Meet Marije van der Holst, a Clinical Operations Manager who's most proud of becoming a people leader

What is your Parexel story?

Before joining clinical research, I was a pediatric intensive care nurse for 10 years which brought me valuable knowledge, experience, and skills for my my roles at Parexel. I joined Parexel as a Clinical Research Associate I in August 2015, and since then worked my way up the ranks to CRA II, Senior CRA, and Associate Manager, Clinical Operations. Today, I am the Clinical Operations Manager based in the Netherlands, overseeing the Dutch CRA and iCRA groups. According to my Manager, I always lead my team with grace and a big smile. It makes me proud to know I provide a positive work environment to my team.

What motivates you to work With Heart™ every day?

To be part of developing new medicines that will help patients have better lives or even be cured, that is the main goal for me. I know how sickness can impact the lives of patients and their families, so if I can be part of this healing process, I will always do it With Heart™.

Reflecting on your work at Parexel, what are you most proud of and why?

Becoming a manager. As a manager, I’m proud when my direct reports achieve their goals, such as supporting sites so they can perform studies in the right way or achieving sponsor goals. I’m also proud when my direct reports achieve personal goals and grow in their careers.

What is one way you always keep “Patients First?”

Not only in my previous role as a nurse, but also in my personal life, I know what medicine can do for patients. That is always on my mind.

Share a favorite Parexel memory:

I have many good memories: achieving difficult database locks as a CRA, working as a sponsor-dedicated CRA, supporting my direct reports in every goal they have and also all the fun summer and Christmas parties we’ve had at the Dutch Parexel office.