High-Tech Project Management Consultancy: The Story Behind GHYSELS' Transformation

First the Problem, Then the Professional

GHYSELS began as a traditional recruitment agency, but Bart quickly realized that companies often need specific knowledge and expertise to address challenges and progress. Bart says, 'Many companies consider posting a job vacancy when they face a specific challenge. Usually, they don't have the in-house expertise to solve it. Or the company is on the brink of a major innovation, doing something different than they've always done. A logical step is to attract specialists who are already experienced in the new direction.'

GHYSELS is too independent to be a you-say-we-turn recruitment agency and has actually operated as a consultant and valuable advisor since its inception, first focusing on the problem statement and then looking for a suitable solution. Bart says, 'We carefully listen to the client's needs and provide customized solutions by selecting the right project manager who fits perfectly with the specific situation and growth ambitions of the organization.'

Most Common Issues in High-Tech Project Management

GHYSELS has launched a range of new services to assist organizations in the growth and development of high-tech companies. This includes, among other things:

1. Resolving Innovation Challenges

When an organization lacks innovation knowledge, GHYSELS can deploy the right expert to bring new perspectives and ideas.

Our experience shows that these are sought-after positions for project managers. They seek challenges and are eager to make a significant contribution. Innovation projects are often ones you can put a bow on.

CEOs often approach Bart to brainstorm about the right resources to make innovation successful. Bart says, 'Recently, I was in discussions at VDL ETS (Enabling Transport Solutions). This company is part of the Dutch industrial family business VDL Groep. VDL Groep is an international company focused on the development, production, and sale of technical components, buses and coaches, and industrial products and systems. As diesel buses will soon be a thing of the past, they want to convert them into a platform for electric buses. A deadline has been set to achieve this switch. The management faces an urgent problem because there is no one within the current organization who can handle this. In a conversation, I then discover exactly who they are looking for. In this case, someone with expertise in automotive development within bus construction.'

2. Stakeholder Management

If a project gets stuck due to miscommunication or trust issues, GHYSELS can select a consultant who can get the project back on track. Bart says, 'These kinds of escalations happen regularly. GHYSELS is then called with the request if we know someone who can regain trust. Sometimes, the pain within an organization is too great to solve it from within. External assistance is often the solution to regain control of the project. In our network, there are many project managers who excel in and enjoy tackling such challenges. For example, we placed consultant and project leader Marc Groothedde (read his story here), who is a living example of how to restore communication effectively.'

Read here the tips from our coach Karin Rosch on an effective approach to stakeholder management.

3. Organizational Development and Structuring

GHYSELS can assist in the maturation of project management within an organization. We help, among other things, in establishing a new Project Management Office (PMO) to bring structure to an organization's project management and optimize project execution.

Bart says, 'We often see that organizations are eager to work in a project-oriented manner but still need to grow in that direction. Our project managers, whether temporary or permanent, can kickstart this maturation process in a short time. This is because we rigorously select them for this purpose and also because we provide coaching during execution. Every placed project manager receives standard coaching from Karin Rosch at GHYSELS. We consciously invest in this because we believe that every project manager, like a top athlete, deserves a coach.'

A great example of how both the placed project manager and the company benefited is the story of Robbert-Jan. Bart says, 'When Robbert-Jan van Berkel went for an interview at VECO for a project manager position through us, he came home with a job as the manager of the project team. They asked him if he could please elevate project management to a higher level at the manufacturer of micro-precision metal parts. The goal was to deliver even more quality to existing and new customers, improve time-to-market, and handle projects more efficiently.' Robbert-Jan had not done this before, but he gained confidence, partly because of the support and coaching he received from us. And successfully, read Robbert-Jan’s story here!

4. International Challenges and Intercultural Communication

GHYSELS assists in finding consultants who can handle complex international projects and understand the challenges of intercultural communication.

A great example of this is the placement of Dries de Beleir. Currently, through GHYSELS, he is serving as an interim project manager for various projects at the international technology company Frencken Group. He is doing something quite remarkable there, namely rolling out an international project without substantive knowledge in a short time. How? By applying universal principles such as scope management and team building. According to Dries, these universal rules apply regardless of the company, industry, or culture you work in. Bart says, 'Dries wanted to work as a freelancer. Frencken was looking for a decisive candidate who doesn't get flustered. Someone who can handle the pressure of a new factory in China and process setup. The two were matched through us, and the beautiful part is: Frencken found a solution to a problem, and Dries has a superb first challenge as an interim.'

Bart expects that the way Dries manages this project will be beneficial for the company. 'With his international experience, Dries helps the Chinese and the Dutch understand each other. This builds more trust, smoother collaboration, and hence, more profit.'

5. Industrialization and Scaling Up

For organizations aiming to grow and increase their production capacity, GHYSELS can provide consultants with expertise in efficiently scaling up processes and production lines.

An example: A bus manufacturer develops an electric platform, fully inspired by the racing industry in terms of composite material selection. It is successful, transitioning from a start-up to a scale-up. Bart says, 'Scaling up from 50 professionals to 900 people in a short time is a significant challenge. Someone needs to be able to provide direction and think innovatively in this process. Such rapid growth causes unexpected situations. To manage this properly, you need a robust type of project manager. In the Better Call Saul category, we are called to ask if we know someone for the job.'

A similar challenge we recently received was from a company looking to scale up the production line from 2 buses per day to 10 buses per day. Bart says, 'This means a lot for the production line and assembly. You have to organize the machinery differently, instruct professionals differently. This can be streamlined more quickly if you bring in someone who guides the professionals through it and has experience with scaling up personnel within high tech.'

Accelerate Growth and Development?

GHYSELS has evolved into a reliable partner for organizations looking to accelerate their growth and development. We strive for long-term collaborations with companies and candidates. Specializing in project management within high tech and continuously learning from project management and organizations, we provide quick and accurate solutions. We work closely with our clients and conduct regular evaluation and coaching sessions to ensure that expectations on both sides are exceeded. GHYSELS also contributes to the further professionalization of project management within high tech by organizing knowledge events and publishing monthly blogs, where project managers share their knowledge and experience about the profession.

Interested to learn more? Contact us!