Department Secretary (Head of Staff) 100%

18 August 2026
100%
Permanent position
Winterthur

Job summary

Join the Department of Safety and Environment with 440 staff! Excellent opportunity to shape policy and administration.

Tasks

Lead the Department Secretariat, overseeing a team of six.
Support the department head with strategic and operational tasks.
Coordinate political matters and ensure effective communication.

Skills

Several years of leadership experience required.
Degree in Law, Economics, or Political Science needed.
Strong interpersonal skills and political acumen essential.

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About the job

Around 440 employees work for the Department of Security and Environment in the areas of city police, protection & intervention, registration and civil status services, environmental and health protection, as well as in the city magistrate's office.

Your Tasks

The department secretariat is the central hub within the department and supports the head of the department in all leadership, organisational, and administrative tasks. As department secretary, you will assume overall responsibility for the department secretariat from 1 January 2027 or by agreement, with four directly and two indirectly subordinate employees, and you will play an important role at the interface between politics and administration.

Personnel, professional and organisational management of the department secretariat
Strategic and operational leadership support for the head of the department and provision of political and conceptual decision-making bases
Ensuring departmental business communication with the city government, other departments, and external bodies
Developing and coordinating political matters such as city council resolutions, directives, and consultations with higher authorities
Advising and supporting departmental areas in business management, legal, organisational, and communication matters

Your Profile

Several years of personnel management experience
Completed university degree in law, business, economics, or political and administrative sciences
Proven experience in a staff function within public administration and strong political acumen/interest
Enjoyment in leading demanding processes and complex projects
Positive, resilient, and proactive personality with high social competence

What We Offer

An exciting and broad field of tasks
At least 5 weeks of holiday per year
Good public transport connections to the workplace
Equality, diversity, and inclusion
Further benefits can be found on our website.

Contact

Your questions about the position will be gladly answered by Renate Lichti, Head of Human Resources, Department of Security and Environment, telephone +41 52 267 57 07
Learn more? https://stadt.winterthur.ch/

We look forward to receiving your online application.