Job Opportunities at Aspen Pharma Group

OBJECTIVE OF ROLE:

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

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Achieve and exceed set sales targets and market share objectives.
• Effectively implement the sales and marketing strategies.
• Management of designated territory by means of planning, analyzing, customer targeting and call coverage of identified customer base.
• Establishment of constructive and positive relationships with customers and stakeholders.
• Relationship management of key customers.
• Provide ongoing customer support.
• Responsible for the budget and expense management in territory.
• Ensure value add in an entrepreneurial climate and environment.
• Actively engage with team members and piers to build a quality and high performing team and positive company culture.

Requirements
EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Matric Certificate
• A tertiary qualification would be an advantage
• Pharmacist Assistant is ideal

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• One to two years sales experience, ideally in the pharmaceutical industry
• Experience as a Pharmacist Assistant is ideal
• Experience calling on and detailing in Pharmacies would be an advantage
• Previous experience within the urology therapeutic area would be an advantage
• Existing relationships with key customers in the territory, would be advantageous

COMPUTER SKILLS REQUIRED:

• The applicant must be competent using the various platforms within the Microsoft Office bundle.

SOFT SKILLS:

• Ability to effectively manage one’s territory
• Knowledge of basic financial calculation i.e. gross margins, mark-ups etc.
• Able to skillfully analyze data
• Excellent communication skills – both written and verbal
• Timeous and accurate administration skills
• Ability to work under pressure, plan, set priorities and manage one’s time productively
• Flexibility and agility – allowing one to adapt to change in an ever-evolving environment
   

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Description
Overview

• Receive delivery notes, load materials, dispatch trucks, upload information/ documentation into ERP, and process sales orders.

Responsibilities

Inspections and Verifications

• Perform visual inspections of rooms, machine parts and equipment
• Verify that rooms and equipment are certified clean as per SOP
• Verify scale and measuring equipment performance and daily calibration as per SOPs, protocols and schedules
• Verify daily sampling, dispensing of materials and its mass/ volume
• Perform housekeeping of rooms and equipment

Line & Production processing

• Perform line sign-on and closure
• Check and authorise packaging line clearance
• Order and maintain substance materials
• Perform batch reconciliations to product specifications and quality
• Monitor production process in line with standards and specifications

Process and system improvements

• Manage change control programs and deviations/ concessions in line with SOPs, standards and product quality and specifications
• Manage and resolve customer complaints
• Optimise processes and identify gaps in policies/ procedures

Compliance & Auditing

• Conduct shift GMP checks and ensure continued compliance
• Conduct environmental checks and check expiry dates of agents
• Verify good document practice as per SOP and regulation
• Verify the identity of bulk product and printed packaging materials, and conduct intermix checks to assess uniformity
• Verify IPCs are in line with product quality and specifications
• Check preliminary batch records
• Audit logbooks and systems

Troubleshooting

• Investigate deviations and concessions and assess risk
• Raise deviations and implement corrective action
• Raise maintenance notifications as and when required

Training and technical expertise

• Train new PMAs on SOPs
• Identify refresher or awareness training needs

Administration & Record keeping

• Complete batch records and labels
• Complete deviation forms as required
• Query documents and sign off declarations
• Perform and verify calculations in BMR
• Maintain and update records and systems as required

Requirements
Skills Required

Background/experience

• Post Basic registration as Pharmacist Assistant with Pharmacy Council
• 1-3 years’ Pharmacist Assistant experience
• Pharmaceutical manufacturing experience advantageous

Specific job skills

• Basic technical knowledge of pharmaceutical manufacturing, standards and compliance requirements
• Ability to interpret and implement policies, processes and objectives

Competencies

• Interrogating information
• Meeting deadline
• Finalising outputs
• Maintaining accuracy

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OBJECTIVE OF ROLE

• Responsible for the promotion of products within a certain geographical area to Hospitals, pharmacists, nurses and doctor specialists. Responsible for retaining and strengthening relationships with Key External Experts.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Commercial Excellence

