Client Lead

Delivery Rotterdam
· On-site Full-time
· starts January 2027

You work directly with Bonsai's founders and make sure everything we promise our clients actually lands.

Bonsai is a Software Operating Partner for companies in logistics, shipping and trade. We build the software their operations run on: from a full digital twin, order to invoice, to AI Workers that take over manual work on the systems they already have. Our clients are hauliers, shipping companies, forwarders and trading houses, in the Netherlands and increasingly beyond.

Around 70% of your time goes to our projects: client contact, planning, testing, milestones, invoicing and triage. The other 30% you spend on projects with management: research, decks, internal processes and new initiatives, international ones included. You have one fixed manager from the management team, and you get real mandate.

As part of the process you get a practical assignment: using an anonymised meeting transcript and Claude, you produce a question list, a recap email and the tickets within two hours.

The role

• Be our clients' go-to person, from kickoff to go-live. You call clients regularly to hear how things are going, and follow up straight away when something needs attention.
• Solve simple questions yourself: you look at the code, put the question to Claude, check the answer and help the client further, sitting down with them if needed. If that doesn't work, the question goes to the developer.
• Bring feedback arriving via email, Whats App, Excel and our feedback widget into one place, sort it into fix, change request or wish, and let the client know what is live and what is still on test.
• Drive the handover from sales to project start: gathering information, lining up IT parties, planning kickoffs, internally and with the client.
• Plan test rounds, guide testers and make sure the go-ahead is on paper and in the ERP.
• Decide together with the developer whether something is a change request: the developer estimates the work, you make the commercial call and record it. After acceptance you make sure invoicing happens on time.
• Make our developers' work easier: you sort out who, when, access and the follow-up. You process meetings, write question lists and recap emails and prepare tickets, with AI as your everyday tool.
• Be the safety net: when a developer is away, you look after their clients, because you know where everything is.
• Work on whatever the founders are focused on, from researching a new market to setting up an internal process or preparing an international client trip. Spot a client we could do more for, and you pass it on to sales.

Your profile

• You are highly intrinsically motivated. You don't wait for someone to ask.
• You have broad general knowledge and are curious about how businesses work, especially in logistics, shipping and trade.
• You learn fast and enjoy getting to grips with new systems and processes in a short time.
• You're good with people, whether it's an owner-director, a planner on the shop floor or a developer.
• You work with AI every day. You can work with Claude Code or want to learn it very quickly. This is a hard requirement.
• You have 1 to 4 years of experience, for example in consultancy, at a scale-up or as an entrepreneur.
• You speak and write fluent Dutch and English.

What we offer

• You work directly with the founders, with real responsibility and mandate from day one.
• You learn at a fast pace how a software company grows: sales, delivery, operations and strategy.
• A role that grows with you, towards Senior Client Lead, Head of Clients, Operations or a commercial role.
• Projects that genuinely matter in our clients' operations, international ones included.
• You work five days a week from our Rotterdam office, close to the team, and regularly visit clients.
• A small, ambitious team where your impact is immediately visible.

Frequently asked questions

Do you work remotely or in the office?

Hybrid. Our base is Rotterdam (Westblaak), where we see each other regularly. Beyond that you're free to work where you're productive.

Do I have to meet every requirement to apply?

No. If you recognise yourself in the role and most of the points, apply. We look at what you can do and how fast you learn, not at a checklist.

Which language do you work in?

Dutch in the office and with clients. Some of our work and documentation is in English. For most roles, fluent Dutch ranges from a strong advantage to a firm requirement.

Which AI tools do you use…