From Bachelor of Engineering to Director at Novo Nordisk Engineering, the journey of Peter Engdal Sørensen
In this shortread, we introduce Peter, a director at the Danish firm Novo Nordisk Engineering. Peter has been with the company for almost 20 years and has a diverse background, including experience in oil and gas, as a self-employed individual with his DTU thesis project, and as a reserve officer in the military. Despite having no clear career plan, Peter has been drawn to jobs in technical organizations that involve a combination of leadership and technical skills. Currently, Peter serves as a director of a project management area.
Novo Nordisk Engineering
Novo Nordisk Engineering (NNE) is a pharmaceutical consulting and engineering company that provides a wide range of engineering services to a select group of pharmaceutical clients. The company's focus is solely on the pharmaceutical industry, and its strategy is to deliver almost all engineering services to a few pharmaceutical clients. Currently, as one could deduce from their name, Novo Nordisk is one of NNE's major clients.
NNE can help in structuring an idea and taking the engineering project from the early idea stage to the point where for example the factory is built and the keys are handed over to the client so that they can begin producing medicine. The company is involved in the design aspect and project management of the engineering process. Thus they do not have any employees who are hands-on workers, rather they focus on design services and project management on the design and construction site. NNE also helps with coordination on the construction site, testing and verifying that the facility meets the legal requirements of the customer.
The various aspects of a factory, such as architecture, mechanical engineering, process engineering, and software engineering, all play a role in NNE's services. An architect designs the building, while mechanical engineering is involved in the creation of the building. Process engineering is a crucial aspect of an automated facility, and software engineering is involved in coding and controlling the facility. Coordination and project management, as performed by NNE, also play a crucial role in ensuring that the entire process runs smoothly.
The Structure of NNE and Peter’s Role as a Director
NNE has a unique structure in which there are both line-leaders and project managers. The line-leaders are responsible for ensuring the development and career growth of the engineers they manage. The project managers, on the other hand, have control over the day-to-day management of projects, including budget and time.
Peter, whom we spoke with, is a director at NNE, and he oversees a number of departments, including engineering management, project planning, contract management, IT systems, and project quality management. He is also responsible for ensuring the success of the other line-leaders.
As a director, Peter also plays a crucial role in the strategy of the company. The company operates within a matrix organization, meaning they live and breathe their product: projects. All the different engineering disciplines are delivered through these projects. Peter's six departments are all related to project management in some way. From design-heavy engineering management to the project's financial function, Peter is responsible for ensuring the smooth running of all aspects of NNE's projects.
Peter emphasizes the importance of having a combination of technical expertise and leadership experience in order to be successful in a director-level position. He comments:
“You cannot just jump into a director position just after finishing your studies. I don’t think you need 20 years of experience from the same company, but there should be some experience from the field, both technical and with management and leadership - which you can only achieve over the years by working with it.”
Peter also highlights that you should have a genuine desire to work with people, as well as a love for technology. He says that seeing his employees succeed and thrive brings him immense pride and joy. He believes that it is important for a leader to acknowledge the hard work of their employees and to give them the space to shine. His personal comment on it is:
“What gives me energy and joy in life? Of course, driving on the highway up near Hillerød and being able to say to my children, ‘Look at that factory, I helped build it.’ It’s a sense of technical pride, but it’s mostly when I see my employees succeed, develop and thrive. That makes me incredibly proud.”
Peter’s Path to Become a Director
Before applying to DTU, Peter was in the Danish army for quite some time as a First Lieutenant. He notes that this was possibly the first time, where he got an introduction to leadership - and in hindsight it may have been a contributing factor to how he acts as a leader today.
After some time in the army, Peter chose to apply for DTU, and to the objective of this, he notes:
“The reason why I chose DTU was not only because I liked science as a subject in high school (gymnasiet). The reason was actually that I had an old friend, who showed me the computer-room at DTU, and that was the very first time I saw the internet in my life - and it seemed so cool.”
His area of studies was Production and Management, and during this time, he got most of his technical knowledge and hands-on experience. The first job Peter got after finishing his Bachelor of Engineering was in oil and gas in planning, and he acknowledges, that the course he took during his studies was a big part in why he got this job:
“My degree in Bachelor of Engineering (diplomuddannelse), where I took both project management and some courses in planning. That might be the reason why I got my first job in oil and gas - combined with the technical aspects that are also part of the studies.”
After some time in oil and gas, Peter chose to become self-employed with his thesis project from DTU. Here he encountered some different aspects of leadership as they were only a group of three young people. At first they got a decent investment by the Danish Board of Business Development (erhvervsfremmestyrelsen), but like for many other entrepreneurs, the money came to an end. They were at a crossroad - what should they do to keep going? First they found a cheaper place to live, and then they all applied for DTU to get SU. Here Peter chose to continue his previous studies with a master in Management. Then he chose some courses that could somehow fit into his area of interest, while he was still focusing on his self-employment.
