Summary
Klein Hersh partnered with a global pharmaceutical leader to build out the Drug Safety and Pharmacovigilance team supporting their burgeoning blockbuster product lines, hiring 18 highly qualified professionals in under 18 months, alleviating operational strain and supporting accelerated FDA submissions.
Challenge
In the fast-paced world of pharmaceuticals, the ability to rapidly scale specialized teams is crucial for driving innovation. A global pharmaceutical leader and long-standing Klein Hersh client faced a pivotal challenge in expanding its Drug Safety and Pharmacovigilance team to support burgeoning blockbuster product lines. With eight immediate openings ranging from Senior Director to Associate Vice President, the client sought to fill these roles quickly and then strategically prepare for a further team expansion of 10-12 additional roles in quick succession. Renowned for their stringent standards and commitment to excellence, this client was only interested in pursuing physician candidates for these roles who had at least three years of clinical experience with patients – a standard that would require an additional layer of vetting. A shift to considering remote candidates for the first time also presented both an opportunity and a challenge, necessitating an open-minded approach to a broader geographical compensation philosophy amidst a competitive market with limited qualified candidates.
Having previously worked with this client on filling other critical leadership roles across multiple practice areas, Klein Hersh had developed the trust necessary to be awarded with this critical team build out. Combined with a strong reputation in the pharma space, subject matter expertise, vast networks of qualified physician candidates, and proven success leading other pharma team build-outs, Klein Hersh was uniquely positioned to tackle this challenge.
Approach
Recognizing the urgency and complexity of the client’s physician recruitment needs, Klein Hersh’s Drug Safety/Pharmacovigilance team partnered with the client’s internal epidemiology and physician recruitment experts to put a plan in place. The approach reflected the desire to swiftly identify and recruit top-tier talent while strategically advising the client on market dynamics and competitive compensation strategies, and combatting the unique challenges executing a full team build-out can present.
Klein Hersh’s strategic approach included:
- Combatting Challenges: A team build-out of this scale can be uniquely challenging, especially when evaluating a niche talent pool for roles at varying levels of skills and experience. Additionally, combatting interview fatigue over an extended 16-18 month project timeline was essential for success. To address these challenges, Klein Hersh implemented an interviewer rotation strategy, refreshing the internal interviewing team every 3-4 months to fuel new momentum and reduce bias.
- Industry Landscape Analysis: Klein Hersh conducted a comprehensive analysis aligned with the client’s exacting criteria, refining a candidate pool through targeted vetting processes. This meticulous approach ensured that each potential hire possessed the requisite clinical expertise and characteristics to ensure a cultural fit.
- Strategic Candidate Outreach: Armed with insights from our analysis, Klein Hersh engaged in direct outreach campaigns, effectively communicating the client organization’s unique value proposition to prospective candidates. Continuous feedback loops enabled agile adjustments to recruitment strategies, optimizing offers to meet market demands such as competitive base salaries and enhanced equity incentives.
- Integration and Partnership: Beyond recruitment, Klein Hersh fostered a collaborative partnership with the client, integrating seamlessly into their Talent Acquisition and Executive Talent Group. This alignment enabled a cohesive approach to candidate evaluation and selection, bolstering trust and mutual understanding between both teams. While candidates can be easily identified by anyone, it was through this trusted partnership that we were able to deliver the ideal matches.
- Hiring Manager Coaching: As part of this team build out, existing members of the client’s Clinical Safety and Risk Management team were being promoted to take on the role of hiring manager for the first time. Klein Hersh coached them on the importance of structured interviewing processes, diversity of thought and open-mindedness to different approaches, as well as other vital hiring responsibilities to ensure a fair and comprehensive interviewing process and candidate experience.
Results
The outcomes of this team build out were impactful and exceeded expectations. Klein Hersh successfully facilitated a workforce transformation with the hiring of 18 highly qualified professionals in under a year and a half across new and diverse geographies. Impressively, more than 75% of these hires remain with the client three years after hiring, highlighting the longevity and cultural alignment achieved through our strategic recruitment efforts.
By addressing the client’s immediate hiring needs, our collaboration alleviated operational strain within the Drug Safety team, fostering a conducive environment for sustained productivity and innovation. This critical expansion supported the client in accelerating FDA submissions, critical for maintaining leadership within a competitive market.
This engagement unveiled invaluable insights into effective recruitment strategies and market dynamics that have led to client hiring policy enhancements still used to this day. Klein Hersh’s embedded partnership approach not only delivered immediate results but also paved the way for future collaborations and expanded opportunities across the pharmaceutical landscape.
This team build out exemplifies how strategic partnership and industry expertise can catalyze organizational growth and operational efficiency. Contact our team of experts to discuss opportunities to partner with your organization for rapid team scaling.
