'They sometimes throw you in at the deep end here, but also pull you over to the side in time'

"I started at Vencomatic Group in 2010, right after my HAS specialization in animal husbandry. I even started working before the end of my graduation, they were looking for a manager for subsidiary KempenKip. I was supported by the experienced staff there, but I was also given a lot of freedom to learn."

Freek Leijten is Product Manager at Vencomatic Group, he likes his job a lot. Mainly because of the freedom: "They sometimes throw you in the deep here, but also pull you aside in time. You are allowed to make mistakes and learn, which says a lot about a company."

What does a product manager do?

"As a Product Manager, you are responsible for part of the product range. You manage the existing product portfolio, follow trends in the market and implement product improvements. You also look at business cases and launch them internally and externally. You are a spider in the web as Product Manager, you also need everyone’s help. That's also a challenge sometimes."

"It's a varied job, partly because of all the contacts and the balance between the inside and outside world. There has to be a market for new ideas, but you also have to switch faster and faster to keep up with the market. You have to know what is going on with the customers and see the challenges and solve them. We also get a lot of freedom in this, from colleagues but also from the management. But you have to do it yourself."

What does a Product Manager's working day look like?

"My working days are different every time. There are long-term projects we support, but there may also be issues from the field that need to be looked at immediately. I also do a lot of customer visits, we are not in meetings with colleagues all day. You also learn a lot from customers about the practice, what is going on. You have to take colleagues with you in that, too, so that they know what changes mean for them. You have to connect all the threads."

"Vencomatic is a great company, especially because it is an approachable family business. You can also share your problems here, they always listen. Management is always open to improvements here and they give you a lot of freedom, but you have to be able to deal with that. If you can find your way in that, you have a top employer."
"As an employer they put people first here, they make sure employees are comfortable in their own skin and can do their work well. They really invest in that."

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