Current Vacancies at Aspen Pharma Group

OBJECTIVE: 

To promote and generate sales on key product portfolios to pharmacies on both ethical and generic ranges. In addition to mentioned objective, the position will also be responsible for building and maintaining strong business relationships with pharmacy decision makers, in order to drive net sales revenue.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Achieve and exceed set sales targets and market share objectives.
• Effective implementation of sales and marketing strategies.
• Effective management of the regional territory by means of planning, territory analysis, customer targeting and call coverage of identified customer base. 
• Establishment of positive relationships (mutual trust and respect) with customers and other stakeholders.
• Manage key customer sales and effective relationship management.
• Providing ongoing customer support.
• Add value to an entrepreneurial climate.
• Effective territory expense management and control. 
• Active engagement with team members & piers in order to build an exciting and high-performance team and company culture.

Requirements

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Matric qualification.
• Tertiary qualification would be advantageous in marketing/business management/scientific.
• Minimum 2-3 years proven sales track record in a pharmaceutical environment.
• Must have experience with schedule 3+ brands.
• Previous basket experience/exposure would be an advantage.
• Valid driver’s license and own vehicle.
• Existing relationships with key customers in the territory would be advantageous.

SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

• Product knowledge on both Aspen and competitor products.
• Effective territory management.
• Knowledge of basic financial calculation i.e. Gross Margins, mark-ups.
• Analysing of Aspen in house data and external data sources.
• Strong ability to effectively communicate with both internal and external customers. 
• Administration skills – ability to comply with the required administration standards associated with this position. 
• Ability to work under pressure, to set priorities and to demonstrate time management skills. 
• Creativity and flexibility – the ability to work in a changing environment and to adapt to different situations.

Closing date: 23 August 2024

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OBJECTIVE: 

• To support the SA Commercial Business to realise the commercial strategy and to achieve the annual targeted growth and revenue through successful new product introductions and maintenance of current product portfolio in the South Africa and South African Development Community (SADC) region, by ensuring successful Marketing Authorisation and variation approval from the SAHPRA and  Regulatory Authorities of the SADC member states within the committed timeframe.
• To ensure Aspen Pharmacare’s SA product portfolio complies with the related Acts and guidelines to support and maintain registration in South Africa.  To ensure growth and sustainability of Aspen Pharmacare’s SA product portfolio within the legislative framework of the country and in compliance with the company strategy.
• The role undertakes responsibility for compliance with the Regulatory Medical Information and Compliance requirements for the New Product Launch Pipeline and the existing  product portfolio in the region, through the successful completion of assigned activities according to the South African and SADC Regulatory plan.
• To perform Medical Information and Compliance monitoring activities for Aspen in accordance with procedural documents and relevant governing group policies.
• To meet the needs of healthcare providers and patients/consumers through collaboration with internal customers to ensure delivery of accurate and scientifically balanced medical information, and promotional and non-promotional material, and to respond to unsolicited inquiries from regulatory authorities,  including clients and managed healthcare organisations in a manner that will help them make a decision regarding therapy for a patient or product selection.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

FINANCIAL

• Effective utilisation of resources to keep processes cost effective.
• Adhering to Regulatory Affairs budget and forecasts.

MEDICAL INFORMATION (MI)

• Providing support within the MI function in responding to labelled and off-label medical information enquiries for Aspen and contractual partners.
• Providing compliant responses to internal and external customers.
• Creating and maintaining standard responses (SRs) and Objection Handlers (OHs).
• Ensuring that the relevant department/s are informed in a timely manner (at receipt or at least within 24 hours) following the receipt of adverse events or product quality complaints/potential counterfeit medicines.   This include performing a daily check on the dedicated medical information inbox and MAfax inbox.
• Ensuring that Affiliate/Distributor/MI is adhering to Aspen’s Policy in providing scientific support to internal and external customers.
• Identifying gaps and suggesting ways of process improvement in MI.
• Ensuring that the reconciliation between the Medical Information function and Pharmacovigilance and the Quality department is effective by performing ad hoc reviews on reconciliation files.
• Ensuring that any suggested improvements within the professional information and/or patient information leaflets are communicated to the PV Lead at the point of identification.
• Supporting the line manager in generation of medical information reports showing trends in medical information enquiries received.
• Managing after hour MI enquiries on a rotational basis.
• Ensuring telephony system testing documents are completed as per allocation.
• Ensuring compliance to Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) response timelines.
• Ensuring a professional attitude is displayed when responding to a customer’s needs.

PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL, SCIENTIFIC MATERIAL REVIEW AND COMPLIANCE MONITORING

• Reviewing and approving promotional material relating to the advertising and promotion of medicines and related products for the SA and SADC markets in compliance with applicable legislation, codes of practice and any other applicable regulations/guidelines and corporate requirements.
• Reviewing and approving educational, scientific and other non-promotional material for the SA and SADC markets in compliance with applicable legislation, codes of practice and any other applicable regulations/guidelines and corporate requirements.
• Liaising with marketing divisions regarding advice, queries, and timelines in relation to the above.
•  Assisting with the review of information relevant to each product.
•  Attending promotional campaign concept presentations at the request of the marketing teams to provide regulatory support and input.
• Ensuring that compliance monitoring is performed on all territories and non-compliances are escalated in a timely manner to the line manager as per Aspen group policies.
• Supporting the line manager in developing and maintaining procedural documents for compliance monitoring.
• Supporting the training department in providing recommendations for improvement and compliance with Aspen group policies following compliance monitoring review.
• Supporting the line manager in generating reports associated with compliance monitoring activities.

REGULATORY AUTHORITY SUBMISSIONS (INCLUDING SECTION 21/36):

• Performing clinical due diligence for new intellectual property as received from the regulatory function.
• Creating Professional Information (PI) and Patient Information Leaflets (PILs) for new IP.
• Creating company core data sheets.
• On time responses to clinical evaluation recommendations (CERs) and clinical screening enquiries.
• Accurate compilation and filing of the electronic submission documentation.
• Accurate completion of all tasks pertaining to submissions as specified in the relevant procedural documents.
• Maintaining tracking tools to ensure on time submission and reporting.
• Identifying process enhancements.
• Ensuring accurate uploading of the current approved PIs and PILs to the SA Regulatory Portal and submission to SAHPRA for uploading to the PI/PIL Repository (and relevant platforms).
• Managing Section 21 and 36 submissions.

IMPLEMENTATION OF RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN (RMP) MATERIAL:

• Ensuring that RMP material is created, maintained and rolled out to market.
• Ensuring that the relevant sales force team is adequately trained, and training records are filed.
• Ensuring that tracking tools are in place to ensure logging of material distribution and reporting to SAHPRA. 

PRINTED PACKAGING/ARTWORK 

• Reviewing and approving concept of new or updated artwork/printed packaging material for medicines and related products for the SA and SADC markets in compliance with applicable legislation and corporate requirements. 

AFRIKAANS TRANSLATION OF PROFESSIONAL INFORMATION (PI) AND PATIENT INFORMATION LEAFLETS (PILs) 

• Assisting with the translation and/or validation of Afrikaans PIs (where required) and PILs for both new and existing products.
• Ensuring that translations are undertaken accurately and timeously.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

• Providing assistance with any specific projects and operational support for the MI and Compliance team
  MAINTENANCE OF THE ASPEN MEDICALLY CRITICAL LIST
• Initiating and finalising a bi-annual review of the Aspen medically critical list.

QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

• Maintaining procedural documents for the Medical Information and Compliance function as specified in the individual KPAs (as per identified     subject matter expert/s).
• Ensuring accurate and ‘real-time’ filing of training records.
• Ensuring ‘real-time’ maintenance of TrackWise/QAlign records. 
• Ensuring that relevant documentation requested by auditors is provided in a timely manner during internal and external audits.
• Ensuring that training records are up to date to ensure audit readiness.
• Ensuring that the commercial team members are trained on those RA:SQC procedures where there are shared responsibilities.

GENERAL

• Ensuring systems and procedures are in place in accordance with the RA QMS and that these are maintained according to the relevant SOPs.
• Adherence to agreed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
• Supporting the continuous development and improvement of the Medical Information and Compliance function while upholding Aspen core values.
• Ensuring relevant records are maintained as soft copies and hard copies, as per Pharmacare filing structure/instructions.
• Adherence to Company Health & Safety procedures.
• Participation in training programmes. 
• To provide a leadership role as required by taking responsibility for specified areas and coaching of staff.
• Any other duties as assigned by Manager.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor of Pharmacy Degree and registration with the South African Pharmacy Council
• Multilingualism (including Afrikaans) would be an advantage
• Minimum 1 to 2 years’ pharmaceutical experience
• Experience in Medical Information is an advantage
• Effective use of appropriate IT systems and programs
• Ability to work with multi geographical locations & time zones
• Experience in medicine legislation and related guidelines and codes of practice preferable

KNOWLEDGE

• Regulatory Authority requirements/legislation
• Understanding of the laws and requirements governing the marketing of medicines and printed packaging Guidelines and codes of practice
• Understanding requirements of medical information and information management
• Terminology – understanding the jargon
• Understanding business processes
• Product knowledge
• Industry knowledge
• Dossiers and requirements

SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES

• Integrity, good work ethic and ability to meet deadlines
• Self-starter
• Analytical and planning skills
• Accuracy and attention to detail
• Effective organisational skills and ability to prioritise
• Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines
• Ability to work in a fast-paced international environment
• Ability to manage projects in a matrices team environment and  with both internal and external partners
• Willing to travel if required
• Presentation skills
• Time management skills
• Service orientation
• Decision making skills
• Customer focused
• Self-confidence
• Organisational awareness
• Information seeking
• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills
• A solutions provider
• Manage evolving deadlines effectively with regular feedback  and updates
• Enthusiasm and drive to take ownership and drive process  initiatives
• Logical thinking
•  Positive ‘can – do attitude’
• Work autonomously and have good problem-solving skills
• Honest and trustworthy
• Respectful and highly personable
• Possess cultural awareness and sensitivity
• Flexibility and confidentiality
• Empathy, patience, influence
• Sense of urgency
• Positive and pro-active approach to business tasks
• Business process analysis
• Report writing
• Information gathering and monitoring
• Projects (advantage)

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Job purpose

• Constantly review and analyze supply chain data to identify opportunities to optimize OTIF, adherence to plan and cost targets from material supply to finished goods.
• Build algorithms and design experiments to merge, manage, interrogate, and extract data to supply tailored reports to colleagues, customers, or the wider organization.

Responsibilities

Production scheduling

• Create processes and methods to automate information gathering across the value chain.
• Maintain and track accurate data to support supply chain decision making.
• Review, streamline and automate all internal and external Supply chain reports.
• Constantly review supply chain data and ensure necessary inputs are fed into the planning and
• production cycle.
• Develop and maintain detailed process maps of key value chain processes to assist with optimization and simulation.

Support Supply Chain Analytic Centre of Excellence

• Descriptive --, Diagnostic --, Predictive and Prescriptive analytics: ▪Advise on optimum product rise and work centre allocation and improve level loading in work centres.
• Obtain and analyze data to identify problematic areas and suggest improvements.
• Use analysis results to improve supply chain processes, performance and to reduce costs.

Risk Management

• Monitor sales against forecast volumes, identifying at-risk products.
• Identify supply deficits, over-scheduling, capacity constraints and under-loaded schedules and highlight recoveries-related financial risks and critical materials shortages.
• Review stock and sales reports; provide feedback & remedial plans.
• Analyse customer status reports; identify and resolve issues.
• Review and manage inventory associated with QS items.
• Ensure delivery terms are met, and that correct documentation accompanies consignments.

Future Proof our Business

• Develop frameworks to identify the value of implementing advanced tools and technologies within the Aspen value chain (IOT, Big data, Blockchain, Machine learning,
• Support the creation of LP/MIP capability within Aspen and create the framework/Tools for data engineering, digital twin, optimization, and simulation.

Requirements

Skills Required

Background/experience

• 2 to 4 years’ relevant experience, preferably in planning, or analytics centre of excellence role
• Experience in data management and advanced analytics.
• Postgraduate degree or diploma in a relevant field

Specific job skills

Computer literacy with particular proficiency in programming and BI tools

Competencies

• Data management and data engineering skills to enable optimal data process and methodology.
• Expertise in advanced analytics
• Excellent analytical and abstraction reasoning skills, as well as problem solving ability.
• Ability to gather, synthesize, and analyse data using appropriate tools and technologies.
• Must be a team player and able to work with and through others.
• Maintaining Accuracy
• Following Procedures

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OBJECTIVE: 

Will be responsible for managing Key Accounts via driving and implementing Key Account Operational Plans aligned to the Strategic and Tactical Business Portfolio Plans. The successful incumbent will have customers across the FMCG segment such as Pharmacy Wholesalers and Pharmacy customers (not limited to) that include much growth potential. Drive achievement of sales budget for Consumer division, managing net revenue, operating income and trade expenditure. You will be required to collaborate and work cross-functionally and inter-departmental with Marketing, Sales, Finance, Supply Chain, Legal, Compliance and 3rd Party Logistics. Ensure the adherence to Aspen policies, systems and procedures.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Ensure all financial and non-financial objectives are achieved for Key Accounts as set by the Consumer Head in collaboration with the KAM Lead. 
• Plan, implement, execute and monitors sales activities to drive performance on a national and regional territories.
• Be accountable and drive goals and objectives that are channel specific that include and not limited to Pharmacy, Retail and Pharma Wholesaler. 
• Work closely with Finance and Debtors Team managing Operating Expenses and Debtors’ Management.
• Liaise with finance and legal department in coordinating and negotiation of trading agreements and expenditure tracking and management.
• Identify and develop new business opportunities in both sales channel and product portfolio.
• Ensuring all strategic negotiations become operationally visible through daily interaction and communication with sales, marketing teams and management.
• Prepare and manage budgets according to operational requirements and robust expenditure management.
• Monthly achievement & reporting on budgets
• Methods for improving customer services are proposed, developed and continuously updated.
• Ensure Aspen remains partner of choice in key product categories.
• Implement improvement in services and products via execution of channel-specific tactics.
• Ensuring adherence to legislations, the Self-Care Association marketing Code and Aspen’s values, policies and procedures

