- People
- 03/04/2025
Behind the Scenes | Jolanda, front office Real Estate
Keeping a university running is no easy feat. It takes a lot of hands to make sure everything is in order, from administration to cleaning and from security to technical maintenance. Who are the unsung heroes behind the scenes keeping everything on track? Today: Jolanda Wouters-Heuveling, front office coordinator at Real Estate.
Real Estate (RE) is not a department that every member of the TU/e community comes into contact with. This service is responsible for all real estate and the 75-hectare TU/e campus. Because of this, RE tasks often seem to take place in the background, but that doesn’t make them any less important. If you ever have a question for RE, chances are that Jolanda Wouters-Heuveling will be the one to assist you. “As the front office, we are the key link within RE.”
What time do you clock in?
“I basically always start at 8 AM. I’m an early bird, so that’s no problem for me. I usually get up at a quarter past five in the morning, hop on my bicycle around seven and arrive on campus a little after 7:30. It’s on the early side, but I take that time to chat with colleagues who are already there, make sure the soup is ready for lunch, and unload the dishwasher before I start my workday.”
What does your job involve exactly?
“I am the coordinator of the front office and secretariat at the RE department. The front office receives all customer inquiries for RE. These include small maintenance requests, for example to have a wall painted, complaints about nuisance caused by renovations, or building-related malfunctions such as electricity problems. But we also receive requests for more complex tasks at the front office, like converting entire spaces. Basically, anything that is attached to the building falls under our scope. Things that are not attached, like your desk or chair, still fall under the Facility Management Center (FMC). To make it easier for students and staff, RE and FMC will merge and continue as Campus & Facilities as of July 1.”
“My colleagues and I ensure that all these questions are directed to the relevant departments so that they can be addressed. That way, we serve as the key link within RE. Within the front office team itself, I am the coordinator. That means I have additional tasks such as ensuring that everyone works according to the same procedures and organizing the schedules. I have the same coordination tasks for the secretariat.”
The text continues below the photo.
“In addition to handling customer inquiries, we also help our RE colleagues with administrative support at the front office. We request a lot of quotes, process orders, and take care of the invoices. We do the same for the leasing department, but there, the administrative work mainly consists of drawing up and managing lease contracts and getting them signed. Think of the Alpha building, for example; we lease several of its offices to startups. Just like the Euflex office or the hair salon on campus.”
“And finally, we also handle some of the smaller outdoor events. Events with up to 150 attendees. Especially in spring and summer, many students and employees want to organize barbecues and drinks parties on campus. We check whether that’s possible and what is needed to make it happen.”
What led you to this job?
“I started here five years ago. I had a different job before this, but I was looking for something new and preferably closer to home. This position immediately appealed to me. I was especially interested in the coordinating aspect – being the central point of contact and making sure everything runs smoothly, because I love organizing things. That is how I ended up here.”
“And I still really enjoy it, because I’m still being challenged. I contribute to many different projects and I recently completed a training course on how to make processes more efficient and effective. That will certainly come in handy with the merger between RE and FMC.”
What is the best part of your job?
“I really enjoy the variety of contacts I have. RE consists of about seventy to eighty employees, so it’s quite a large department. And as I mentioned, I love organizing things and solving problems, which naturally means I consult a lot. Solving problems and helping colleagues also gives me a real sense of satisfaction. The people and challenges are what makes my job so much fun. As long as they keep challenging me, I’m here to stay.”
And the least enjoyable part?
“That’s difficult to say. If I really had to pick something, I’d probably say leasing. Mainly because I don’t work in that department. I have two colleagues who handle that very well together. Sometimes I help them out with administrative tasks of the contracts when it’s busy or someone is not available. It doesn’t give me as much energy as what I usually do, organizing things and solving problems, but I do like being able to pitch in when needed.”
What time do you clock out?
“I finish at 4:30, the same time the front office phone line closes. But I’m not the type to stop working right on the dot. I just finish whatever I’m working on. And then I still have to put away my mug, pack my bag, and say goodbye to my colleagues. By then, it’s usually a quarter to five, or 5 PM.”
What do you do off the clock?
“I occasionally go for a motorcycle ride. Only on sunny days, though. I’m a “fair-weather rider”. I do that with my husband; we take weekend motorbike trips together. I also really enjoy baking, though it’s not that good for my waistline. One of my favorite things to make is bokkenpootjes cookies. They don’t look as pretty as the ones from the store, of course, but that’s the charm of homemade treats.”
Discussion