Maarten manages projects from start to finish

Maarten works in Den Bosch at Ballast Nedam Zuid's Renovation and Maintenance department. He talks about how he ended up at Ballast Nedam, what exactly his job entails and what his working day looks like.

Since when have you been working at Ballast Nedam?

"Since August 2018. I started as a project coordinator, but for a year and a half I have been senior project coordinator and in charge of larger renovation and maintenance projects. I am happy that there are so many opportunities for career development at Ballast Nedam Zuid and that there is a great focus on personal development."

How do you notice this?

"There is a special programme to engage and retain employees. So when you start working here, a development plan is drawn up for you. This plan states, for instance, what your ambitions are, which steps you can still take and which training or courses are appropriate. It's really helpful, because it means I've already made some great career moves in my few years at Ballast Nedam."

What do you do as senior project coordinator?

"In short, I ensure that a project runs smoothly from start to finish. That starts with the intake with the client and putting together the project team and ends with the delivery. For small renovations, I am the contact person; for larger projects it is the project manager. I usually have several projects running at the same time, so there is always something to do."

What does a working day look like?

"I work at the Den Bosch office and always start early, around 6.30 am. Not much later, our carpenters and other tradesmen also trickle in and we discuss what they need to do that day. Then they leave for the building site and I get to work on quotations, financial project monitoring, purchasing contracts, administration and ordering materials. I also regularly visit projects and have a lot of contact with our tradesmen and subcontractors on site. I really enjoy that social aspect."

So it sounds like you're having a good time at Ballast Nedam Zuid!

"Yes, I really feel at home here. Before this, I worked for another construction company, so the sector is not new to me. But what has surprised me is that Ballast Nedam Zuid feels like a small family business, while being part of a huge construction company. The advantage of that is that everything is very well organised, but at the same time you can walk straight into the director's office."