A quartermaster is a professional organizer sent ahead to make preparations for something entirely new.
In short: a forerunner or pathfinder.

What does a quartermaster do?

A quartermaster works on behalf of an organization. This client has an idea, but all sorts of things still have to be arranged in order to develop this idea and set up the project. The preparation and development of the idea, bringing parties together, ensuring that decisions are made and setting up the practical implementation are done by the quartermaster. Eventually the project can be taken over by a project manager (possibly the quartermaster himself).

Essential skills of a quartermaster

• A quartermaster has specific skills that enable a project to proceed successfully.
• They manage other parties on the basis of trust without having a formal position in the organization.
• They are creative.
• They think of new ways to achieve the goal.
• They have a flexible attitude.
• They can deal with uncertain situations.
• Possess a wide range of negotiation tactics.

How does a profile of a quartermaster looks like?

You are a free, independent thinker and always busy forging collaborative units. Why? This is something that interests you but thinking about it does not guide your work. As a quartermaster you like to entrust yourself with the preparation or organization of something completely new. You see yourself as a forerunner or trailblazer, in which you make an idea practically feasible. That idea must add value.
You connect organizations and motivates them to form networks. In these newly organized environments, you have sustainability of the services high on your (quartermaster) agenda.
You are, as a quartermaster, pre-eminently a transitional organizer. The improvement, renewal or innovation is paramount with the goal of adding new value. You are convinced by that and therefor you have solid knowledge and are skilled in your craft.
You look at the future in a progressive manner.

More information about specific skills of a quartermaster?

• You can find more background information in the studies done by students of the University of Leiden.
• Buy our quartermaster handbook written by Huub Janssen (in dutch)
• Follow our training (in dutch)