I appreciate that many colleagues have been working at RE&F for a long time, this provides a lot of knowledge and continuity within the team
Sam Neijman
Account Manager Educational Housing at RE&F
Sam Neijman is 29 years old and has been working as an Account Manager Education Housing at Real Estate & Facilities since the beginning of 2024. She is responsible for sub-housing and coordinates supply and demand: the required number of rooms and study places, but also the layout and facilities in the study areas.
'During my studies in International Facility Management and work experience, I learned a lot about making optimal use of spaces and creating a functional working environment', Sam says. 'I worked as a project manager at various organisations and noticed that I didn't just wanted to give advice, but also wanted to have a real impact within a large organisation. When I came across this position on LinkedIn, I saw the perfect opportunity to realise that wish.'
The wishes and needs of students
An important part of Sam's work is analysing the demand for teaching spaces. 'We use a model in which faculties provide their expected student numbers, group sizes and contact hours. Based on this, we determine the room needs and adjust the supply - if necessary and possible (taking into account financial possibilities and efficient and sustainable use of the rooms). In addition, there are qualitative issues, such as how rooms should be furnished to meet the needs of students and teachers.' In order to map out student needs, students are actively approached and questioned through online surveys and the recent start of "coffee moments".
'My team consists of three account managers and four employees who support us with projects. The working atmosphere is informal and pleasant. There is a good balance between hard work and fun, and I appreciate that many colleagues have been working at RE&F for a long time. That way there is a lot of knowledge and continuity within the team.'
'The collaboration with different stakeholders makes the work interesting'
What surprised Sam about working at a university is that it is much more dynamic than she had anticipated. 'People warned me that it might be boring compared to working at commercial organisations, but that turns out not to be the case at all', Sam states. 'A lot happens and the collaboration with different stakeholders makes the work interesting.'
'The most valuable thing about my work is that I contribute to an optimal learning environment for students. The university setting really appeals to me, and I see myself developing further here in the coming years by building more expertise and making an even better connection between educational needs and facilities.'