3 other policy officers, under the direct
supervision of the Deputy Head of Mission. The embassy team works closely together to realize high
quality work and maximize impact, in line with the Embassy’s Team Charter which focusses on
communication, integrity, teamwork and accountability. Developments in the Netherlands and in
Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi require adaptability, high performance and a hands-on approach.
Job requirements
Skills and areas of expertise:
▪ Ability to think analytically
▪ Ability to network
▪ Ability to communicate well in writing
▪ Ability to coordinate
▪ Ability to plan and organize
▪ Ability to perform duties with accuracy
▪ Ability to take personal initiative and to focus on priorities and meet deadlines
▪ Ability to work with others, open and flexible personality
▪ Result oriented
▪ Client orientation
▪ Creative and initiative
▪ Strategic insights
▪ A high degree of integrity and the ability to deal with confidential information
Area of experience: (macro)-economics, economic governance, trade, investment, business,
international development
Additional requirements: official police clearance will be required.
A brief description of the type of employee required:
Political and economic developments in the Netherlands and Zimbabwe require the embassy to
increasingly focus on economic themes, including the promotion of trade and investment. In
addition to trade and investment, themes such as economic governance and reform (debts, public
financial management, Dutch entrepreneurs and farmers, land reform, transparency, extractive
industries, property rights and corruption) will form the bulk of the workload in the economic
portfolio. The Policy Officer Economic Affairs will also have to respond to the growing interest of
Dutch companies in doing business in Zimbabwe and Zimbabwean businesses dealing with the
Netherlands. The Policy Officer Economic Affairs should be able to advise them on opportunities,
challenges, and risks, including on issues of Responsible Business Conduct (RBC). The Policy
Officer Economic Affairs will have to monitor, advise and work on similar topics in the neighboring
countries Zambia and Malawi, albeit it with lesser intensity.
The Policy Officer Economic Affairs is expected, in cooperation with his/her colleagues, to
contribute actively to the public diplomacy efforts of the embassy, using social media and creative
means in order to provide for platforms that promote dialogue between our two countries.
Knowledge and skills
Level of education: university level
Level of experience: minimum 5 years’ experience required
▪ Experience in the areas of economics, macro-economics, business and trade related matters;
▪ A strong understanding of economic and business developments in relation to the focus areas
in which the embassy operates;
▪ Knowledge of the Zimbabwean private sector and relevant private sector developments;
▪ Knowledge of Zimbabwean government stakeholders, including the Ministry of Finance and
Investment Promotion, state companies, and economic stakeholders;
▪ Knowledge of the regulations and possibilities for international trade and investment;
▪ Knowledge of general training methods and techniques for drawing up project plans and
performing evaluations, and skill in implementing them;
▪ Experience with project management, monitoring and evaluation;
▪ Understanding of relevant ministerial frameworks and private sector legislation in the policy
areas concerned;
▪ Skill in translating insights and information into advice, plans and reports and in assessing their
economic policy and financial implications;
▪ Practical skills in organizing events.
Contacts
▪ Overall ability to build and maintain positive working relationships with embassy colleagues,
national counterparts, third country embassies, international institutions and NGOs, local
business community, and other stakeholders;
▪ Policy officers and senior policy officers, on developments in economic focus areas and
experience with programs and policy;
▪ Senior and other staff on procedures, working methods and progress of programs, as well as
explanation and interpretation of legislation;
▪ Various stakeholders in the Netherlands, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi and the international
community;
▪ Officials at senior level: directors, heads of agency, CEO and COO level at companies, NGO’s
and CSO’s;
▪ Ability to have discussions with (Deputy) Ministers and Permanent Secretaries;
▪ The Policy Officer Economic Affairs at times chairs a committee / working group or leads a team.
Salary and employee benefits
▪ The embassy offers a competitive gross monthly salary starting at USD 5,334 and takes into
account the level of experience of the employee.
▪ The embassy offers 200 hours of annual leave to the employee, in addition to collectively agreed
upon Zimbabwean and Dutch public holidays.
▪ The embassy offers employees the opportunity to participate in a collective health insurance
plan provided by the employer.
▪ Additional rights and obligations are stipulated in the Local Staff Rules (LSR 2020) regulations
and shall be communicated accordingly, both verbal and written with the employee.
Interested candidates should send their CVs to cv@trc.co.zw with the subject line Policy Officer Economic Affairs by 31st October 2025. Late applications will not be considered.
All applications and communication regarding this vacancy are handled exclusively by The Recruitment Company (TRC). Any direct applications will be forwarded to TRC.