Customer Business Manager

About Veenvesters

Veenvesters is an ambitious, dynamic, and accessible housing authority in Veenendaal, the third-largest city in the province of Utrecht.

Veenvesters manages over 9,000 rental units in Veenendaal and the surrounding area. We have strong ties to Veenendaal, are well-informed about what’s happening in the neighborhoods, and are committed to addressing public housing challenges in the Foodvalley region. Where it adds value, we work closely with other housing cooperatives.

Our Client Company

People are at the heart of what we do at Veenvesters. Our staff know their clients well, and we are deeply involved in the local community in Veenendaal. We cater to the diverse needs of Veenendaal’s residents: from first-time homebuyers to seniors, and from those requiring care to refugees with recognized status.

The Client Company

The Customer Services Department focuses on providing a wide range of services to our tenants. It employs 55 staff members, led by the Customer Services Manager, who has overall responsibility, the Customer & Housing Team Leader, and the Social Services Team Leader. Together, they oversee the further development of our services for our residents and those seeking housing. The Customer Services Manager is also a member of the Management Team, alongside the managers of the Operations and Real Estate departments. Within the Customer Services Department, the manager directly supervises two process specialists. The manager also serves as the point of contact for the Tenant Organizations.

The Customer & Housing team includes the Customer Communication Center, the work planners (the repair and maintenance planning team), our skilled tradespeople, and the supervisors. The employees in this area work closely with our partners in the fields of repairs, daily maintenance, and tenant turnover. As a result, the coordination of these contractors is primarily managed from within this department.

The Social Services Team is responsible for all matters related to quality of life, cleanliness, safety, and security; monitoring within and in collaboration with neighborhoods and communities; implementing social programs; and engaging with our tenants in (restructuring) areas. There is a close connection between the two teams when it comes to housing allocation and rehousing.

The challenges

Over the past three years, Veenvesters has made significant and successful investments in further improving its services to tenants and home seekers. We do this under the motto “People, Housing, Together.” What we do, we do for People; Housing is our (core) product; and only Together—within our own organization, with our co-makers and our supply chain partners—can we effectively establish the connections needed to serve our tenants optimally. In doing so, objectives such as standardization, best practices in systems, and process-oriented working require further development and integration. Because: standardization allows for customization. Both benefit our tenants.

We believe that the positioning of the Client Company within Veenvesters must align with the strategic, tactical, and operational objectives and challenges related to the further optimization of our services. The world of our tenants and home seekers is changing rapidly. Quality-of-life issues are increasing and becoming more complex, requiring us to allocate more staff resources to address them. At the same time, the labor market is becoming increasingly tight. This means our processes must become more future-proof. In doing so, we remain committed to the professionalism of our employees, who—facilitated by and in collaboration with the Customer Services Manager—will take on the responsibility for process innovation. Within Customer Services, we work with clear, agreed-upon performance indicators, which are reported to the Management Team.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for a Client Services Manager who is, above all, eager to work with Veenvesters to further develop the Client Services department. This requires the ability to clearly articulate and communicate the Client Services Department’s objective—putting our current and future tenants first—to all colleagues within Veenvesters, particularly within the Client Services Department and among our co-makers. It also involves being a good listener, fostering innovation, and demonstrating great enthusiasm and decisiveness. We are looking for a strong, people-oriented professional who is primarily driven by progress, improvement, results, and the resulting job satisfaction.

As a member of Veenvensters’ Management Team, you will share responsibility for decision-making on all matters discussed by the Management Team. You are capable of and willing to delve into the broad scope of the housing association and thus also contribute to areas outside the scope of the Client Division. You translate strategic-level decision-making into operations within the Client Division. And you lead the organizational development required to achieve this.

You encourage reflection and self-reflection and set an example through your leadership style and approach to collaboration.

As a member of the Management Team, you will actively contribute to Veenvesters’ strategic direction and challenging initiatives. You have experience with the dynamics of a Management Team and are able to fulfill this role with confidence, effectively, and by drawing on your own strengths while maintaining strong connections with others. As a cultural ambassador, you also lead by example by engaging with others with integrity, curiosity, and an open mindset. You demonstrate empathy while also knowing how to set clear boundaries.

You have a naturally proactive attitude and anticipate future challenges. You bring an analytical, sharp, and innovative approach to advising on strategic (client) issues and organizational development. You serve as a constructive and critical sounding board for the executive, your fellow managers, and the professionals within your department.

In addition, you bring

• A strong personality with an awareness of and appreciation for the past, but focused on the future;
• Thinking from the customer’s perspective and redesigning processes;
• Work and thinking at the university level;
• At least 5 years of relevant work experience in a similar position, with a proven track record in change management;
• Extensive experience as a manager and member of the management team;
• A broad interest in social issues and current developments in the field;
• Knowledge of customer processes;
• Strong interest in computerization and automation;
• Seeing and being able to build connections both within and outside Veenvesters;
• Experience in collaborative leadership and project management;
• A clear, engaging style that radiates enthusiasm;
• Strong communication skills with clear language. Presenting to groups is no problem;
• Able to report concisely and to know when to escalate;
• Gain a quick overview and use that to determine a course of action;
• A professional attitude and excellent negotiation skills.

What do we offer?

Veenvensters offers you a challenging work environment at a dedicated housing association that plays a significant role in the community within our service area. The position is classified under pay scale N of the Housing Services Collective Bargaining Agreement.

In addition to a pleasant hybrid work environment, employees are given every opportunity to develop their skills and pursue training. We place great importance on collaboration and learning from one another. That is why we are affiliated with several partnerships, such as KLIMMR and Foodvalley, and are members of the Aedes trade association, where you can attend interesting events and training sessions.

Procedure

Veenvensters is being assisted in this process by the executive search firm Colourful People. For more information about our organization or the position, please contact Senior Partner Sandra Lutchman via WhatsApp at 06-40744074 or by email at s.lutchman@colourfulpeople.nl. You can express your interest by uploading your resume and cover letter no later than September 15, 2023, via the “Apply” button at the bottom of this page. Rest assured that your information will be treated confidentially.

Scheduling appointments:

The first interviews with the selection committee and the selection advisory committee will take place on October 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The second interview with the selection committee will take place on October 12 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The meeting to discuss employment terms is scheduled for October 24 from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.

Please keep the above dates open for possible interviews.

For all positions at Veenvesters, we require references and a Certificate of Good Conduct. An assessment may be part of the hiring process.

About us

At Veenvesters, we operate according to our motto, “People, Housing, Together,” and we’re proud of it! Housing is what we do, people are who we do it for, and together is the only way we can do it. In addition to maintenance and sustainability initiatives, we’ll be focusing heavily on renewal and transformation in several neighborhoods in Veenendaal over the coming years. Given our size, this is a significant restructuring and expansion project. It has a huge impact on the people—including our tenants—who live there. And those people are at the heart of everything we do at Veenvesters.

Our more than 90 enthusiastic and driven employees are constantly improving and working to enhance the organization so we can meet all our objectives. Not only the multitude of challenges, but also the ever-changing world around us—which is evolving at an ever-increasing pace—requires employees who are committed to continuously developing themselves and the organization. We want to become even more customer-focused, results-oriented, and agile. This demands a lot from our employees—and certainly from management as well. Do you thrive on a tough challenge and would you like to work in an environment where you can truly make a difference? Then we’d love to hear from you!