Sanne van den Haak
Project manager for public transport infrastructure
At her best when things get challenging
No assignment is too big or too complex for Sanne van den Haak, project manager for Infra OV (public transport infrastructure) at BAM Infra Nederland. ‘I tackle urgent projects when things get challenging. At times like that, you really need each other and must be able to rely on each other.’
She grew up in Bunnik, so she knew BAM's headquarters. It was then that she decided she wanted to work for BAM at some point. ‘I actually don't really know why, and without civil engineering training I didn't even know if it would be possible.’ After studying Political and Communication Sciences, she worked for an agency that specialises in constructing schools. ‘I took on variety of positions and activities there. I gave workshops to help people draw up a schedule of requirements but also carried out site supervision, legal trajectories and the supervision of tenders.’ It was the desire to work closer to home that brought her to ProRail. ‘I started out as a planner of major projects. Later, I also started to do risk management for them and then became a project manager, among other things for the construction of stations.’
Just build
For her work, Sanne had several discussion partners at the table. ‘From the municipality and the architect to local residents and nature lovers.’ Although it was interesting, she also noticed that a lot of time was spent on finding consensus. ‘I just wanted to build. All that time spent negotiating things I considered minor, such as the colour of a banister, doesn’t sit well with me.’ Within ProRail, there was room for manoeuvre and a function that proved a good match. Sanne started working in the port area of Rotterdam. ‘There, the focus lies on safety and whether things work. I also enjoyed the pace and the construction work. There was a lot of overdue maintenance and a lot had to be done. It was the best working time of my life, but it took a lot of energy. I made friends, but also enemies in order to make the impossible possible in the installation of fire-extinguishing facilities at five port sites.’
Other side of the table
Just as hard as she is building the Netherlands, Sanne is also building her own career. ‘At a certain point, I decided that I wanted to sit on the other side of the table to better understand how things work on both sides and how they can be improved together. To move from client to contractor. I had already had good experiences with BAM in my time with ProRail, so I decided to apply there.’
Since 1 December, Sanne has been working as a project manager for public transport infrastructure, including for the heavy rail department. ‘We do all the jobs involving the renovation or new construction of railways. Not all the assignments I work on are as large as the fire-extinguishing facilities, by the way. For example, for the NS, we are currently installing smart cameras along the track that can scan trains at track section speed for defects so they no longer have to be taken out of circulation every 48 hours. It’s a great innovation in the field of digitisation.’
Transparent
Sanne likes the times in her job when things get challenging and you have to work together to resolve issues. ‘At times like that, you need to be able to rely on each other and trust each other. Cooperation becomes very important.’ What is her strength in these moments? ‘I always see what is possible. I am creative, think in terms of possibilities and am a good communicator. I’m very good at conveying why we are doing what we are doing. I’m also very transparent and open. Let us not forget that I am very much working in a man’s world. Of the sixteen project leaders at Infra OV, I’m the only woman. Why is that? I think these were jobs in which you worked long hours, especially in the construction industry in the past. Now you can also see this changing at BAM. I work full-time, but if my child has a play on a Friday morning, I'll be there!’
Would the construction world benefit from more women? ‘I really don't care who I work with, but I am a woman. I think that women have the courage to show their soft side more. To be transparent and vulnerable. More than men, at least. These are important qualities, especially for urgent projects. Nobody has a monopoly on truth. I enjoy the fact that I am helping to build the Netherlands. At home, you can paint a wall and look at it with a sense of satisfaction. If your construction projects are even bigger, you can enjoy them even more. That makes me proud.’