• Achieve territory sales targets and grow market share
• Build sustainable relationships with targeted customers to gain trust and commitment
• Work efficiently with key stakeholders across the business.
• Responsible for detailing healthcare practitioners (pharmacists, nurses and specialist) in the private hospital market.
• Maintain and grow relationships with thought leaders by discussing the portfolio at a peer-to-peer level.
• Understand research and development trends of pharmaceutical products, build product awareness and grow product acceptance.
• Shape the views and preference of healthcare practitioners (pharmacists, nurses and specialists) and patient advocacy groups towards innovative pharmaceutical products.
• Provide ongoing support to targeted healthcare practitioners by collecting feedback on Aspen Hospital products to ensure effective and safe use of the products.
• Manage, coordinate, and oversee product portfolio within territory including business planning, territory analysis, achieve customer target call volume and coverage.
• Provide ongoing customer support to enhance product and disease knowledge by offering product training, CPD meetings, Journal clubs and webinars.
• Resolve customer complaints by investigating problems; developing solutions; preparing reports; making recommendations to management.
• Communicate and report on adverse reaction within 24 hours and ensure that all product complaints are resolved within the respective timelines.

Commercial Excellence continued

• Adherence to business rules i.e., call rates standards, call logging adherence and ensure submission of monthly and weekly planners and reports.

Value Creation

• Monitor and analyze data and market conditions to identify competitive advantage and product usage to improve sales performance
• Pursue continuous learning and professional development and stay up to date with the latest industry trends,
• Plan and organize and arrange training to HCPs
• Promote products ethically and within compliance based on company’s sales process and approved marketing strategy

Compliance

• Adherence to all compliance expectations in customer interaction and activities 

Requirements

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Matric / Grade 12
• A tertiary qualification is required, ideally in the life sciences. 

KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in pharmaceutical detail sales, within the hospital and specialty arena is essential.

OR

• A minimum of 5 years’ experience as a theatre / ICU nursing sister
• Existing relationships with key customers in KZN would be an advantage.
• Product knowledge of Aspen and competitor products within the hospital environment would be an advantage
• Understanding of budgeting, forecasting processes and financial calculations (gross margins, mark-ups etc), is preferred
• A good understanding of marketing strategies and processes is ideal 

SOFT SKILLS REQUIREMENTS

• Territory Management
• Presentation skills
• Communication skills; both written and verbal
• Negotiating skills
• Interpersonal skills with the ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Effective planning, prioritization, organizing and coordinating.
• Ability to think creatively and out of the box, to effectively solve problems
• Results driven and self-directed
• Able to skillfully analyze data to gain insight and plan of action
• Ability to work under pressure and manage time productively 
   

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Description
Overview

• Provision of business support on all aspects of the area’s work
• Coordination and execution of administrative functions within the Quality area

Responsibilities

Administrative support

• Provide input into work activities and priorities for the unit
• Monitor adherence to schedules, organise and schedule meetings, monitor quality area activities, and plan and make travel arrangements
• Prepare, compile and release documentation to external departments
• Coordinate project and office services
• Performs advanced administrative, operational, customer support and computational tasks
• Process compliance (CAPAs, change, controls, deviations)

Administer CAPAs requests

• Coordinate the required tracking of change requests to SOPs and processes, and assist in determining compliance with control process
• Assist in analysing deviation trends
• Coordinate the required tracking of overdue CAPAs, CCs, deviations and internal audit reports and responses

External audits management

• Coordinate audits relating to document and information management
• Coordinate and provide support during external and customer and statutory external audits
• Management review, reporting and record-keeping
• Assist in tracking and reporting on in-country quality metrics
• Assist in the gathering and consolidating/ compiling information required for reporting

Consolidate documents

• Maintain and update records and systems as required
• Retrieve documentation and records to facilitate query resolution

Stakeholder relations

• Communicate with internal stakeholders to achieve work objectives, maintain relationships and to assist and convey information
• Schedule meetings with local suppliers

Skills Required

Background/experience

• Grade 12 with 3 to 6 years’ administrative experience or 2-year Diploma with 1 to 3 years’ administrative experience

Specific job skills

• Broad working knowledge of concepts, terminology and specialised admin requirements to support area of responsibility.

