Tender manager Lisa van de Water: 'No day is the same'

Lisa van de Water started at Ballast Nedam Zuid in 2019 and moved up the ladder internally. Since April 2022, she has been working as tender manager in the Renovation & Maintenance department. We talked to her about her job, studies and development.

What does a tender manager do?

"In short, we write plans of action and other tender documents and make price quotations. We also set up long-term collaborations. For instance, in 2021, we won a tender for housing renovation, for which three other contractors were also contracted. The four of us have drawn up a comprehensive handbook so that we all work in the same way."

What does your working day look like?

"No two days are the same. One day I have consultations with our cooperation partners and visit ongoing projects. The next day, we meet with our core team and discuss the day-to-day business. Because we are a relatively small and young department, I have a lot of freedom and can really contribute to our strategy. I find that very rewarding."

What did you study?

"HBO construction engineering. It comes in handy for a tender manager to have some basic construction knowledge, but you don't necessarily need to have a construction background. You learn tender management mainly in practice anyway. I was already involved in tenders at my previous employer. So I can now put that experience and knowledge to good use in my current job."

Why the move to Ballast Nedam?

"After graduating in 2016, I started at another construction company in the region. First at Renovation and later at New Construction. I found out that I find improving existing construction more interesting and challenging than contributing to new construction. It literally and figuratively brings life when you renovate existing homes, for example. So when a former colleague who had gone to Ballast Nedam sounded me out for a position at Renovation and Maintenance in early 2019, I didn't have to think long about it."

Was that your current position of tender manager?

"No, I started as a business office employee and was then a bit of a jack-of-all-trades for the Renovation and Maintenance department in Eindhoven. After a year and a half, I became management assistant and since April 2022 I have been tender manager. I am happy that I get all the space I need to take steps and develop myself. In any case, I really enjoy working at Ballast Nedam Zuid. It offers the security of a large company, with the charm of a small organisation."