Associate Director, Medical Information

Associate Director, Medical Information

Medical Information is a critically important customer-facing function that supports the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical company products by providing timely, scientifically balanced, evidence based, non-promotional information in response to unsolicited requests from healthcare professionals, patients, caregivers, and payers. Medical Information also plays an important role in handling adverse events and product complaints. As part of the Medical Information Contact Center (MICC) team, this position ensures client success by providing oversight and/or management of assigned clients, including implementation, ongoing client management support, regular touchpoints and meetings. This position requires the ability to understand client needs, ensure deliverables meet expectations, including key performance indicators (KPIs) and service levels. The Associate Director will be expected to hire, manage, coach, mentor and support the development of direct reports, and provide leadership regarding MICC operations, procedures, and client/project operations.

The role is home office based, (full-time position), ideally located in Poland, Ireland, the UK, Italy, Portugal, Germany or Spain and the job holder must be legally eligible to work in the European Union or in the UK.

Our employees are tasked with delivering excellent business results through the efforts of their teams. These results are achieved by:

PEOPLE MANAGEMENT

• Manage direct reports, including mentoring, coaching, training, goal setting and feedback.
• Direct the activities and responsibilities of the Medical Information Specialists, Medical Information Managers, and Medical Information Client Manager-Team Leads (CM-TL) who report to this position.
• Support staff development and career development.
• Support the hiring and recruitment of MICC staff.

CLIENT MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS OVERSIGHT

• Ensure client success by providing oversight of assigned clients, including implementation, ongoing management, regular touchpoints and meetings.
• Understand client needs and ensure deliverables meet expectations, including KPI and service level agreements.
• Assist with developing and executing Medical Information operational strategy and strategic initiatives.
• Oversee Statement of Works (SOWs), invoicing, and client related Profit & Loss (P&L).
• Understand client needs, pipeline, any significant organizational changes, and any product changes/new product approvals.
• Direct the daily operations of the MICC. This includes active monitoring of current workload (call volume, inquiry volume, phone staffing/coverage) and making adjustments or directing/reassigning staff to specific tasks/functions as warranted.
• Oversight and review of daily/monthly schedules, schedule planning, reviewing and approving or denying requests for PTO based on operational needs/workload/staffing.
• Determine, plan and execute clinical, customer/client-service, or other training programs for the MICC staff.
• Identify and deliver appropriate project management training programs to existing and emerging CM-TL.
• Act as liaison with client stakeholders to manage all aspects related to services provided by EVERSANA Medical Information Contact Center Medical Communications (EVERSANA- MICC).
• Participate in client audits and collaborate with EVERSANA Quality to facilitate audits.
• Manage client invoicing.

TEAM LEADERSHIP

• Mentor junior staff. Provide initial and ongoing training to staff.
• Ensure staff performance and proficiency across client product(s) & procedures.
• Monitor and update client resources to ensure staff have the most accurate and current information.
• Maintain client and client product information reference files.
• Proactively monitor work processes related to handling medical information inquiries and ensure compliance with client performance requirements of EVERSANA-MICC.
• Provide constructive suggestions and follow through with the implementation of appropriate changes. This may include revising/updating content or processes to meet EVERSANA- MICC service standards as well as the expectations and requirements of the client(s).

MEDICAL INFORMATION SUPPORT

• Provide medical information contact center support as needed.
• Triage and respond to unsolicited medical information inquiries from health care professionals, consumers, and other contact center customers. Utilize medical information skills to identify, research, and critically evaluate medical literature to create responses to medical information inquiries.
• Handle medical information requests across multiple channels and platforms (phone, email, CRM, live chat, etc.)
• Identify and perform intake of adverse events and product complaints during interactions with customers in compliance with EVERSANA-MICC and client standard operating procedures. Knowledge of FDA's post-marketing adverse event reporting regulations and safety terminology. Ability to make accurate assessments regarding what information needs to be obtained and the level or depth of information to be collected.

ALL OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

People leaders must possess both the skills to effectively accomplish these tasks and the emotional intelligence to do so in alignment with our cultural values. In addition to the critical management and leadership tasks listed above, this role also includes the following unique responsibilities:

• Responsible for and overseeing their respective department.
• Interview, select and supervise the activities of the department staff; communicate interpret and discuss with team the company policies and procedures.
• Determine job objectives, work methods and performance standards; review performance relative to departmental objectives discussion appraisal with each employee and performance; authorize and communicate salary changes, promotions, transfers, discipline and discharge and administer all other personnel actions.

Expectations of the job:

• Metrics: Maintain and contribute towards process improvement, which positively impacts metrics associated with activities of the MICC; metrics are subject to change annually or more often as deemed necessary.
• Customer Services: Maintain and drive continuous improvement initiatives to optimize customer service and customer satisfaction associated with MICC service delivery.
• Hours: Able to work full-time and be flexible with work scheduling as required by clients and management.
• Travel: This position requires business travel and will need to be able to travel up to approximately 10-15%.

The above list reflects the general details necessary to describe the expectations of the position and shall not be construed as the only expectations that may be assigned for the position.

An individual in this position must be able to successfully perform the expectations listed above.

Qualifications

The requirements listed below are representative of the experience, education, knowledge, skill and/or abilities required.

• Education: Master of Science (MSc) degree in Life Sciences or healthcare or equivalent.
• Experience: 5+ years of Medical Information and/or pharmaceutical industry experience.
• Knowledge of Medical Information Industry Best Practices.
• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills, and the ability to listen to and understand complex issues and needs of various stakeholders including Corporate and Divisional personnel, staff members, clients/customers, vendors, technical/systems issues/limitations. Some of these issues/needs may conflict with other issues/needs, necessitating good judgment and the need for decisions that put the safety of patients and the delivery of our service to clients first.
• Ability to effectively motivate/monitor/manage individuals to ensure performance of all required activities/tasks/functions.
• Familiarity and understanding of EMA and local Regulations and European health-care systems affecting (biologics, pharmaceuticals, medical device manufacturers). In particular, detailed knowledge and understanding of the regulatory and compliance environment as it relates to the medical communications contact centre. Ability to keep up to date with all relevant changes to regulations or conditions affecting the operation of the European MI Department.
• Familiarity and experience with planning/designing/delivering effective training programs, including an understanding of various learning styles and appropriate tailoring/customization of programs based on learning style.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Education: Advanced Healthcare Degree (preferred PharmD or equivalent), Masters in Business Administration or Regulatory Science.
• Licensure: Pharmacist license.
• Experience and/or Training: More than five years of experience in Medical Information management role and/or relevant pharmaceutical industry management position.
• Demonstrable skills in strategic/analytical thinking, people management/development, project management, and time management.
• Technology/Equipment: Technology proficiency in the areas of telephony, Medical Information database, Microsoft Office, and video conference platforms.
• Positive Attitude and Energy – Exhibits an upbeat attitude, a genuine interest in others and a sense of humor. Energizes others and heightens morale through her/his attitude.
• Communication Skills – Possesses the ability to develop and articulate ideas and information that generate understanding and creates a