Competencies

• Information Gathering
• Pragmatic Action
• Meeting Deadlines
• Finalising Outputs
   

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Description
Overview

•  Manage and improve compliance to statutory pharmaceutical and engineering requirements in Engineering department. 
•  Identify, define and lead implement CI compliance initiatives.
• Develop and manage engineering training plan.

Responsibilities

Planning and Operational Support

• Act as a lead technical expert/ subject matter resource
• Optimise and facilitate implementation of current processes.
• Identify gaps in current policies and procedures.
• Propose changes or improvements to processes, tools, techniques.

Production Facility and Engineering Compliance       

• Prioritise compliance system workflows to meet deadlines.
• Coordinate and manage the SOP review timetable.
• Update and implement new and reviewed SOPs with relevant management, adhering to compliance standards.
• Assist with writing technical SOPs for department.
• Compile and update general SOPs for the facility.
• Develop workflows to create, compile, update, review and approve SOPs to maintain adherence to standards and regulation.
• Assist with management of Change Control and Deviation system according to standards.
• Create Change Control and Deviation reports for Engineering Management and Quality System meetings.
• Participate as a representative at Quality System meetings.
• Assist with internal and external audit programmes and audit reports.
• Follow up on corrective action plans to address minor and major audit findings; assess effectiveness of plans for close out.
• Develop and implement improvements to documentation and document practices to ensure compliance.
• Manage and coordinate the on-site vs. off-site storage of department GMP and SAP records for quick retrieval.
• Analyse compliance statistics and report on trends; identify and implement compliance improvement opportunities.
• Develop and manage compliance to engineering training plan.
• Train staff on non-technical SOPs to ensure compliance to quality and safety standards.

Reporting and record keeping

• Consolidate information for reports on weekly/ monthly basis
• Analyse consolidated data and provide recommendations
• Compile detailed and standardised reports
• Monitor and control access to and set-up of electronic databases
• Retrieve supporting documentation and records to facilitate and support query resolution.

Requirements
Skills Required

Background/experience

• Trade Tested Electrical Artisan with 2 to 4 years’ post Apprenticeship experience; or National Diploma with 2 to 4 years’ related experience
• Administrative and Quality Systems experience
• Engineering maintenance systems experience

Specific job skills

• Advanced knowledge of pharmaceutical quality operations and quality management systems
• Knowledge of Pharmaceutical standards and compliance requirements
• Ability to interpret and implement policies, processes, and objectives. 

Competencies

• Interrogating Information
• Meeting Deadlines
• Finalising Outputs
• Maintaining Accuracy

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Description
Overview

• Perform minor preventative maintenance and resolve minor breakdowns.
• Support artisans and other team members to execute work orders.
• Prepare and clean work areas.

Responsibilities

Production Facility Maintenance

• Perform minor preventative maintenance and resolve minor breakdowns.
•  Support the resolution of major breakdowns and implementation of major preventative maintenance.
• Implement corrective actions according to instructions in order to minimise machine downtime.
• Perform routine strip-down and/ or assembly of plant and equipment.
• Gather tools, components and material required for work processes.
• Prepare and clean work areas as required, prepare solutions, clean, and sanitise equipment, tools, facility and complete the appropriate cleaning checklists according to SOPs.
• Remove defective machines/ equipment to minimise downtime, replacing once repaired.
• Participate in problem solving and root cause analysis to support swift repair as well as identification of continuous improvement processes.
• Support the implementation of improvements with regards to maintenance and breakdown repair processes
• Maintain workshop, tools, and assets to standards.

Reporting and recordkeeping

• Ensure the completion and signing-off of all appropriate checks, logbooks, and related documentation.
• Record and measure downtime during repair and maintenance processes
• Provide standard record keeping and reporting functionality for area of work.

Stakeholder Relations

• Communicate with internal stakeholders to achieve work objectives, maintain relationships and to assist and convey information.

