You are in charge of what you want to achieve

“After I got my degree, I entered Rabobank as a Financial Trainee in Wholesale & Rural. During this program, you work on multiple assignments in Finance. And now, years later, I'm still working there. I’ve had all kinds of roles in the Finance domain at Rabobank, from Management Accounting, Business Management, managerial positions, and Business Controller.”

“I am now Senior Business Controller for the FEC department, where, with a small team, I help management with operational and strategic decisions based on financial data. An example? Think about how the IT department can simplify and improve some of an analyst's work. What does that mean for that department’s cost development? How do you implement the necessary adjustments? I give advice on this based on figures.”

Content challenges

“As a Business Controller, you are placed in a particular department. As a consultant, you are part of the management team. You really have to earn your place there, because you have an independent role and position within the team. Before I joined FEC, I was assigned to IT. Well, I really didn't know anything about that,” Jan-Wijbrand laughed. “But there, they said they’d teach me.”

“That's the beauty of this profession. You really become immersed in the content, you learn how people do their work and what's going on within a particular domain. At FEC, I want to understand what the analysts are working on and what makes files complex. The better you understand how a department works, the easier it is to explain your message to the management team. You can make judgements purely from a cost perspective, but then it’s hard to get the story across because it requires nuance.”

“What also helps to create nuance is that teams within Rabobank are becoming increasingly diverse. Diversity is an important issue for me. So many people with different backgrounds and cultures work here—I see it in my own team. Diversity improves quality, I think. The more diverse a team, the more different perspectives, ideas, and skills you have at your disposal.”

A basis of trust

Skills a Business Controller should have, according to Jan-Wijbrand: “Practically speaking, strong analytical skills and the ability to solve complex problems. In addition, you need to be able to get your message across clearly, have strong communication skills, and also have the courage to show it. You need all that to join the discussion with management.”

“But the basis is trust. Sometimes the message is not easy when it comes to budgets or targets. Then it is important that everyone be open and transparent and that you know what you can expect from each other. If that trust is there, then people are also willing to have the more difficult conversations.”

“Trust isn’t a given. I find asking my colleagues for feedback helpful. What do they think I do well, and what can I work on? These questions help me grow. I am not afraid to ask them and be confronted with what my colleagues think. Honest answers are the instructive ones. I’ve noticed that my colleagues are also asking for more feedback now. It's nice if I can help them along. You are responsible for what you want to achieve and you have to go after it yourself.”

Getting involved in society

Jan-Wijbrand’s work spills over into his personal life too, in a positive way. “Rabobank is very involved with local entrepreneurs and organizations. Volunteer work and other social initiatives (https://www.rabobank.nl/leden/clubsupport) are really encouraged. Among others, I am treasurer of the youth committee of my children's hockey club.”

“Sport – especially team sports – are important for children. You do it together, you win together, you lose together. I coached my daughter's hockey team for a while, and I myself play in the 30+. I love it! Just being involved in the game for an hour and a half is pure relaxation.”

“I was asked to join the committee because of my financial expertise and was keen to do it. People these days are often too busy to volunteer. Rabobank is not only about making a profit, you are truly encouraged to do something for society. That makes it a great organization for me.”