Mariëlle Commercial Project Manager

‘At VDL Bus & Coach we produce electric buses for public transport and luxury coaches for various, mainly European countries. Where my responsibility started with one country, it was soon expanded to several European countries. As commercial project manager, I work in the Sales Operations team and am mainly active in the preliminary phase. Together with my team and the local sales organisations, we create tailor-made offers for our customers. My job is versatile and requires me to be able to switch quickly between different disciplines within the organisation. This suits me really well, as I get energy from juggling different tasks and keeping an overview. The successful completion of projects within the deadline, combined with process improvements and jointly working towards goals, makes my work challenging and incredibly fun.’

Highly innovative

‘I joined VDL Bus & Coach to help innovate and strengthen. An important part of our company's future is electric buses, in which we are very innovative. However, the market is under considerable pressure because of high competition as well as the challenges involved in developing and manufacturing a new product. Together with the team, I think about how we can serve the international market in the best possible way. Orders can be worth millions of euros, so close coordination with colleagues is crucial for everything to run smoothly. One of my goals is to always be keen on and implement improvements in various processes. I believe this allows us to stay ahead of the competition and grow as an organisation from a commercial point of view.’

Learning from each other

‘Many of my colleagues have years of experience, so there is something new to learn every day. We learn from each other and share our knowledge. This working attitude sets VDL apart from other organisations. Even in difficult times, you can rely on everyone doing their best and contributing to our common goals. Good managers play a crucial role in this; they inspire and motivate the team, provide a clear vision and support the personal and professional growth of employees. We believe that good cooperation makes us more creative and leads to better solutions. We strive to get a little better every day. Although my current role suits me well, VDL offers plenty of room for growth. In the future, I would like to be even more involved in continuous improvement."