The story of Evelien Hesselink

No two days have been the same for Evelien Hesselink since joining TNO 5 years ago. 'The work I do is very dynamic and varied. The various aspects of the financial planning and control cycle keep me busy throughout the year. For example, there is the budget in the summer, and forecasting takes place several times a year. Other activities of mine include assessing investment applications, which I do a lot. And then there’s also the financial month-end closing at the end of every month.'

Ad hoc

'As the division controller, I’m the division director's financial sparring partner. I help with financial issues, provide insight into the financial performance, and share my thoughts and ideas on how to improve the division’s performance where necessary. I’m also a source of information for all kinds of colleagues from different departments. They often approach me with ad hoc questions, about things like management information, investments, and project-related aspects. The questions are always different, which makes them very interesting.'

Evelien enjoys her involvement in strategic and long-term projects. 'As a division controller, I take a helicopter view of the organisation in terms of knowledge, market, and operations. I love being able to contribute input at a higher level within TNO.'

Many interests at play

Evelien's career at TNO started in 2020 when she became a project controller in the Defence, Safety & Security Unit. She still works in the same unit now. As a project controller, she was involved in projects from start to end, so from the initial tenders up to and including completion. Her main job in the tender phase was to assess costs, risks, and financing. 'During the implementation phase, I consulted with others about the progress being made. As a project controller, my role was an advisory one and focused on finances and the associated risks.'

What did Evelien enjoy most about being a project controller? 'There are many different interests at play in projects, which means that there’s a diverse stakeholder base. So, I spent a lot of time discussing the financial progress of projects with project managers, business developers, and research managers. That's what I enjoyed most.'

Promotion

It wasn’t long before Evelien was promoted to the position of assistant unit controller. Her manager had put her name forward for the role. '’I know you can do it,’ I was told. So, I decided to go for it. I was definitely outside my comfort zone for a while; it was very different to being a project controller. For example, I’d never prepared financial statements before, but I was spurred on by my manager’s confidence in me. I really appreciated that. TNO sees the potential in their people and really listens to what they want.'

Besides her manager’s confidence in her, Evelien was also given plenty of training and education opportunities. Evelien has previously completed two training courses: 'Effective personal communication' and 'Learning to lead'. She is currently doing the Fast Track programme. “'his one-year internal programme is aimed at people who are taking the next step in their careers at TNO. It teaches you a lot about strategy and leadership.'

Making an impact

Before joining TNO, Evelien worked as a financial consultant for various companies. What made her decide that TNO was the employer for her? 'The work we do here has a huge social impact. Whatever it might involve – renewable electricity, predicting a new pandemic, or identifying food allergies – the outcome is always of vital importance to society. It’s fun to be able to see the work being done on all these fascinating subjects from up close. As a controller, I’m not as immersed in the content as much as other people are, but I do pick up a lot. For example, my unit (Defence, Safety & Security) is working very hard to make and keep the Netherlands safe.'

Choose what fits

Evelien would advise any finance professionals who aren’t sure whether TNO is right for them to go ahead and apply. “'NO is a very good employer. It gives its people plenty of career and training opportunities, and the subjects it covers are very diverse as well: ranging from baby food to military navigation technology. So, there’s a very big chance you’ll find yourself working on a subject that really captures your imagination. Roles vary as well. TNO employs scientists – of course – but also project managers, controllers, communications advisers and many other professionals. So make sure you apply for the vacancy that’s the best fit for you.'

Valuable

Evelien has learnt a lot in her time at TNO. 'Initially, you spend most of your time familiarising yourself with all the various processes. Now, I’ve progressed to an MT role. It's great to hear that colleagues value my advice and rely on me. It makes the work I do even more worthwhile.'