RSSL: Senior Sales Manager - Pharmaceutical Industry

Reading Scientific Services Ltd (RSSL) is a cutting-edge Contract Research Organisation (CRO), providing research, analysis and consultancy to the pharmaceutical, healthcare and food sectors. Whether we are creating new products, validating medicines or solving investigations, we take pride in being a leader in our field, serving clients from across 60 countries.

In 2019, we’ve been recognised as OBN’s Best CRO, Women in Business Enlightened Employer and Business of the Year award winners.
Enriched by our parent company Mondelēz International, our diverse team includes 22 nationalities from 300 members, creating a family feel as we strive towards our mission of science enhancing lives.

You are an internally recognized expert in analytical sciences and an effective leader of cross-functional teams. Working with cross-functional stakeholders, you plan and technically lead complex analytical programs, interpret findings and define actionable next steps. You also review, approve, and effectively communicate significant technical/scientific results and regularly interact with key senior stakeholders.
You will lead a commercially focused team to ensure sustainable growth by delivering scientific solutions.

How you will contribute

You will identify markets for high-value sales opportunities and develop new customer strategies from sourcing potential clients to closing sales opportunities. In addition, you will lead and develop a sales and account manager team not only keep the current client base but to grow sales by selling more to current clients and winning new clients. You will inspire your team to excellence by providing them with the appropriate tools and differentiating marketing techniques and to close sales opportunities, sharing your knowledge of market and sales techniques to them and to technical teams in laboratories. To succeed in the role, you must understand the external market today and in the future with an eye on regulatory and industry specific requirements; manage the budget and pricing plan; and take an active part in professional industry bodies and use differentiating marketing techniques to grow the profile of RSSL.

What you will bring

A desire to drive your future and accelerate your career and the following experience and knowledge:

• Sales with a scientific background and formal education in a related area
• Interpersonal and communication skills with technical credibility to develop excellent working relationships with clients and internal teams
• Managing vision and purpose to meet growth plans
• Working on a team and strong management capabilities
• Deciphering true market conditions and forecasting sales growth
• Working on several projects at the same time
• Interpreting industry requirements and translating them into business opportunities and new service offerings
• Representing your organization at networking and industry events

Lead the Pharma Sales Account Managers::

• Manage current clients

o To undertake legal and contractual negotiations with clients
o Lead and negotiate major (strategic) proposals and implementation
o To identify client needs and translate them into profitable business for RSSL, creating benefits and additional value for clients
o To develop clients to be advocates of RSSL and to reach partner status, by taking every opportunity to introduce clients to all the services provided and involving personnel from other departments as necessary, to ensure desired customer experience.

• Ensure the sales pipeline meets agreed targets

o Ensure Strategic pillars and accounts are effectively maintained
o Ensure Strategic pillars leads delivers on the plans

• Forecast the growth of Pharmaceutical sector

o Use judgement and tools to predict the growth to inform annual business planning process
o Use industry knowledge to guide investments in new initiatives

Lead designated strategic Pharmaceutical initiatives and evaluations:

• Be an active member of the Pharmaceuticals Strategy Team
• Understanding market Needs/Trends of customers in the Pharma sector to identify new opportunities for revenue growth
• Identify opportunities for change and drive strategic initiatives to grow RSSL’s market share

• Identify and appraise new service opportunities

o In conjunction with the Labs develop the implementation plan (Incorporating Innovation Funnel, Capex and marketing demands)
o Deliver implementation of strategies

• Actively contribute to the development of RSSL, conceiving and implementing Commercial Strategic projects
• Deliver pricing reviews to maximise profitability
• Develop promotional plans with the Pillar leads and enable the marketing team to deliver these plans and prioritise initiatives to keep within Marketing Budget for the RSSL business
• Lead periodic reviews on competitive environment and report developments to inform LT and LT+1

Lead, develop and coach the Commercial team:

• Inspire team to excellence
• Ensure personal development
• Take action to ensure best practice is adopted and poor performance is addressed
• Coach and support other Commercial team members and mentor and advise RSSL Lab managers and technical specialists on commercial related matters
• Take an active part in professional industry bodies that develop policy/regulation to further enforce RSSL’s position as the experts and influencers for pharma clients and represent RSSL through delivering papers/presentations at relevant seminars, symposia and industry events.

Know the ethical and legal compliance responsibilities of the position; lead ethically and model compliant behaviour; maintain an environment where employees can speak up without fear of retaliation; ensure employees in area of responsibility understand the compliance responsibilities of their jobs and actively participate in the compliance program

What you need to know about this position:

Degree Level qualification or similar in a Science related subject
Significant experience in pharmaceutical sales and marketing arena and substantial people management
A good understanding of the technical experience and challenges faced by the pharma industry along with passion to follow industry trends and determining the worth to RSSL

Travel requirements:

Domestic and limited International travel is required (20%) and a clean UK driving license

Work schedule:

Full time position based in Reading, Berkshire UK
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