STAR Medical


career insights

Since 2005, STAR has written for Pharmaceutical Field, an industry leading journal for medical sales professionals.  Until the end of 2007 they contributed to a monthly column, Career Insights, in which they commented on interviews with medical sales representatives and managers, offering tips for career progression, job hunting and interview technique. 

Now STAR contributes to a new column, Customer Insights, in which the focus is on various health professionals.  Key customers and influencers are interviewed in order to provide sales representatives with an insight into their perspectives and priorities.  The column aims to enhance readers’ understanding of the market and the skills needed for success.

Below you can download pdf’s of previous ‘Career Insights’.

2007

November

With experience of a variety of roles within Wyeth, Alex Sinclair is currently working as a Healthcare Development Manager covering West Scotland. He explains what he loves about his role and recommends ‘awesome’ customer service... read more or download pdf

October

Following a varied career of many years in ‘big pharma’, David Brown moved to Ipsen, where he now works as Business Unit Director, Endocrinology and Oncology. Pf asked David what attracted him to the company and what has kept him there for the last ten years... read more or download pdf

September

Success becomes even sweeter when your achievements are recognised. Hospital Sales Specialist Amanda McConnell should know - she has been hailed as a role model at Roche... read more or download pdf

July

Pierre-Fabre’s Karen McIntosh tells Pf about her passion for the oncology market and why Pierre-Fabre is the perfect company for her... read more or download pdf

June

This month, Pf spoke to Dr Allan Abbott, Regional Oncology Specialist for Cephalon UK. After 28 years in the healthcare industry, first as a Hospital Biochemist and then in various roles in the pharma industry, he feels oncology is the perfect place to be... read more or download pdf

May

Peter Williams has worked for sanofi-aventis for eight years. His progression within the company and current role as Head of Sales Training mean he is ideally placed to talk about employee development. Pf asked him a few questions... read more or download pdf

April

Gary Bowler joined Servier UK in 1989 as a Medical Representative and hasn’t looked back since. Now Director of Sales, Gary spoke to Pf about his 18 years with one company and why he’s excited to be a part of Servier UK... read more or download pdf

March

With nine years experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Giles Grant now works as a Senior Specialist Representative with Bristol-Myers Squibb. Currently on a secondment as an Area Business Manager, Pf asked him how he has made the most of the opportunities for development within his company... read more or download pdf

February

Sue Doyle, winner of the Hospital Representative award at the Pf Awards 2006, tells Pf about her career to date and shares her simple winning formula: thorough preparation and confidence in your ability... read more or download pdf

January

Steve Tarpey joined Boehringer Ingelheim after 12 years in the pharmaceutical industry. Promoted to Sales Director in July 2006, he is responsible for setting the salesforce strategy and ensuring the effectiveness of the processes for the motivation and direction of the company’s 300 sales staff. He explained why he feels Boehringer Ingelheim has such a low staff turnover... read more or download pdf

2006

December

Geoff Barnett has experienced many different roles within Pfizer, including District Sales Manager, Sales Operations Manager and Head of Field Force Effectiveness. Currently the UK’s northern Regional Business Director, he spoke to Pf about his career development and offers some advice on maximising development opportunities... read more or download pdf

November

Toby Knoyle has worked with Abbott for a number of years, and has recently been promoted to Regional Business Manager. He spoke to Pf about his career progression to date and why he loves his new role... read more or download pdf

October

Lucy Randle spoke to Carol Cawston to understand the HR Director’s perspective on why Organon is different and how innovation around people development is helping the company stay ahead of the rest... read more or download pdf

September

This month Career Insights looks at one of the hottest topics of the moment: succession planning. There is no question that some organisations are better at this than others. One thing is for sure: the companies that get it right will benefit from an attractive hook for recruitment purposes and a more solid leadership team in the mid and long-term future... read more or download pdf

July/August

Following his recent appointment to National Sales Manager with ALK-Abelló, Pf asked Mark Kneen for his perspective on Representative-Manager relationships... read more or download pdf