“So now I am already enrolled, so then I took one or two courses every now and then. I was working full-time here, so it was just a matter of what I could manage and squeezing in to meet the various deadlines.”
While admitted to DTU, he was bought out of the company, whereafter he shortly returned to oil and gas, before he took on a project at NNE. At NNE, Peter was able to continue his education by taking courses relevant to his job. His thoughts on continuing the education even after working on projects at NNE is: “So now I am already enrolled, so then I took one or two courses every now and then. I was working full-time here, so it was just a matter of what I could manage and squeezing in to meet the various deadlines.”. And on finishing his master he comments: “Actually I ended it nicely with a good grade for my thesis, where I of course wrote about something I had experience with from my job. So, I could really begin to see that combining practical experience with theory from my studies was really paying off and putting a lot of things into perspective for me.”
After working several projects at NNE, Peter's skills and hard work caught the attention of NNE, and he was offered a position in a role that was closely related to project management. He attributes his success in this role to his education at DTU, which opened the door for him to pursue his passion in the field. Peter also mentions that his willingness to travel and work with experienced colleagues around the world was another factor that set him apart from others in his early career. His dedication and passion for the job impressed others and helped him to advance in his career.
Despite his success, Peter still values the hands-on experience he gains from working on projects at NNE. His role allows him to be closely involved with projects and provide assistance whenever needed, which is a testament to his expertise and knowledge in the field. In 20 years, Peter hopes to look back and see that he has inspired others in the same way that he was inspired by his colleagues earlier in his career.
Peter’s Reflections on his Career Path
Peter never expected to end up where he is today. When he first started at NNE, he thought it was just a temporary project. However as time went on he was gradually offered more and more responsibility in the projects and after several projects were completed, he was offered the role of line manager and he took it as it was an exciting opportunity. He never really sought a job at NNE or a specific position there, but was rather offered the positions as they came up.
Peter believes that his interests and passions, as well as the sense of purpose he gets from helping patients through the projects he works on, have been guiding forces in his career. He says that he is ambitious and competitive, but has never had a specific career plan.
When asked about his experience in college, Peter mentions that during his studies, he would have appreciated more opportunities to learn about the various career options available. He also adds that he wished that companies would have been more open to talking to students early on in their studies, instead of only engaging with them later in their academic careers.
“In hindsight more courses in statistics could have been beneficial, but no - I would not change anything”
Peter reflects on his career and how his time at DTU has contributed to his success. He explains that he is glad he received practical experience after his bachelor's degree, and that he got theoretical insights into leadership and management both in his bachelor’s and master’s degree. When asked if he wanted to change anything in his studies he notes: “In hindsight more courses in statistics could have been beneficial, but no - I would not change anything.”. Peter believes that the flexibility of the engineering program allows students to make it their own, and he feels proud to tell people that he is a manufacturing engineer and leader at NNE. He believes that when people are interested in their work, they will naturally put in the time and effort to excel, and their career will naturally flow towards their interests. He acknowledges that some people may feel trapped by early career choices, but believes that pursuing interests leads to success in the long run.
How to get an insight into management
If you're interested in management, Peter suggests that it's important to have some practical experience and theoretical knowledge. He advises that instead of jumping directly from a technical degree into a leadership role, it's best to gain experience in a related field, and then gradually move into more management positions. This will also give you the opportunity to show your leadership skills on your CV.
Additionally, Peter recommends taking courses in management, but he also suggests getting some real-life experience by finding a part-time job where you have responsibility over people, such as being the first manager at a store like Netto. This will give you an opportunity to test your leadership skills, and to see if it's something you enjoy doing.
Peter believes that it's not dangerous to focus too much on management courses, and encourages students to follow their interests and pursue the path they want to take.
What does it take to get hired as a manager?
According to Peter there are certain traits that make a good manager. Peter highlights the importance of self-awareness and empathy. A manager should be comfortable with themselves and willing to be vulnerable, with a strong sense of empathy to understand the people they work with. Additionally, a manager should have the ability to be assertive and set direction while also being able to switch to a coaching approach when needed.
Peter also emphasizes the importance of soft skills in management, which can't be learned in a traditional classroom setting. He believes that becoming a better manager is a natural process that occurs as one becomes more self-aware and matures. Soft skills are a combination of one's personality and the willingness to bring their personality into the workplace.
Finally, Peter stresses the importance of being present and having a sense of responsibility, especially in higher management positions where one is responsible for multiple people. Effective management requires a willingness to be there for others, and this is especially true for those in leadership roles.
Written by: Nikoline Mai Bøgely Rehn
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