Name: Niek Marsé
Age: 42
Job title: Manager Proposals

How long have you been working for Damen?
“In 2005, together with a fellow mechanical engineering student, I started a graduation project on reliability calculations and lifetime costs at what was then called the Schelde Marinebouw (Schelde Naval Construction). After that I joined the Integrated Logistic Support (ILS) department and progressed to the Proposals department. In the meantime, I have been working at Damen Naval for 19 years this summer.”

What does your job entail?
“As Manager Proposals, I am responsible for the teams that make the technical offers to our clients. We work in a matrix organisation where on the one hand I support the tender managers and on the other, from the line management, I organise the people, resources and processes needed in the tender teams.”

What do you enjoy most about your job?
“The two best parts of my job are working with the people and converting tenders into contracts. These two things go hand in hand because our people are central to the success of winning tenders. It gives great satisfaction when the teams win contracts. Since no one is the same, there is a lot of dynamism in the team and that makes every day different. The euphoria of winning a contract is, of course, the icing on the cake.”

“The two best parts of my job are working with the people and converting tenders into contracts. These two things go hand in hand because our people are central to the success of winning tenders." Niek Marsé

What can we wake you up at night for?
“That’s a very good question, because there are of course many things you can wake me up for. But rather not, because I very much enjoy sleeping. But if I really have to choose something, then surely a hug from my daughter.”

Do you have any hidden talents or special hobbies?
“When I was 30 kilos lighter, I was very sporty and played volleyball and badminton at a competitive level. In addition, I started coaching a girls’ under-12 hockey team two years ago. It’s great fun to turn a group of girls into a team. But it comes with its own challenges; like certain conversations that the girls have among themselves, which as a father you don’t want to hear.”

This or that?

Board game/Computer game Surely a board game. Maybe I sound like an old man, but you have much more interaction with each other when you play a board game.
Ajax/Feyenoord Yes, I have been an Ajax fan since I was a kid. I think this season is the worst season since Ajax was founded, but you are a fan in good times and bad. By the way, did Roland Briene come up with this question?
Active holidays/Lazy holidays I can’t decide between those. Just lazing around is not my thing; but an active holiday without any lazing around is not for me either.
Wine/Beer Why do you have to choose here? Anyway, if I really have to choose it would be whisky.
Morning/evening person Definitely an evening person, just ask my family.

 

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