June

Geoff Simpson is Sales Force Recruitment Advisor for Napp Pharmaceuticals. He has worked in this role and for this company for eight years. We asked Geoff to reveal the secrets of recruitment... read more or download pdf

May

Joanne Barnes, winner at this year’s Pf Awards, has worked as a Clinical Nurse Advisor for four years. She told Pf why she loves her job with AstraZeneca, and why she thinks enthusiasm for what you do is so important... read more or download pdf

April

This month Pf spoke to Julie Adams, Regional Healthcare Manager of AstraZeneca, about what it was like to win at the Pf Awards and how she proved that her role is anything but ‘woolly’... read more or download pdf

March

Chris Hancock joined Napp Pharmaceuticals Ltd in 1992, straight out of university. He is still with the company 14 years on. Pf spoke to him about his journey from representative to Director of Sales within the same company... read more or download pdf

February

Richard Hughes works as an Executive Sales Representative for Sanofi Pasteur MSD. Pf spoke to him about his daily role and why he finds selling vaccines so rewarding... read more or download pdf

January

Ewan McDowall is Pfizer’s Sales and Operating Manager for Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight. Ewan spoke to Pf about the responsibilities and rewards of his job... read more or download pdf

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Director of Medical Information & Compliance

Location: Guildford

Salary: Up to £80k

Notes: <p>Director of Medical Information &amp; Compliance</p> <p>Based in Guildford</p> <p>Salary up to &pound;80K</p> <p>1003-33</p> <p>STAR's recruiting for a rapidly growing European specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialisation of novel innovative drugs for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. It's a new start up company recruiting for a Director of Medical Information and Compliance, to look after all its marketed pharmaceutical products.</p> <p>You'll be responsible for providing internal (Sales, Marketing, Medical, Market Access, Regulatory, etc.) and external (health care professionals and patients) customers with medical/scientific information on products, competitors and related disease areas, and provide medical and scientific support to the medical information contact centre.</p> <p>You'll also be responsible for maintaining literature and general information sources on products, competitors and related diseases. You'll be accountable for medical educational programs such as congress and symposia programming, developing a global KOL network in the gastrointestinal field and using this network for advisory boards, guideline development, clinical trial centre identification, and guidance on the development of appropriate protocols, for example.</p> <p>You'll design, implement and coordinate appropriate Phase III-IV trials and other medical initiatives, be responsible for publication planning and reviewing of publications, reviewing and signing-off of promotional material to ensure medical and scientific accuracy, and providing strategic input, scientific advice and support for marketing decisions and commercial brand strategy.</p> <p>Applicants for this new &amp; exciting role must have a medical degree (Medical doctor) or PhD or Pharmacist qualification with extensive industry experience in a similar role, including medical education programs and publication planning; gastro experience is a plus.&nbsp; You must also be experienced in and knowledgeable about pharmaceutical medical and marketing processes.</p> <p>If you're interested please call Sam Wise on 01628 581240 or mail your CV to <a href="mailto:samantha.wise@starmedical.co.uk">samantha.wise@starmedical.co.uk</a></p>

Key Account Manager, South West & South Wales

Location: South West and South Wales

Salary: Very competitive salary

Notes: <p>Key Account Manager</p> <p>South West and South Wales</p> <p>Very competitive Salary!</p> <p>Anti-Infectives</p> <p>Permanent</p> <p>1001-6</p> <p>STAR's recruiting for a sensational Key Account Manager opportunity based in the South West and South Wales, working with Anti-Infectives, with a first class company!</p> <p>It'll be your responsibility to design and implement local health economy account plans targeted towards clinicians and other key influencers, to improve sales, market share and profitability.</p> <p>You must have experience in Key Account Management and the medical sales industry; experience in the hospital environment is particularly advantageous.</p> <p>If you'd like to hear more about this opportunity, call&nbsp;David Alexander&nbsp;today on 01225 336335 or email your CV to <a href="mailto:gemma.head@starmedical.co.uk">david@starmedical.co.uk</a></p>

