From GVB to DNB

‘I was introduced to IT during my master’s Corporate Communication, when I won first prize at the Start-up Weekend in Eindhoven. In the job that resulted from this, I discovered more about the Agile development methodology. To be able to grow as an IT Project Manager, I switched to GVB, where I was able to contribute to the Agile transformation of the IT department and the establishment of 11 Scrum teams. When I was looking for a new challenge within a socially committed organisation, DNB caught my eye.

Coaching three teams

Switching jobs during a global pandemic was quite strange. I literally closed one laptop and opened another. However, because I was able to fully focus on my teams, without being ‘distracted’ by the rest of DNB, a close relationship was quickly established. As Scrum Master, I’m responsible for three teams that provide services to the Statistics division. We provide these statistics to internal colleagues, but also to Statistics Netherlands (CBS) or the ECB.

Every day starts with an online stand-up. We work with sprints of 2 to 4 weeks, after which the team presents their progress to all stakeholders. In this process, I perform a coaching role: my colleagues are in the field, they have to perform. I create the conditions for them to succeed, to stay focused on achieving the desired result. I’m here to let my teams shine, not the other way around.

Scrum method

DNB has a strong digital ambition. More and more tasks contain an IT component, and I believe Scrum is the best approach for this. Scrum offers transparency, both in your team and towards your stakeholders. In addition, it creates focus. A Scrum team has a lot to tackle, innovations but also management. You can’t do everything with a maximum of 9 members. So you make agreements about what you will do, prioritise your backlog, perform your sprint and achieve the result. That gives peace of mind – for the team, and for me.

Socially committed

I now know that I fit in well with a large, socially driven organisation. That involves a certain culture. We work on complex cases − accuracy is key. And although we work with the latest technologies, we also have to comply with laws and regulations. You’ve got to love that pain a little, I always say. But DNB is certainly not an unworldly group. A great diversity of people work here, intelligent, driven − in suits or jeans. And our IT professionals have long surpassed the introverted developers in a dark basement; they are increasingly moving to the heart of our organisation.

If you’re lucky, you’ll walk around this earth for about 80 years. When the end comes, I want to be able to say that I didn’t make the world any worse. That’s why I’ve done volunteer work in the past, and since I don’t have time for that anymore, I try to ease my conscience a bit with my work here. It may sound abstract, but financial stability and economic security are extremely important for almost everyone in the Netherlands.’