Requirements
Background/experience

• Grade 12
• 1 to 3 years’ technical/ maintenance support experience

Specific job skills

• Broad working knowledge of concepts, terminology, and technical support requirements

Competencies

• Following Procedures
• Finalising Outputs
• Pragmatic Action

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OBJECTIVE OF ROLE

• The Specialty Senior Biopharmaceutical Representative acts as the primary customer contact and is responsible for implementing marketing strategy and promoting Aspen/Amgen products as led by the District Manager.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Commercial Excellence   

• Managing all associated expenses ensuring ROI on all activities.
• Provide current and comprehensive knowledge of Aspen's products and effectively communicate the clinical benefits to medical professionals while building trust relationships to drive appropriate utilization of the products.
• Perform as a sales leader to achieve territory sales by delivering branded sales messages, conducting planned programs, scheduling and following-up with medical educational programs, and achieving or exceeding sales targets through both in-person and virtual engagement.
• Drive cross functional efficiencies and collaboration with key stakeholders across the business.
• Provide feedback on marketing strategy, analyse business effectiveness of sales activities and territory analysis, and develop territory plans with the District Manager 
• Partner with other colleagues to share best practices and seek to learn and grow as a Specialty Representative/Senior Specialty Representative.
• Demonstrate passion for our products and sustain that passion through the entire sales cycle while always building our brand and never losing sight of how we serve patients. 
• To support the retention and development of Key External expert relationships through the detailing of a therapeutic portfolio.
• Understanding of research and development trends, building product awareness and aiding decisions surrounding product acceptance and adoption.
• Follow up with targeted HCPs, gather feedback on their experience with Aspen/ Amgen products and provide them with an ongoing customer support to ensure effective choice and use of the products.
• Manage, coordinate, and administer portfolio within regional territory including planning, territory analysis, implementing customer targeting and call coverage of customer base.
• Drive Focus brands
• Achieve and exceed set targets and market share objectives and track sales data to achieve or exceed sales budgets.
• Provide ongoing customer support to create additional value in the business relationship including product training, external meetings, and webinars.
• Resolve customer complaints by investigating problems; developing solutions; preparing reports; making recommendations to management.
• Communicate and report on adverse reaction within 24 hours and ensure that all product complaints are resolved within the respective timelines.
• Plan, organise and arrange training to Pharmacist/ Pharmacists assistants if required.
• Implement area specific strategies that would positively impact the business and share best practices within the team.
• Maintain adherence business rules i.e., call rates standards, call logging adherence and ensure submission of monthly and weekly planners and reports.
• There will be a requirement to travel overnight to some of the regions as part of the territory.
• Work with Dialysis units to drive Aranesp sales.
• Work with PSP nurses in territory. 

Value creation

• Monitor and analyse data and market conditions to identify competitive advantage and product usage to improve sales performance.
• Pursue continuous learning and professional development and stay up to date with the latest industry trends,
• Plan and organise and arrange training to HCPs.
• Promote products ethically and within compliance based on company’s sales process and approved marketing strategy. 

Compliance

• Adherence to all CCCO expectations in customer interaction and activities

Requirements
EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Matric qualification.
• A tertiary qualification in Bio Science, Chemistry or related field

KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Minimum 6 years proven successful track record in pharmaceutical industry will be required, in hospital / specialist arena.
• Minimum 6 years detailing experience to specialist doctors is essential.
• Knowledge of detailing and pharmaceutical industry
• Experience in nephrology and cardiology.
• Excellent interpersonal communication, presentation, and negotiation skills
• Product knowledge on both Amgen/Aspen and/or nephrology market and competitor products
• Strong clinical ability to enable in-depth clinical discussions.
• Effective territory management and optimization.
• Knowledge of basic financial calculation i.e. % targets, growth, margins
• Analytical and Interpretation skills – Being able to analyse Aspen in house data and external data sources.
• Knowledge of the Hospital business/industry
• Have a complete and thorough understanding of the scope of the pharmaceutical market
• Understanding of the budgeting and forecasting processes,
• A good grasp of marketing strategies and processes
• Existing relationships with key customers would be an advantage.

