HI FRANK, CAN YOU TELL OUR READERS A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF?

Hello! My name is Frank Haverkort and I work as an Engineering Manager within the Digital Experience domain. In this role I focus on the applications that shape how customers connect with Essent including web, app, email and push communication channels. I live in Rosmalen, have been together with my girlfriend Inge for 23 years now and am a proud father of two daughters Alix (11) and Roos (9).

WHAT SPARKED YOUR INTEREST IN THE IT FIELD?

My career path has been anything but linear, which is something I truly appreciate. I began my professional journey in customer satisfaction research, where I helped primarily European retailers & the automotive industry gain a deeper understanding of their customers.
Over time, transitioning into IT felt like a natural next step. I discovered that I enjoyed working at the intersection of product, customer experience, and technology. I started as a Scrum Master at Essent, where I developed a strong passion for continuous improvement. Along the way, opportunities presented themselves naturally. Including stepping in for colleague Engineering Manager Freek Lijten who went on sabbatical, which opened new doors for my career development.

HAVE ANY PEOPLE OR INFLUENCES SIGNIFICANTLY SHAPED YOUR CAREER?

Throughout my career I have been fortunate to work with people who were willing to provide honest and constructive feedback. Their openness had a meaningful impact on my personal and professional growth.
I have also been inspired by a neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) course I did back in 2009. Particularly the principle of observing and learning from people who excel in their field. Adopting practices and behaviors that align with specific situations has been an incredibly valuable approach for me

HOW DID YOU COME TO WORK AT ESSENT?

My journey to Essent started in an unexpected way. Three times a week I would drive past Essent late in the evening on my way home from my previous job in Antwerp. I noticed that the lights were always still on, which struck me as unusual at that hour especially for an energy company. At the time I had no idea that so many call center employees were still working late into the evening. At the same time I was also an Essent customer dealing with a complaint that kept circulating without resolution. Given my background in customer experience I was like: “Is this Essent? Really?”. I wasn’t really happy with what I did in my previous job and found an open position at Essent. I wrote a letter and attached all documentation I had received as a customer with the ask to have a chat about the entire situation to see if we could learn a thing or two. That conversation eventually led to me joining Essent. Once inside the organisation, I discovered a much stronger customer-focused culture than I had initially experienced from the outside.

WHAT EXCITED YOU MOST ABOUT JOINING ESSENT?

Before joining Essent, I traveled extensively for work. I was ready for a role closer to home and curious to experience working within a larger corporate environment.
Most importantly, I was excited by the opportunity to improve the customer experience from within the organisation and contribute directly to meaningful change.

WHAT DOES YOU CURRENT ROLE INVOLVE?

As an Engineering Manager, I see myself first and foremost as a people manager. My main responsibility is to support the well-being of engineers and Scrum Masters while creating an environment where they can excel.
In addition, I oversee budgeting and make thoughtful decisions about investments in teams, talent and tooling. I also collaborate closely with Product Managers and our Lead Solution Architect to ensure we deliver secure, high-quality software that remains maintainable over time.

HOW HAS YOUR ROLE EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS?

I started at Essent as a coordinator within Customer Operations, in a position somewhere between a Product Owner and Scrum Master. From there, my focus on continuous improvement guided my career progression. I moved into roles as Scrum Master, Agile Coach, briefly served as a.i. Engineering Manager and eventually transitioned into the role permanently.

WHAT HAS SURPRISED YOU MOST ABOUT YOUR WORK?

The people have been the most pleasant surprise. I work alongside highly skilled and dedicated professionals every day. While technology is important, it is ultimately the people behind it who make the greatest impact.

CAN YOU HIGHLIGHT A SPECIFIC ACCOMPLISHMPENT THAT YOU FEEL HAS BEEN PIVOTAL IN YOUR CAREER HERE?

One of the most impactful achievements in my time at Essent was transforming an entire It department from a component-based structure into feature teams.
We organised a large self-managing workshop involving around 100 people. Based on their skills and interests, colleagues selected the teams where they could contribute most effectively during multiple iterations. This resulted in the formation o six end-to-end feature teams. The outcome was stronger collaboration, faster delivery, reduced coordination overhead and shorter lead times.
Another milestone I am proud of was being asked to step into the Engineering Manager role and build my team from the ground up.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE CULTURE WITHIN YOUR TEAM OR DEPARTMENT?

Trust is central to our culture and for me that starts with congruency: saying what you do and doing what you say.
Transparency is equally important. Being clear about our goals, priorities, and decisions helps everyone stay aligned.

WHAT SKILLS OR ATTRIBUYES DO YOU THINK ARE CRUCIAL FOR ANYONE IN YOUR ROLE?

Success in this role requires being both product- and IT-oriented. It is important to understand not only how something is built, but also why it is being built and whose experience it improves.
Strong collaboration with product teams and stakeholders is essential, as is alignment between architecture and engineering. A data-driven, problem-solving mindset is highly valuable. Remaining calm under pressure and addressing concerns openly are equally important. If something feels off, it is usually worth discussing.

WHAT ASPECT OF YOUR JOB DO YOU FIND THE MOST REWARDING?

I find the greatest satisfaction in working behind the scenes and enabling others to succeed. Creating an environment where people can thrive, grow, and excel in areas they care about is deeply rewarding. Watching team members shine in projects or develop professionally is one of the best parts of my job.

ARE THERE ANY HABITS OR ROUTINES YOU'VE ESTABLISHED THAT CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR EFFECTIVENESS?

I try not to accept information at face value. Instead, I prefer to look at situations from multiple perspectives before forming my own opinion and voicing it.
I also strongly believe in knowing when to pivot and when to persevere. Not every idea works out and sometimes the wisest decision is to let go early and focus energy elsewhere.
Additionally, because of Arjen de Ruiter, I am a strong supporter of Obeya-style working. Having a clear visual overview helps me stay focused, grounded and aligned with our goals.

CAN YOU SHARE A FUN FACT ABOUT YOURSELF THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW?

I am a big fan of Disney classics, especially Robin Hood and The Jungle Book. I have watched them so often that I can practically retell them scene by scene.

WHAT COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT YOUR FIELD WOULD YOU LIEK TO DISPEL?

A common misconception is that IT is mainly about building exciting new features or products.
In reality, a large part of the work involves maintaining software, improving existing systems, ensuring compliance, strengthening security and keeping operations cost-efficient. There is a significant amount of important work happening behind the scenes.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUR YOUNGER SELF JUST STARTING OUT IN YOUR CAREER?

I would encourage my younger self to keep things in perspective and not treat everything with such gravity.
A principle that resonates strongly with me nowadays is “Rule Number 6” by Benjamin Zander. If you haven’t heard of it yet, try and Google it. There’s probably something in it you’ll recognise.

A huge thank you to Frank for taking the time to chat with us!