Nicole Engels, Global Director Centre Of Expertise

I started working at DVJ in September 2021, after having previously worked at NPO as Manager Public Research & Marketing Intelligence where I managed several teams. Through my experience in different jobs, I can combine my knowledge and skills and use them as Director Centre of Expertise. I know DVJ from my previous positions where we worked together on research projects. But also from participating in events and through former colleagues who started working at DVJ before me. When I got contacted for this opening, I did not have to think twice!

Open-minded

I wanted to work at DVJ because I liked the connection with science and the international aspect. The position also seemed to suit me because several fields of expertise I have worked in converge: marketing & communication, science & analytics, and innovation. But equally important: there is also a ‘fit’ with the organisation. There is an open-minded and positive atmosphere. There is an opportunity to try out new things, whether it is new communication formats or testing new question methods. We have connections with several universities where we bridge the gap between science and practice. DVJ finances a PhD position at the University of Groningen, and we work a lot with students on cases or meta-analyses on, for example, advertising effects.

The contact and communication between colleagues are low key and informal. We have people with all sorts of different backgrounds and that makes it fun to work together. We have lunch with everyone in the breakroom so you always sit with your colleagues and you don’t talk just about work.

Sometimes it is all about small improvements, other times it is about developing completely new concepts

Centre Of Expertise

The Centre of Expertise is responsible for three areas: building knowledge within the organisation, sharing knowledge externally, and product development & innovation. Building up knowledge includes, for example, developing training courses for colleagues and facilitating client projects. Our senior science & analytics methodologists help the research teams both reactively and proactively to cross-sector, country, and brand issues of clients. They perform meta-analyses on large data sets to provide even deeper insights, benchmarks, and recommendations to clients. Our annual Brand Growth Study amongst more than 2,000 marketing and insight professionals across Europe is also an important element in building and sharing knowledge internally and with clients.

We create a lot of great content like articles, expert interviews, blogs, white papers and case studies and share all that knowledge with our clients and the market. We also give guest lectures and workshops at various colleges and universities.

Furthermore, organising and facilitating product development & innovation is part of the Centre Of Expertise. Innovation is high on the agenda within DVJ, everyone within DVJ can participate in innovation and the optimization of projects. Sometimes it is all about small improvements, other times it is about developing completely new concepts on which we base ourselves on science, practice, and data.

What would you like to say to potential colleagues?

That they should come and work here, haha. The openness you have here is very nice and if you want something you can actually get it done. Do you have a good idea? Do it. Small improvements in the process or an entirely new project? Speak up. It makes and keeps the work fun and interesting.