Senior interim Product Management & Ownership · Amsterdam area · Remote across EMEA
Need an interim Product Owner or Product Manager? I'm available now.
I've spent eleven years in tech and eight in product, on things like a data platform at Randstad and an AI-driven sales application at Heineken. If your Product Owner or Product Manager is on leave, or you haven't found the right one yet, I can step in and keep the roadmap and the team moving in the meantime. I live in Bussum, close to Amsterdam, and work across the Netherlands and remotely across EMEA. What I like about interim work is that the end is there from the start, so everything I do is aimed at handing over something that keeps running without me.
Products delivered at and with
Sound familiar?
- Your Product Owner or PM is going on leave, and you can already feel the roadmap starting to stall.
- The role has been open for months. The team still ships, but nobody is really steering, and it shows.
- There's a backlog, but nobody is really prioritising it, let alone willing to say no.
Available
- Bridging a gap Interim Product Owner or Product Manager while someone is on leave or off sick, or while a role is still open. I can start within days and keep the team moving, so you can take your time finding the right permanent person. If you like, I'll help recruit my own successor too. How hiring an interim Product Owner works →
- Getting unstuck For a discovery, a launch or a turnaround that won't get off the ground. I help the team focus, clear what's in its way and get it shipping again.
- Setting direction Interim Head of Product work, for when the backlog, the roadmap and the stakeholders have drifted apart. I sharpen the direction, make the trade-offs explicit and make sure the team knows what it's working towards. Hire direct, no agency in between →
- AI and data platforms Turning AI, ML and data platforms into products at enterprise scale. I've done this at Randstad and Heineken.
Does this sound like what you need?
Book a short call and we'll work out together whether I can help.
Get in TouchHow I work
- Intro call A short, no-strings conversation about your situation and what actually needs to happen. We only take it further if it clicks.
- The first week: listening Before I change anything, I talk to the team and the people around it, and find out what has already been tried.
- Getting to work I lead where that's needed and leave the team in the driver's seat where I can. Decisions get made again, and work starts shipping.
- Handing over The whole point is that you can carry on without me afterwards, so I hand over the roadmap and the reasoning behind the decisions, and make sure the team is ready to take them on. Still looking for a permanent hire? I'm happy to help recruit and onboard my own successor, but only if you want that.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly can you start?
Straight away. My calendar is clear, so after a short intro call I can start within days.
What does it cost to hire you?
Around €95–150/hr, depending on scope and duration. (An indicative band; I confirm the actual rate per engagement.) After the intro call you'll get a clear proposal, so there are no surprises later. You hire me directly, without an agency in between; there's more on that under hiring a Product Owner directly.
Do you cover leave, sickness, or an unfilled role?
Yes, all three. Maternity, parental, sick or sabbatical leave usually comes with an end date, so I work towards a clean handover from the first day. If someone drops out unexpectedly, I can be working within days. And if your permanent hire is still months away, I can bridge that gap so you don't have to rush the search. Have dates in mind already? Then I'm happy to talk through scope and timing.
How long does a typical engagement run?
Anything from one to twelve months, depending on what you need. Three to twelve usually works best, because that gives me time to build some trust with the team, ship something that matters and still hand over properly. Shorter works for a tightly scoped problem, and longer is fine if it's going well.
Where are you based?
In Bussum, half an hour from central Amsterdam. I'll work on-site anywhere in the Netherlands and remotely across EMEA. Travel is no problem either: the sales application at Heineken was built for the UK, Italy and South Africa, and the work took me to the UK, to South Africa and to the development teams in Krakow.
I'd actually rather hire someone permanent.
That makes sense, and it doesn't rule me out. Finding the right permanent person often takes months, and I can bridge that gap so your team doesn't stall while you look. When they start, I'll hand over properly, and if you like I'll help with the recruiting too.
Are you available for interim or ZZP engagements?
Yes, that's what I set up Venema Consulting & Innovatie for. I'm available now for interim Product Management and Product Ownership, anywhere in the Netherlands and remotely across EMEA. That can mean covering leave or an open role, leading a specific project, standing up or winding down a product, or coaching a PM or PO.
What's the difference between freelance and interim, and why does it matter?
The work is the same; the difference is mostly about form and duration. "Freelance", or ZZP, describes how I contract: through my own business, not as an employee. "Interim" describes the engagement: a set period in which I fill a role. For you it means no permanent contract and no long notice period, and someone who gets going straight away and hands over properly at the end. There's more on the hire an interim Product Owner page.
Do you work as an independent, and how does this sit with the Dutch DBA rules?
Yes. I work through my own business (Venema Consulting & Innovatie, KVK 42066462), for an agreed result, with my own tools and at my own entrepreneurial risk, and I'm free to work for several clients. I'm happy to work out the exact contract form with you and your procurement or legal team, so it's properly arranged on both sides. There's more on the Dutch DBA rules and how we arrange it.
How quickly do you become productive in a new team?
In the first week I get to know the basics: the codebase, the roadmap, the stakeholders and what customers are saying. By the second week I can take over most of the day-to-day decisions. And from the first day I keep light handover notes, so nothing ends up depending on one person, including me.
Which sectors do you have experience in?
Energy, HR-tech and talent acquisition, SaaS/PaaS, enterprise data and AI, and FMCG sales. The full story is on my career page.
Which company sizes do you work with?
Anything from early-stage startups to global enterprises. I've built products inside 90,000-person organisations like Heineken and Randstad, and built things from scratch at much smaller companies.
What languages do you work in?
Dutch (native) and English (fluent). I've led product teams and run stakeholder workshops in both.
What's a good first step?
A 30-minute intro call. Get in touch or find me on LinkedIn.
Does this sound like your situation?
Give me 30 minutes to hear what’s going on. I’ll tell you whether I’m the right person, and if I’m not, I’ll help you think about who might be.
Get in Touch