Learning Through Experience: Monument Engineer Redesigns Career Path with Business Development Focus to Pursue Unique Opportunities
March 18th, 2024
When Bram De Maesschalck decided to join our team as Production Engineer two years ago, he knew Monument was a company where he could make an immediate impact and be a true driver of change. Having grown accustomed to the inflexibility of a big corporate structure at his previous company, he now had the support and authority to take his career growth into his own hands. And just this past September, he was given the opportunity to do just that in a new, exciting way.
“I was looking for a change from production engineering, and Monument helped make that vision a reality,” Bram explained. “When a colleague in Business Development Management in commercial left on maternity leave, Monument leadership gave me the opportunity to step into the role.”
The transition happened quickly, so Bram needed to hit the ground running. And he credits his experience as Production Engineer for being able to handle it so well.
“There was no overlap between roles, so I had to be quick on my feet,“ Bram shared. “While the two roles are completely different, they’re very similar at the core. As an engineer working in the factory, you’re at the center of supply chain, maintenance, and operations — coordinating to produce chemicals as quickly and effectively as possible while guaranteeing the quality. A business development manager sits in the same position between these internal teams and the client to make sure we can execute on their goals. And coming from production gave me a deeper understanding of what those teams need to be successful. ”
While Bram’s production experience helped him make an immediate positive impact, it was everything he didn’t know that he appreciates most about the opportunity.
“Working in the field, you’re forced to have tunnel vision,” Bram shared. “Your job doesn’t start until the moment the raw material arrives on the site, and your focus is getting a quality product out fast. We problem-solve on a very micro-basis, evaluating the very intricate components of the process that make us more efficient. But in business development, this problem-solving starts from that initial conversation with the customer. Having those early discussions and brainstorming with R&D to figure out how we can be a solution to our customers’ specific needs helped broaden my perspective and see the bigger picture. It opened my eyes to the challenges our business development managers face and how we can better support them.”
As of January, Bram’s temporary role in Business Development has come to an end, but his career goals stayed top of mind for Monument. In fact, leadership has since created a whole new position for Bram in procurement and operational excellence.
“I now get to help uncover cost-effective solutions and optimize how we work on the buying side,” Bram said. “With this new role, I now have experience on all sides of our operations — from buying to selling to production — which has given me invaluable insight. I know how our sites work, what our production teams need, and what our strengths are — so I can make better decisions for the company. I believe that learning on the job is the best way to do it, and I think my experiences over the last few months are proof of that! I am grateful for Monument’s support and the opportunity to develop my career in a way that fulfills me most.”