Shaping change: What is it like to work at ifok?

Digitalization, energy transition, and new mobility are among the topics that drive the consultants at ifok. Whether on site at companies or at the big table in ministries, more than 300 employees at six locations have been developing suitable solutions and groundbreaking strategies for over 25 years. In this interview, Philipp Jähn, Business Unit Lead and with ifok since 2018, provides insights into the work and explains what future employees should bring to the table and what benefits they can expect.

What is your position at ifok, what topics do you work on, and what do you particularly appreciate about your work?

As Business Unit Lead, I head up the Infrastructure and Mobility division at ifok GmbH. As a team, we work on various projects to expand the transport infrastructure in a socially acceptable and rapid manner. This can involve, for example, the construction of a new bypass, the modernization of an entire motorway corridor, or the construction of a cycle highway. Even after seven years at ifok, I can say that the work always remains exciting. The projects we are involved in often generate a lot of media attention. It's very varied and always presents new challenges.

What is the work culture and teamwork like at ifok? What qualities in the working environment and team distinguish ifok from other employers?

Working on projects across different locations gives us the opportunity to exchange ideas with many colleagues. There are very different people with very different skills. We hold most of our meetings online. For longer meetings, we sometimes meet at a location or even for a sprint at a mountain hut. Overall, we are a young, dynamic team with many great colleagues. At the last infrastructure meeting, we booked the gym for a soccer tournament in the evening and then celebrated together at the hotel bar.

What is a typical working day like for a senior/managing consultant at ifok? What challenges await new colleagues?

Our clients, especially in the infrastructure sector, face enormous challenges. At ifok, we take this on board: we don't do run-of-the-mill work, but provide targeted, solution-oriented advice on the specific challenges our clients are currently facing. This requires a lot of commitment and brainpower. As project and team leaders, we take responsibility for this – not only for the content, but also for our team and, last but not least, for ourselves. If we have questions or don't know what to do, there is always someone we can turn to. Mutual support and an appreciative atmosphere at all levels are part of everyday life at ifok, including in digital collaboration.

Which project exemplifies the tasks at ifok? How would you describe ifok's range of topics?

We are accompanying a project for Autobahn GmbH where we know that there will be significant traffic restrictions in the coming months. This mainly affects the transport sector, but also the travel industry. As there are hardly any alternative routes, we now need to quickly inform and raise awareness among the various target groups. At the same time, we also have to look beyond the borders of individual countries and modes of transport so that the few alternative corridors can maintain their traffic flow. Ifok can effectively combine its expertise in stakeholder management and public relations here.

The new positions will primarily deal with transformation. What do you think is necessary for a successful transformation process?

Transport infrastructure has been neglected for a long time, meaning that too little has been invested in it. At the same time, more and more goods are being transported by road. The roads, and bridges in particular, are simply not designed for this volume of traffic. That's why we now need to implement a lot of repair measures very quickly and also try to move more goods onto the railways. In addition, we must of course also think about parking spaces for trucks and implement noise protection measures to better protect local residents. Bypasses relieve traffic congestion in towns and villages while creating more space for pedestrians and cyclists. In addition, fast cycle routes are particularly important in conurbations. The road sector also wants to modernize. To this end, the 5G network is being expanded across the board and additional space is being created for ground-mounted PV systems. In doing so, we naturally want to pass on our expertise in stakeholder management, public relations, and project management to our customers.

What has been a major success or an important milestone for ifok in recent years?

Large infrastructure projects are increasingly coming under the spotlight of public and political interest. One example of the cross-thematic use of synergies is the citizens' council on the Westschnellweg in Hanover – the first time in Germany that a citizens' council has been held on a specific linear infrastructure planning project. With our know-how in the field of infrastructure and our expertise in conducting citizens' assemblies, we worked with our client to adapt this format for the Westschnellweg and integrate it with further public participation accompanying the planning process.

What advantages and benefits does ifok offer its employees?

What certainly distinguishes our work is the flexible way we work and the high proportion of remote work that this entails. In our projects, we work together in interdisciplinary teams across locations. In addition, we offer benefits such as a job bike, a rail card, and our ifok.academy for further training, a telecommunications allowance, employee events, and an online counseling platform for mental health. Of course, there are also enjoyable team events and exchange formats.

What personal and professional strengths should candidates bring to the table?

In day-to-day project work, you come into contact with different people. On the one hand, we offer strategy consulting at the highest political level. On the other hand, we are on the road in a small community in a gym, offering citizen consultation hours, for example. Here, it is important to adapt to the respective situation and always have an open mind in order to empathize with people's needs. A certain hands-on mentality is important in both cases.

How does ifok promote professional development and continuing education?

We have our internal ifok.Academy, where we offer a very wide range of continuing education courses. These include training on topics such as moderation, project management, leadership, methodological skills, and much more. In addition, there is the option of taking advantage of external continuing education courses if necessary. For example, last year I took a crisis management exam at DAPR. Within the projects themselves, there are project orientation and project feedback meetings as well as annual employee reviews.

What is the application process like and what is expected of applicants? What is your ultimate application tip?

The application process normally consists of two digital interviews. In these, you get to know various ifox employees and not only introduce yourself, but also learn a lot about the job and projects. What is important to us in applicants is that the cover letter clearly states why the candidate could be an asset to the team and the required tasks. I also find it very insightful to know why they decided to apply for this position.

Does this sound like an employer you would like to work for? Then here are two current positions you can apply for:

• Senior / Managing Consultant (m/f/d) || Stakeholder Management Road Infrastructure

• Senior / Managing Consultant (m/f/d) || Design and Participation Rail Infrastructure

You can find more information about ifok's individual projects at https://ifok.de/projekte/.