 SOFT SKILLS REQUIREMENTS

• Very strong communication and negotiation skills
• Driven individual who is a self-starter and able to solve problems and gathers insights to feed back to the business.
• Active listening skills
• Time management skills
• Organizational skills
• Administration skills
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Excellent Presentation skills
• Problem solving and decision-making skills.
• Numerate, analytical, high attention to detail, able to prioritize.
• Execution and understanding of set budgets
   

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Overview

• Receive delivery notes, load materials, dispatch trucks, upload information/ documentation into ERP, and process sales orders

Responsibilities Documentation, reporting & record keeping

• Complete goods receipt notes and carry out material verification
• Generate sales orders
• Generate picking lists, packing list, load plans, sales invoices and de-shroud notices
• Obtain signoff on finished goods from the Pharmacist prior to distribution, for materials only required for scheduled items
• Book the goods into the ERP System
• Send Stores receipt note and purchase orders to Finance and the Lab
• Assist in gathering the information required for reporting in department or area of technical expertise
• Compile detailed and standardised reports and consolidate documents
• Retrieve supporting documentation and records to facilitate and support query resolution

Investigating

• Prioritise issues and orders
• Determine the cause of damaged goods
• Escalate unknown causes to the superior
• Track down mislabelled products, and correct the labelling thereof

General office support/ Administrative support

• Coordinate project and office services
• Perform advanced administrative, operational, customer support and computational tasks (such as, basic data analysis, report and document development, complex report preparation, content development, meeting planning and advanced research)

Plan & process

• Coordinate and provide input into work activities and priorities
• Monitor adherence to schedules
• Provide recommendations to management on improvement in processes
• Provide guidance to and/ or assists others with work activities
• Check own work

Stakeholder relations 

• Communicate with internal stakeholders to achieve work objectives and to maintain relationships
• Communicate with employees and management, to assist and convey information

Requirements
Skills Required

 Background/experience

•  1-3 years’ experience in an administrative role
• Minimum of a 2-year Diploma in Administration
• Experience on SAP advantageous

Specific job skills

•  Product knowledge (ERP System, Hardware, Database)
• Administration knowledge

Competencies

•  Planning and Organising
• Meeting Deadlines
• Capturing Facts

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Description
Overview

• Carry out tasks related to receiving, material preparation, stocking, picking, cycle counting, finished goods preparation and loading of product. 

Responsibilities

Receipting

• Check delivery vehicle and pallets for damage and ensure compliance to GMP.
• Unpack the truck and sort by supplier and lot numbers.
• Check shipping manifest and weigh materials; move suspect material to holding place.
• Complete and verify the goods receipt document.
• Hand receipt documents over to Administrator to book into BAAN.
• Dust and pack by hand, and place on pallets, or by means of equipment.
• Apply quarantine labels and/or location label on the material.
• Hand over to the Administrator for printing

Stocking

• Place pallet on the shelf as per location label or scan location to update BAAN.
• Replace the label after “For release” is approved, if applicable
• Place scheduled products into the Schedule Cages under supervision of Pharmacist

Picking

• Receive instruction to pick, locate and pick the pallet.
• Place job number on the pallet and return completed picking instruction to Controller/Administrator
• Secure the load.
• Move it to the staging area for shipping. 

Quality Control

• Report any stock/or location variances.
• Report issues to the superior
• Do general housekeeping.
• Do general GMP and Health and Safety functions.

Planning & procedures

• Prioritise daily work to complete tasks/ projects assigned by others.
• Work within established policies, practices, and guidelines, as well as established quality and safety checks.

Asset / Resource Coordination

• Determine resource needs within own area of responsibility.
• Request required assets and resources for the fulfilment of work duties.

Technical Expertise

• Optimise own work processes.
• Identify gaps in current policies, procedures, and legislation as it relates to own area of work.
• Execute implementation of processes in own area of work. 

Reporting & record keeping

• Provide information for completion of reports.
• Maintain and update records and systems as required.

Requirements

Skills Required

Background/experience

• 2 to 4 years’ Warehouse experience (preference in Pharmacare)
• Minimum of a National Certification (N4 N6)
• Experience on SAP advantageous

Specific job skills

• Trainable to operate specialized MHE.

Competencies

• Interrogating Information
• Meeting Deadlines
• Customer Awareness