Aesthetics Telesales Representative, £25k plus bonus

Location: Hertfordshire

Salary: £25k plus bonus

Notes: <p>Aesthetics Telesales Representative</p> <p>Head Office Hertfordshire</p> <p>&pound;25K plus bonus</p> <p>Aesthetics and Dermatology</p> <p>Permanent</p> <p>1003-42</p> <p>STAR's recruiting for a unique, extremely rare Aesthetics Telesales Representative opportunity which presents a fantastic chance to break in to the aesthetics industry.&nbsp;</p> <p>It'll be your responsibility to plan and execute the promotion of the company's aesthetic product range to UK aesthetic professionals. You'll forge, develop and maintain relationships with quality customers and build the customer database through telephone networking predominantly, to encourage and secure sales, all the while adhering to the core values &nbsp;and&nbsp; guidelines our client operates by.</p> <p>We'd like to hear from you if you can demonstrate the following attributes:</p> <ul class="unIndentedList"> <li>Technical skills and abilities</li> <li>Proven track record of achievement and improved personal and business performance</li> <li>Computer literacy</li> <li>Acute communication skills</li> <li>Confident, quick thinking, responsive and solution oriented </li> <li>Strong work ethic and resilient</li> <li>Commitment to conducting your work with integrity and honesty </li> <li>Strong interpersonal skills</li> </ul> <ul> <li>&nbsp;Sales experience</li> </ul> <p>If you'd like to know more about this exceptional opportunity, please call Jamie at STAR on 01628 581 240 or email your CV to <a href="mailto:Jamie.bailey@starmedical.co.uk">Jamie.bailey@starmedical.co.uk</a></p>

Medical Representative, Respiratory

Location: Staffordshire/Shropshire

Salary: Competitive salary

Notes: <p>Medical Representative</p> <p>Staffordshire/ Shropshire</p> <p>Respiratory</p> <p>Permanent</p> <p>1003-41</p> <p>STAR's recruiting for a Medical Representative (primary or secondary care) to promote our client's Respiratory product portfolio in Staffordshire/ Shropshire. You'll work as part of a team of representatives, responsible for selling to prescribers (or prescribing influencers) in GP practices, hospitals and retail pharmacy, as defined by your Area Manager. You'll develop strong customer relationships by taking time to understand their needs then providing solutions.&nbsp; You'll work with the sales team and account teams to build strong business plans, and then deliver against them.</p> <p>You must have a successful sales track record, and the ability to develop and maintain high levels of therapeutic and NHS knowledge. If you feel you're a competitive and highly self-motivated individual as well as a strong communicator then we'd like to hear from you. Ideally you'll be ABPI qualified, but sales experience in other industries will also be considered. You should live on territory, and have a full driving licence.</p> <p>If you are interested in hearing more about this or other opportunities in this area please contact Jamie Bailey on 01628 581240 or email jamie.bailey@starmedical.co.uk.</p>

Team Leader Training Excellence, Hertfordshire

Location: Hertfordshire

Salary: Competitive salary

Notes: <p>Team Leader Training Excellence</p> <p>Head Office Hertfordshire</p> <p>12 month Fixed Term Contract</p> <p>1003-40</p> <p>STAR's recruiting for a Team Leader in Training Excellence; it's a unique opportunity to join our client on a Fixed Term Contract for 6/12 months.&nbsp; Leading a team of training specialists in the Sales Training Excellence department, you'll organise and deliver top quality initial training programmes, to help our client's customer facing teams be as effective as possible as quickly as possible in their new roles and at product launches.</p> <p>You'll recruit and select team members, set clear goals, manage performance and resolve issues as well as support, motivate, and coach your team; you'll also manage the business planning and budgeting processes.</p> <p>You'll support your team in rolling out training when required making sure that all induction training and product launches are effective so you will provide clear standards, measure the quality of the programmes on a regular basis, share best practice and respond to developments required. Within your team, you will also develop high-level systems and processes to optimise efficiency.</p> <p>To be successful in this role, you must be highly experienced in training and development within a sales force environment. You will have leadership experience and be able to demonstrate previous success in leading high performing teams of people.</p> <p>Business planning, budgeting and project management skills will enable you to shape your team's activities to deliver the greatest results for the business and to successfully implement new training and process improvements.&nbsp; Your Science degree, understanding of the NHS and ABPI qualification will provide you with an appreciation of the environment in which our sales teams operate as you design training to meet their needs.</p> <p>If you'd like to hear more about this exciting opportunity, call STAR today on 01225 336335 or email your CV to vacancies@starmedical.co.uk</p>

