"Creating order where there is chaos"

Amber Koops tackles almost everything she does on a project basis

Planning, directing engineers and consultants, and taking clients through what is to come... leave that to Amber Koops. As project manager, she steers all projects in the right direction. Structure and overview are important here. In her sport, roller derby, things are much less orderly, but as Fleetwood Smack, she knows how to create order out of chaos there, too.

What did you do before IT Local?

"After a master's degree in English language and linguistics, I spent five years as a first-grade English teacher, teaching Zutphen schoolchildren, from mavo 1 to vwo 6. I noticed at one point that my development was stagnating; there were no short-term career opportunities. So an IT company where I had worked on the service desk for several years during my studies from the age of 17 became the next step. Eventually, I progressed to change- and project manager there.

It was a big company and there were opportunities for me, but I increasingly missed the bonding and connection with colleagues. Among other things, I worked with colleagues from other offices whom I never saw live. And instead of seeing the client's face, I was mainly looking at Excel sheets. With the help of a recruiter, I looked further and eventually got an interview at IT Local."

"Inside it immediately felt warm and homely"

What did you pay particular attention to when you joined IT Local?

"Especially to the things I missed in my previous job. What struck me when I came for an interview in Arnhem was the lack of a reception desk. You walk straight into the office. Very inviting and inside, it immediately felt warm and homely. Almost effortlessly. I had a conversation with Remko and Pierre and it was a real conversation; interactive rather than cross-examination. This good feeling, the interesting product and service portfolio (with the online workplace, for example), and the prospect of working face-to-face with colleagues and clients convinced me to join IT Local."

Among other things, the name Amber stands for warmth and light. Are you the sunshine in the office?

"Surely the sunshine in the office is Mireille, who shines in everything. I am by nature a bit more introverted and don't like to be the centre of attention, but like to laugh along. For example during lunch, as I like to joke along with colleagues at the lunch table."

Sounds like a good atmosphere in the workplace...

"I am almost always in the office, which is for good reason. Our old industrial building is very pleasant, as I said, and IT Local offers all the space and facilities to have a good time as an employee, which it is. The free lunch and table tennis table are examples. It also feels good between my colleagues: I do speak to everyone and thrive in the loose atmosphere where appointments are simply kept."

"In football, I would be a goalkeeper"

You are now a project manager. How would you explain your role to that uncle or aunt who asks you at a birthday party what you do for work?

"Then I would say something along the lines of I am responsible for implementing change at companies. However, I don't do the implementation myself, but facilitate the team to do this as well as possible. A comparison with football always works as well. In football, I would be a goalkeeper: I have the overview, coach, and protect the goal."

Any idea how many projects you have already supervised since you started in May 2023?

"Let me just figure that out... if I include internal projects, I come up with 150-180 projects. Data migration projects, in which data moves from local to the cloud/SharePoint, are the most common."

At what point do customers get to deal with you?

"For the client, I have an interesting position as a project manager. They only see me during a certain period and then immediately very intensively. An opposite solar eclipse you could say. That period starts after signing an offer for a project and ends again when the project is finished. My role is then to ensure that the project is successfully implemented: I create and manage the planning, manage the team of engineers and consultants, and make sure that the customer always knows what is about to happen."

"Clear communication is decisive"

What do customers care about during a project?

"Of course that things run smoothly in terms of planning and that there are as few re-calculation hours as possible, but ultimately clear communication is decisive. If you involve customers well in everything that's going on and a problem arises, it's a lot easier to talk to them and you actually always come to an agreement."

Engineers and consultants are extremely valuable, how do you make sure they are used as smartly as possible?

"I plan about 90% of their work. I have access to their diaries and can see how full they are and who has space. That way, I make sure the workload is distributed properly. I take their wishes and circumstances into account, and before I share the overall planning with the client, I ask the question "are you comfortable with this?" Smart deployment is one thing, but showing commitment and giving regular (positive) feedback is at least as important for people to function well. So I do that too. Positive reinforcement is what I call it. I also help the engineers and consultants by keeping them difficult situations and shielding them from the blows as much as possible."

Nice that positive reinforcement, but of course a project's schedule has to be met. What is your secret? How do you deal with all the dependencies you have to deal with?

"Push! No, that's a joke.... what works better is to look closely at the possibilities with the engineers and the customers, seeking the space that is usually there. And be open and keep communicating with each other, even if something doesn't work or work can't be scheduled between 8 and 5. We almost always work it out. But every now and then, I have to raise the alarm with my manager, for instance if something is promised too enthusiastically and we can't deliver."

Have there been any projects that you found exciting?

"By nature, I find it difficult to disappoint clients or when I can't guarantee that something will work out. This played a role in a project where we depended on old software, . A huge journey like Elestor's (from one-person solution to a comprehensive, professional and secure environment) I also find exciting, but in a healthy way."

Do you take a project-based approach to everything you do?

"Quite a bit, even privately! For example, before a cleaning job at home, I will first draw up a task distribution together with my girlfriend Juliette: who vacuums, who mops the windows? Of course, that doesn't go into Jira [IT Local's planning software, ed.]😊 and I won't cry if we don't meet the schedule either."

"'Yes' or 'no', at least it's nice and clear!"

What gives you the most energy in your work? And what, on the other hand, costs you energy?

"Setting up a good plan of action of which everyone says 'let's go'... that makes me happy. Especially if things then go according to plan and I can fix the problems that crop up. Miscommunication is the biggest energy guzzler for me. That is why I am all about clear language and don't like fuss and politically correct answers. 'Yes' or 'no', at least that's nice and clear!"

Do you miss being a teacher?

"I don't miss teaching the same lessons every day, but interacting with students is something I miss sometimes. As a teacher, you also really contribute to society by helping young people develop. As a project manager, that connection isn't directly there. I have no regrets though."

Looking back... do you see parallels between mentoring students and managing a project team?

"Absolutely! In both cases, you work towards an end point: in school it was the exams, now it is the going live of projects. Planning, overseeing things and recognising bottlenecks... that was also important then. And like engineers, students also want to be seen. A 'nice to see you' always works wonders. What is especially different for me now is that I am sending less and using other means to do my work."

Which lesson from education has helped you the most in your IT career?

"That there is a difference between people working from intrinsic motivation and people working from extrinsic motivation. Do you do something because you want to or because you have to? The eager-to-learn vwo pupil versus the indifferent mavo pupil as a stereotypical example. I now recognise these different types of people and that helps me work well together."

"A new client always generates some healthy excitement"

What was a moment in your career when you really had to step out of your comfort zone?

"Those are different moments. As a 24-year-old teacher, I mentored a student who was seriously considering suicide and also a student who didn't want to eat anymore. That was really intense. What I understood is that both pupils are doing well now. Of course, my career switch was also a moment when I left the safe haven. And in my current role, it plays out when I have to deal with a new client. That always generates some healthy tension for me as an introvert. Because how do I ensure a good match with my unknown interlocutor? Above all, I always check on the client's website who I am going to get in front of me and thus form an image of the person I am talking to beforehand. If this fails, I always make sure I bring energy and show my most helpful side."

Moving on to stepping out of your comfort zone for a moment... if you had to change jobs within the company for one day, what position would you want to take?

"Something strategic where I can contribute to the direction of IT Local. Don't know what function that would involve. Not a sales or management position in any case."

Is that also something for the future?

"Could be. IT Local is continuing to grow and will need to professionalise further. I would like to contribute to that personally; by helping people and getting the best out of them."