Name: Valerie van der Spree
CEMS home school: Rotterdam School of Management
CEMS host school: WU Vienna
First NGC project: BEAD Technologies
Current job title & company: Data Science & Management Consultant at Celonis
Can you tell us a little bit about you?
I am Dutch but I moved to Spain when I was 11. At the time this was like the worst thing that I could have imagined but now I would not be able to imagine my life any differently. Thanks to this I got an international education, met my boyfriend, and learned to speak three languages fluently.
I studied business in the UK, worked in Supply Chain for two years at a super cool vegan start-up in London, and now just completed my CEMS master in Rotterdam and Vienna. I love traveling, learning about new cultures, and exploring new cuisines. I also love cooking and doing any type of sports in my free time, like surfing, tennis or padel.
One of the things I am most passionate about is sustainability and how we can change small things in our lives to become more sustainable. I would love to work in this in my professional career in the future and it is one of the main reasons why I joined NGC!
Can you tell us a fun fact about yourself?
I have an Instagram account where I share vegan recipes (@valsveganlife). In the future, I would love to make a cookbook, open a café and become a professional food photographer.
How did you first get involved with NGC?
I applied for a student consultant position for the BEAD Technologies project in 2020. I saw it as a great opportunity to learn more about smart cities and to help a startup that is investing in technology to make commercial buildings greener and more sustainable.
What made you join the NGC board?
I absolutely love what NGC stands for; helping startups and nonprofits that support social and environmental causes. Being a student consultant and seeing how much we could actually help such a company with our knowledge and research was amazing! Towards the end of my project, the project manager announced that a PM position opened up. I applied and interviewed for it but we started talking about the marketing position pretty quickly. It fit really well with my profile and the next day I was asked to join the board as the Marketing Manager!
What does your role at NGC entail? And how is it working together with a team of volunteers?
As the Marketing Manager, I am responsible for the NGC website and social channels. I regularly post on LinkedIn and Facebook, update the website with new projects, consultants and blog posts, and I am responsible for maintaining the alumni community.
We also have a monthly board meeting in which we share updates, progress and next steps between the board members. For marketing, this involves a yearly or bi-annual marketing analysis and strategy on our online presence.
I absolutely love working together with the team! Since the beginning, everyone has been very welcoming, open and supportive. It's great to work with like-minded people who are all working together towards a greater good.
What do you do for your full-time job?
I haven't actually started my full-time job yet (but will soon!). In the past I have worked both in consulting and in the food industry, I did an internship at HelloFresh when they were still a startup, I did another internship at Accenture, worked for The Coconut Collaborative for two years in supply chain, and just completed my CEMS internship at Oliver Wyman. I really love data analysis and making companies more sustainable, so hopefully, this will be fostered in the job I am starting soon!
Is it easy to manage your role at NGC at the same time? Do you have any tips on how to juggle these responsibilities?
It requires some planning in advance and good coordination with the rest of the team. Marketing is responsible for the project updates on social, as well as recruiting posts and any other posts. For example, when we're recruiting I work closely together with HR, or when we are looking for new clients I need to coordinate this with Business Development. As the workload is relatively small, it only takes a few hours per week, I usually just sit down one evening or a weekend morning to do the updates and that's it. And the outcome is totally worth it!
What have been some of the best moments at NGC?
After being the Marketing Manager for a couple of months I worked really hard on putting together a thorough and sound analysis of all our channels, as well as some propositions on what we could do next. The appreciation for all the work and effort I put into this was so huge, it just makes me love even more what I do!
Has your role at NGC helped you in your professional career? And if so, how?
Yes, definitely. I think doing some volunteering on the side, especially in consulting really helps your CV stand out, as well as adding lots of skills! It shows that you are passionate about certain topics, that you are proactive and it gives you a great experience to talk about in interviews. I would definitely recommend doing it to further your career as well!
Do you have any tips for students thinking about applying to NCG?
Join us! It has been one of the best decisions I’ve made. When applying, show what you are passionate about and just be yourself! Also, feel free to get in touch with me on LinkedIn if you have any questions :)