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

• Matric Certificate.
• A degree/ diploma / courses in relevant commercial/ healthcare environment (Advantageous).
• Min 3-5 years Sales / Marketing / Key Accounts management experience.
• Experience in setting and strategizing of account budgets, strategies, and tactics incl. Forecasting.
• Experience in customer negotiations i.e., Trade / Contracts etc.
• Strategic Market understanding and knowledge – essential.
• Substantial expertise and proven Customer Relationship Management.
• MS Excel proficiency on advanced level.

KNOWLEDGE: 

• Knowledge of FMCG landscape across various key account channels
• Knowledge of processes
• Policy and procedure
• Customer data analytics
• Finance knowledge
• System knowledge
• Product knowledge
• Industry knowledge
• Future trend analysis
• Strategic marketing
• Pharmaceutical Laws i.e., Pricing / Marketing

SKILLS:

• Planning skills
• Time management
• Problem solving
• Budgeting
• Forecasting
• Analyzing trends
• Service orientation
• Decision making skills.
• Interpersonal skills
• Strong Customer Relationship Management
• Communication skills
• Self-Motivated
• Negotiation skills
• Leadership skills

ATTRIBUTES:

• Initiative
• Accuracy
• Confidentiality
• Customer focused.
• Interpersonal sensitivity
• Logical thinking
• Information seeking
• Enquiring mind
• Self-development orientation
• Cultural sensitivity
• Vision
• Integrity
• Planning and organizing
• Analytical
• Decision making
• Commercial astuteness
• Ability to handle pressure.
• Negotiation skills
• Entrepreneurial spirit
• Persuasive
• Ability to delegate
• Flexible and strategic thinker

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Overview

• Operate equipment in the manufacturing and packing of products
• Prepare, clean and inspect work areas and equipment
• Troubleshoot machines and raise maintenance issues
• Carry out required training and administrative tasks

Operational Support

• Identify gaps in current policies and procedures
• Optimise and facilitate implementation of processes
• Operate equipment as per standards and expected efficiency, and ensure compliance to GMP and SHE standards

Inspections & Verifications

• Perform pre-production checks such as environmental, scale and equipment pre-checks as per BMR, SOP and product specifications
• Verify scale and measuring equipment performance

Production Preparation

• Ensure availability of materials and equipment for manufacturing
• Perform Type-A and Type B changeovers; Clean and prepare the area and equipment before and after processing
• Prepare solutions for production activities as per SOP

Production Processing

• Clear and feed the manufacturing line
• End of line packing and inspections
• Perform central lining review to establish optimal production settings

Routine Support Tasks

• Clean area and equipment before and after processing of materials
• Perform equipment pre-checks and facilitate transfer of equipment
• Sort defected product and dispose of according to procedures
• Provide information to assist with campaign preparation
• Train new Assistants and Operators and transfer of skills
• Operate manufacturing and packaging lines as per requirements
• Resolve minor - and assist with major breakdowns/ maintenance
• Perform change overs, settings and minor maintenance as per autonomous maintenance standards

Troubleshooting

• Conduct root cause problem analysis on machines
• Raise maintenance issues with management for resolution
• Perform adjustments and preventative maintenance on machines

Reporting & Record Keeping

• Complete batch record labels and OEE sheets
• Perform half-hourly inspections of production area(s)
• Record manufacturing/ machine down time
• Attend shift meetings
• Perform IPQC or quality inspections per responsible areas
• Provide information for reports; consolidate standard documents
• Maintain and update records and systems as required

Requirements

Background/experience

• National Certification (N3 Engineering) with 0-2 years’ related experience
• Manufacturing experience

Specific job skills

• Basic technical knowledge of Pharmaceutical production processes, procedures, systems and equipment.
• Basic understanding of Pharmaceutical standards and compliance requirements 

Competencies

• Finalising outputs
• Following procedures
• Taking action
• Information gathering