Meet Maaike.
My story..
Hi, I’m Maaike van der Post. I’m a People and Culture Strategist who loves helping organizations create places where people feel happy, connected, and able to grow.
I find it important to build on trust, bringing people together, and designing solutions that put people first.
On the personal side, life has been a bit of an adventure! 8.5 years ago, I met Alessio, my fiancé, when he helped me set up my WiFi (yes, it’s a real love story). Since then, we’ve built a life full of love, laughter, and furry friends – two bunnies, Cannella and Macchiato, and two horses, Isalottie and Parel-lyse.
Two years ago, we decided it was time for a change. Alessio and I packed up our life in the Netherlands and moved to Calmasino, a beautiful village between Verona and Lake Garda. The idea of being closer to family and friends, enjoying sunny weather, and living more outdoors sounded like a dream. And honestly, it’s been great!
My career started in Communication and Multimedia Design, but I quickly discovered my passion for people, culture, and teamwork. Through organizing Techstars Startup Weekends, I found that I loved helping people connect and collaborate, which led me into the world of people and culture. I now help organizations build workplaces where teams can really thrive.
Professionally, I’ve had the chance to work on some amazing projects. At Dataprovider.com, I managed everything from HR to creating the employee handbook, and hosting hackathons to bring people together and even set up a recording studio to improve communication and storytelling.
Later, at Savings United, I supported global remote teams under a 4-day workweek, led workshops on trust and communication, and helped teams transition to self-organized structures. Along the way, I’ve worked on employer branding, leadership development,
This fall, my role became redundant due to big changes at Savings United. It’s been a challenge, but it also gave me the chance to dive into something new: learning Italian full-time in Verona. Living in Italy has taught me a lot about flexibility, growth, and finding joy in the everyday.
Whether I’m creating HR strategies, helping teams communicate better, or figuring out how to order coffee in Italian, I’m passionate about building strong connections and making a positive impact. My goal is always the same: to create environments where people can thrive, grow, and feel part of something meaningful.
Experience
March 2023 - Sept 2024
Sept 2018 - Mar 2023
Aug 2014 - Dec 2023
Jan 2018 - Dec 2018
May 2016 - Dec 2017
People & Culture Partner
Savings United GmbH - 100% Remote (GER)
People Partner - Global - for the Business Intelligence, Finance, Commerce, Planet United, NGO, and the Events team.
People Management
-
Managed the full employee lifecycle for global, fully remote teams under a 4-day workweek, including onboarding, performance management, and retention strategies.
-
Facilitated workshops on trust-building, nonviolent communication, and 360° feedback to enhance team relationships and engagement.
-
Led global recruitment processes for tech, data, finance, leadership, and sustainability roles, including creating hiring strategies, benchmarking salaries, and training interviewers.
-
Supported leadership development for team leads across multiple departments (Business Intelligence, Finance, Commerce, Planet United, NGO, and Events teams).
-
Acted as a conflict mediator and trusted partner to stakeholders, ensuring smooth communication and resolution of challenges at all levels.
Organizational Strategy
-
Partnered with leadership teams to align HR strategies with business goals, using insights to support decision-making and organizational growth.
-
Implemented change management initiatives like transition towards self-organized teams, empowering employees and fostering autonomy.
-
Developed and implemented new policies and decision-making frameworks to improve organizational effectiveness
-
Enhanced employer branding by crafting clear job descriptions, vacancy templates, and LinkedIn campaigns to attract top talent.
-
Created and supported with copy to highlight company culture and sustainability efforts.
-
Contributed to team cohesion through well-organized workshops, events, and co-working weeks.
People, Community & Culture
Dataprovider.com - Hybrid, Groningen (NL)
People & Culture Management
-
HR operations, overseeing the employee lifecycle, and successfully implementing a new HR system to optimize workflow efficiency.
-
Spearheaded recruitment efforts across multiple departments, including Data Science, Engineering, Development, Marketing and Sales.
-
Designed and authored a comprehensive employee handbook to streamline company policies and procedures.
-
Cultivated relationships with local universities and organized impactful events, workshops, and hackathons to foster innovation and strengthen team cohesion.
-
Developed and implemented tailored policies to create a productive and compliant work environment.
Branding & Communication
-
Strategized and executed campaigns to enhance employer brand visibility, revamp the career page, and improve the overall onboarding experience.
-
Led initiatives to strengthen employer branding through targeted campaigns and partnerships with universities and industry events.
-
Successfully set up a state-of-the-art recording studio to facilitate multimedia content creation for improved internal communication and external outreach.
Facilitator and Community lead
Techstars Startup Weekend - Grongen (NL), Leeuwarden (NL), Bremen (GER)
Startup Weekend is a 54-hour event where developers, creators, designers, marketers, product managers, and startup enthusiasts come together to share ideas, form teams, build products, and launch startups.
-
Facilitated the 3-day event itself as the main facilitator in Groningen and Bremen
multiple times. -
workshops on the Business Model Canvas, pitching, and brainstorming techniques to guide teams in building and launching their ideas.
-
Acted as a community lead, connecting people, mentoring participants, and fostering collaboration within diverse, multidisciplinary teams.
-
Organized and supported local teams in hosting 12 successful Startup Weekend events over 9 years in Groningen, Leeuwarden, and Bremen
-
Developed playbooks to standardize event operations, ensuring consistent and efficient delivery across multiple locations.
-
Partnered with local governments and sponsors to secure funding, resources, and support for events, fostering strong public and private partnerships.
-
Leveraged a deep understanding of startup ecosystems to contribute to building strong startup communities and networks across Europe
-
Led marketing campaigns to promote events, attract participants, and enhance visibility across the startup community.
-
Worked with a range of vendors, including caterers and venues, to ensure seamless event logistics and a positive participant experience.
-
Built a significant European startup network through consistent community leadership, facilitating connections among entrepreneurs, creators, and investors.
Wine import and Pop-up Bar (owner)
Dinner Stories - Groningen (NL)
-
Successfully imported bio-wines from Italy and established a fully operational webshop to sell natural wines, overseeing logistics, inventory management, and sales strategies.
-
Set up a 3-month temporary pop-up bar in Groningen, creating a platform to promote regional drinks alongside imported Italian wines.
-
Promoted the webshop and pop-up bar through targeted marketing initiatives, enhancing visibility and customer engagement.
-
Curated a unique selection of natural wines, building a strong value proposition.
Graphic Designer
Kr8werk - Leeuwarden (NL)
-
Contributed to graphic design projects and concept development for various clients, delivering innovative content solutions.
-
Wrote my first vacancy and prepared my first interviews.
Work with me!
I offer flexible engagement options to best suit your needs
-
Direct Contract:
Hire me for long-term contracts directly with your organization. If you don't have a location in Italy I can work with you true an EOR, preferably Deel. For seamless cross-border engagements, ensuring compliance and smooth logistics.
-
Freelancer:
I can work as a freelancer on both short-term and long-term projects, bringing specialized expertise for your team.
-
Custom Requests, Projects & Workshops:
Whether you need assistance with specific projects, workshops, or customized solutions, I offer tailored services to meet your goals.