Willeke Kloosterman
Willeke in numbers
30
team members
3
languages
2
children
About Willeke Kloosterman
Willeke has an MSc in Industrial Engineering and Management from the University of Twente in the Netherlands. She joined Vattenfall in 2007 as a Development Manager.
“I began my career in project management, developing and constructing gas fired power plants. Being involved in a project from the start right through to delivery – and seeing the direct impact of decisions I made – was great experience.
I loved the responsibility and accountability involved but I also wanted to help find better ways of working to avoid the ‘ivory tower syndrome’ often seen in organisations. I came up with the idea for a new project improvement role to unlock the benefits of involving everyone in the process. The opportunity to do that shows how at Vattenfall you can determine your own path. You can set the bar as high as you want in terms of your career and you get the support to achieve it.
“I began my career in project management, developing and constructing gas fired power plants. Being involved in a project from the start right through to delivery – and seeing the direct impact of decisions I made – was great experience.
I loved the responsibility and accountability involved but I also wanted to help find better ways of working to avoid the ‘ivory tower syndrome’ often seen in organisations. I came up with the idea for a new project improvement role to unlock the benefits of involving everyone in the process. The opportunity to do that shows how at Vattenfall you can determine your own path. You can set the bar as high as you want in terms of your career and you get the support to achieve it.
Flexibility valued
In my current job I now manage a team of over 30 not only providing resources to the projects but also looking at ways to drive improvements across projects. That also includes softer skills such as how we interact with colleagues and contractors, and develop the right culture. Next to that I am also responsible for all the complex assets projects that we undertake in the UK market.
By delivering these projects we are playing a vital role in building the asset base which will enable Vattenfall to become fossil-free, which feels very rewarding. Doing that while also making a profit won’t be easy but I feel that every decision made here is with that in mind and every employee is involved in achieving our purpose.
My job is challenging but there is a lot of focus on having a good work-life balance and as I have two young children I choose to work four days a week. For me it is valuable to have this flexibility so I can be both successful in my private as well as my working life.”
By delivering these projects we are playing a vital role in building the asset base which will enable Vattenfall to become fossil-free, which feels very rewarding. Doing that while also making a profit won’t be easy but I feel that every decision made here is with that in mind and every employee is involved in achieving our purpose.
My job is challenging but there is a lot of focus on having a good work-life balance and as I have two young children I choose to work four days a week. For me it is valuable to have this flexibility so I can be both successful in my private as well as my working life.”