Connected to the chain #18 | Paul Van Dijck

Paul Van Dijck is a strategic buyer in the Supply Chain Management department. At 42, Paul brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to his role, but he also has a lot to offer outside of work. A keen basketball player, mountain biker and sim racing fan, Paul always finds the perfect balance between work and play. His dynamic life is rounded off by the happiness of his family in Deventer, where he lives with his wife, nine-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son. Let's dive into Paul's world and find out how he manages to balance his passions, his family and a demanding career.

What is your role within Supply Chain Management - Indirect Categories? What are you responsible for?

The team I am part of is responsible for all indirect areas at TenneT that are not directly part of the core-business or the IT sector. This includes facility management, communication, human resources, consultancy and financial services. My specific responsibilities include human resources and consultancy.

What keeps you energised in your job?

Interacting and working with people is a great source of motivation and energy for me.

I experience this particularly intensively in my work on tendering projects. In this context, I dedicate myself to the careful coordination and design of tenders, which requires close cooperation with the team. Each member of the team contributes their specific skills and expertise, which not only enriches the process, but is also essential to achieving our common goal - the successful completion of the tender with a high quality end result. I find this dynamic and creative collaboration, where everyone contributes to the overall success, particularly fulfilling and inspiring.

What is the first hour of your day like?

After getting up, I start the day with a cup of coffee before cycling to Deventer station. From there I take the train to Arnhem Central Station and then cycle to TenneT MCE in Arnhem. During the train ride, I use the time to plan the day ahead and check my emails so that I arrive at work fully prepared.

Can you give us an insight into your week?

I start preparing for the week ahead on Friday afternoon. This is when I update my to-do list and the list of upcoming issues to keep track of.

Every Monday morning, we start the week with a meeting with the SCM Indirect Team NL. In this 60-minute meeting we usually spent the first half catching up on the weekend, and the rest on planning for the week ahead, including asking if any team members need additional support to manage their workload.

Every two weeks we have a team meeting with all IND team members from Germany and the Netherlands. I also have monthly meetings with my main contacts at HR, where we discuss current issues, contracts, tenders and questions about the future. In addition to various meetings with the tender teams, I also have quarterly meetings with our main suppliers. Furthermore my weeks are filled with handling email, working on tender documents, and plans to improve our categories.

What makes SCM a unique place to work?

The Supply Chain Management offers an exceptional working environment. You play an active role in shaping the future of TenneT. The job involves dealing with a large number of different stakeholders, which makes every day unique and varied. You also make an important contribution to achieving the company's goals.

What do you look for in a good relationship with a supplier/service provider?

Mutual respect is paramount and this is definitely a two-way principle. It is important to know that you need each other to achieve the best possible result. I believe that TenneT acts in a way that enables suppliers to give their best and thus achieve the best possible result.

How do you maintain a good work-life balance?

I really enjoy going for a walk at lunchtime to clear my head. But my real relaxation comes from mountain biking - it's the perfect way to let off steam. What's more, the combination of a mixed workload and a four-day week contributes greatly to a good work-life balance.

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If you have any questions or would like to have more information, please leave your question as a comment below the article. 👇