Meet Marieke van Wolfswinkel, CRM & ERP Talent Community Lead at Avanade. She has two master's degrees in Supply Chain Management and Strategic Management and started her career as a CRM consultant and progressed in the position of Team Lead. In this role she was responsible for multiple clients and projects in different industries, and coached colleagues in their professional growth and development. After 7 years it was time for a change: “I was looking for new ways of working, meeting new people and other types of projects while also gaining more experience in coaching colleagues and improving my managerial skills. After meeting with my predecessor at Avanade, I was convinced this was the right step for me. I joined Avanade in June 2021.”

Understanding each other

“This type of job is exactly what I was looking for. I was ready for the next step in my career and accelerate my learning again. Due to the corona pandemic, I joined the online onboarding program, which was organized very well. After the onboarding, it was time to get to know the CRM and ERP Talent Communities. The CRM Talent Community in the Netherlands has about 50 members and ERP almost 40. Currently the Talent Communities do not mix very often, and it is one of my goals to bring them more together. In this way, we can learn from each other and achieve synergies. At Avanade, we work for clients with interesting and challenging projects. Besides working with the newest technology, it is fun to work with people who have the same passion and drive as you. I have noticed everyone is incredibly open, approachable, and willing to help each other.”

Meeting the requirements

“Of course, we face challenges with the teams as well. The project managers and I keep a close eye on the workload. To perform at our best, we all need time to clear our minds as well. Therefore, I love living in Rotterdam where I have plenty of opportunities to free my mind and enjoy the theatre, cabaret, music festivals and performance art like ballet. It is important to find the right work-life balance and stay focused. Technology is ever evolving, and business never stops; there will always be new requirements. Our customers need future-proof solutions and are aware that technological change is accelerating at an unprecedented speed. It is our job as consultants to guide our customers in achieving their goals in the way that fits best, while also making sure to keep an eye out on the scope. All these things together make our job so rewarding!”

Learning and development

“If you want to make a change, explore new opportunities, or learn more about your domain, all you must do is speak up.”

“At Avanade you are responsible for your career. Everyone in the organization has a career advisor and people who are new to the organization also have a buddy. When you share your goals and ambitions, everyone is willing to help you reach those. Ever since I joined Avanade, I got lots of support from colleagues, which is great, especially when being new in the organization. Learning and development are two key values at Avanade. Avanade invests heavily in training for professionals and personal development and embraces a culture for growth. We want to be the best at everything we do, and this belief is shared with everyone in the organization. For me, all these things combined make Avanade such a great place to work!”

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