Jerome Broekhuijsen

As a tech-forward company, we’re proud to spotlight the incredible work our team is doing behind-the-scenes! This week, we are continuing our Featured Friday Series with Jerome Broekhuijsen (pronounced “Brook’ • house • en”), Chief Architect at Foundation Source. Keep reading to learn more about Jerome’s experience on the technology team over the last two years.

When and why did you join Foundation Source?

I joined Foundation Source in February of 2020 (right before everyone got sent home for COVID). I was ready for a change—to stretch my mind in new ways, and to make a bigger difference in the world.

What do you love about working at Foundation Source?

There is something incredibly ennobling about knowing that my work facilitates others making the world a better place. Many people face challenges or relish opportunities to do good. Philanthropy makes such a positive difference for these people, and we help enable that at Foundation Source!

What is the best part of your job?

It’s hard to choose the “best” part as there are so many wonderful things about my job. Perhaps the most rewarding is knowing that I get to play a role in solving existing problems and avoiding problems lurking just over the horizon. Often these problems are technical, but sometimes they are more directly people focused. Seeing positive outcomes and smoother sailing are very satisfying results of my work.

What do you look forward to each day?

Every day generates pleasant surprises. I start each day with a list of things I want to do and, invariably, I find serendipity. I leave work feeling successful; I end my week looking forward to Monday.

What does your job entail?

There are many facets to my role, and I’ll highlight a few: First, I get to be a scout – I’m constantly looking for land mines (problems we should avoid) and gold mines (opportunities to use new techniques and industry best practices) to make our technologies better, stronger, faster. Second, I get to innovate – when we don’t see existing solutions to problems we face, I get to help create those solutions. Third, I get to build bridges – connecting solutions to problems, and people to people. Fourth, I get to drive technology processes – curating known problems and good ideas, building understanding, and guiding our teams to better successes.

What is your team like and what has your experience been with company culture?

I have the privilege of working with a diverse range of teams, people, and roles. Most of my time is spent working with our dedicated software engineers, quality assurers, and product owners. I love that we interact across job descriptions and titles, and that everyone feels empowered and encouraged to voice their questions, observations and ideas. This openness, coupled with a noble purpose, defines our compelling company culture where the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one. It is genuinely fun and rewarding to work together.

What has been your favorite project at Foundation Source?

Perhaps the most impactful (some pun intended) project I’ve contributed to has been the onboarding technologies for the Impactfully product. We were faced with a lot of technology to create in a short time frame. Through a dazzling combination of inspiration and a lot of hard work, we delivered a great solution on time.

What has been your biggest accomplishment since joining Foundation Source?

Changing jobs and joining Foundation Source was just part of a broader goal of becoming a better person. My job change enabled me to tap into and leverage dormant technical strengths. I also gained a better work-life balance, enabling me to spend more time with my family and church. I also made strides in becoming physically healthier. Although this is very much a work in progress, I feel like I’m firing on more cylinders now, and every day I reap the rewards of becoming that better person.

How have you grown professionally while on our team?

I’ve been fortunate to have had two great mentors during the past couple of years. Through them I have seen more clearly how much I still have to learn (in my role, there is an endless supply of this) and what’s possible, and I’ve been given a runway to turn awareness and possibilities into realities. There’s still so much growth I want and need to make, but I can look back and recognize the progress I’ve made.

What advice would you give to someone who doesn’t know about Foundation Source or may be thinking about joining the team?

Good people are in high demand, which gives them a myriad of career options. I would challenge anyone wanting to make a career move to not settle for merely “good” but aim for the “best”. Doing work that builds humanity is a great choice (it helps you sleep well at night), and that can be yours by joining the Foundation Source family.