Jakob Buis
I'm a freelance engineering leader who helps software teams ship faster and more reliably. Instead of starting with culture change, I focus on practical, early wins — and build a better workplace through that.
I take on interim management roles, serve as a scrum master, or coach existing leads — depending on what your team needs. Engagements typically run 3-12 months. Here's what that looks like:
Step 1: Accelerate the flow of work. I start by making work visible and clearing blockers. I analyse your processes, shorten feedback loops, and get the team delivering more reliably. This usually produces tangible results within weeks — not months.
Step 2: Build the team. Once work is flowing, I focus on the people. Are the right people in the right roles? Are your leads growing? Does the team structure match your priorities? I coach, restructure, hire, and — when necessary — manage people out.
Step 3: Find leverage. If you only do steps one and two, you'll be competent but never exceptional. I help you find what your team is uniquely good at, and double down. This is where sustained competitive advantage comes from.
At Ridder, a horticulture technology company, I managed four engineering teams and took their slowest team's release cycle from once every 20 weeks to 2-3 releases per month. I abolished a bureaucratic release board, returned quality ownership to the teams, delivered the company's first mobile app, and guided a 25% team consolidation.
At VCSW, a Dutch startup, I grew the engineering team from 2 to 11, reorganised into product teams, and moved releases from biweekly to on-demand — multiple times per day.
At Delft Solutions, I coach the engineering team: introducing measurable engineering goals, guiding management through difficult personnel decisions, and helping the team take real ownership of their improvement process.
Reach me at +31 6 811 30 415, jakob@cubiso.nl, or via LinkedIn.