Who am I?

Hello! My name is Jenny Vestin and I work as a project manager at Holmen Forest in Örnsköldsvik. This week it’s my turn to write Holmen’s employee blog.

I’m originally from Sweden’s West coast, but ended up in Örnsköldsvik a few years ago after studying leadership, organisation and marketing up in Umeå. Before I settled here in ‘Övik’, my husband and I (and later our two daughters) lived in Oslo, where I worked in the fitness industry before zeroing in on project management in its various guises. I have a long floorball career behind me, but nowadays most of my free time is taken up by my children and their leisure activities. Socialising and having fun with friends is also important to me – it really makes me feel energised.

 

 

My workplace

As a project manager in Development and Innovation, I’m currently part of a large project to streamline work processes by improving working practices and system solutions.

Our section works closely with the rest of the organisation to ensure that our development initiatives achieve the best possible results. There are seven of us in my section, but I work with around 30 other people on my project. Getting to work with so many different and talented colleagues is an incredibly fun experience and I learn a lot.

 

 

What does a working day look like?

My working day usually begins with a cup of coffee, checking in with my colleagues in the adjacent offices and then reviewing what’s meant to be happening that day. Several times a week, our team has a 20-minute online stand-up meeting in the morning to kickstart our work for the day and to get a sense of where we are and what the day’s priorities should be. The people involved in the project are spread across almost the whole of Sweden, so the vast majority of meetings are online, on Teams.

As a project manager, a big part of my job is about thinking ahead and having a plan for what to do when and how.

The project adopts an agile approach, which means that we try to think in new ways, be flexible, and change quickly if something needs to be improved. This means that my day can be very varied and sometimes unpredictable. Obviously, this way of working and the project itself are challenging, but at the same time incredibly interesting and exciting.

 

 

Why Holmen?

As a newcomer to Övik, I started working as a project management consultant, and was lucky enough to end up at Holmen for my first assignment. On my very first day at the Holmen office, I was given an incredibly warm welcome, both by my project colleagues and by other employees. When an in-house project manager role was advertised a year or so later, applying made instant sense to me because of the great working environment I’d experienced and all the fantastic colleagues. I got the job and have now been employed here for about eighteen months.

As an employer, Holmen has given me a very good impression of the forestry industry. For me as an employee, the fact that themes such as gender equality and inclusion are worked on continuously is a sign of an employer that takes responsibility and pursues a healthy work culture.

What I love most about Holmen, though, is my colleagues. They make me enjoy going to work, give me new insights and teach me new things every day!

 

That’s it from me

My department draws together a wide range of experience and training. It’s nice to be able to give my perspective as a ‘non-forester’ on what my workplace and working day is like.

Thanks for joining me and reading the blog. See you!

 

 

5 quick questions with Jenny

Sea or forest 

Running or cycling 

Morning workout or evening workout 

Work in a team or work independently 

Caravan or hotel