ITC Training Specialist, Hertfordshire

Location: Hertfordshire

Salary: Competitive salary

Notes: <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>ITC Training Specialist</p> <p>Head Office Hertfordshire</p> <p>12 month Fixed Term Contract</p> <p>1003-39</p> <p>STAR's recruiting for an ITC Training Specialist, with a team dedicated to optimising our client's Initial Training Courses (ITC), which belongs to a new Sales Training Excellence team.&nbsp; You'll be tasked with providing high quality ITCs including a core module for everyone with a customer-facing role; there'll be a wide and interesting range of content including selling skills, knowledge of the NHS and commercial environment, the ABPI code, statistics and the use of software and business tools.</p> <p>In addition, you'll have the chance to develop and lead specialised training on our client's therapy and product areas; you'll design innovative courses, taking into account different learning styles and training methods, whilst ensuring that the outcome of your training interventions are ABPI code compliant, and meet the needs of the business, in particular, the marketing and sales managers.</p> <p>Naturally, you must work within allocated budgets and regularly evaluate the impact of your training, making recommendations for improvement and sharing best practice.</p> <p>There'll also be opportunities to support specific events and campaigns, for example, working with brand teams and managers to provide training which adds value at our client's cycle meetings. You'll also play an important role in developing and rolling out training for product launches and license extensions.</p> <p>To be successful in this role, you'll have proven successful experience working in training and development ideally with knowledge of our client's background and experience of the market. You must be creative in your approach to training design and delivery, and knowledgeable about learning styles and methods. Crucially, you'll be a skilled trainer, combining your abilities to present, listen, encourage, challenge and engender a learning culture.</p> <p>Passionate about selling, you'll have a science degree and extensive experience in a GP / hospital or specialist hospital setting. You will draw on your sales, marketing, presenting and negotiating experience and your detailed knowledge of the NHS and ABPI code to design courses perfectly adapted to our environment.</p> <p>Furthermore, you must be a comfortable great team worker who can build relationships across the organisation.</p> <p>If you'd like to hear more about this exciting opportunity, call STAR today on 01225 336335 or email your CV to <a href="mailto:vacancies@starmedical.co.uk">vacancies@starmedical.co.uk</a></p>

Healthcare Business Manager, Home Counties

Location: Home Counties

Salary: Competitive salary

Notes: <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Healthcare Business Manager</p> <p>Field Based- Home Counties</p> <p>9 Month Contract</p> <p>1003-38</p> <p>STAR's recruiting for a Healthcare Business Manager opportunity! In this field based role you'll be accountable for delivering and leading the roll out of key market access strategies and projects, and working with independent healthcare organisations nationally, and locally, in the Home Counties.</p> <p>You'll introduce agreed market access strategies by matrix managing available resources, whilst developing strong and sustainable relationships with agreed market access stakeholders within the independent healthcare market.</p> <p>To be successful in this role, you must have a successful background in commercial market access in the pharmaceutical industry or an equivalent NHS role. You must also have a good understanding of the current issues and challenges facing private healthcare customers, and have a strong commercial focus. You will also benefit from excellent project management and communication skills.</p> <p>If you'd like to hear more about this exciting opportunity, call David today on 01225 336335 or email your CV to <a href="mailto:david.alexander@starmedical.co.uk">david.alexander@starmedical.co.uk</a></p>

Commercial Assistant, Croydon, up to £30k

Location: Croydon

Salary: Up to £30k

Notes: <p>Commercial Assistant</p> <p>Head Office- Croydon</p> <p>Permanent</p> <p>Salary up to &pound;30k!</p> <p>1003-13</p> <p>STAR's recruiting for a Commercial Assistant opportunity, in which you'll be responsible for the Monitoring and Reporting/Event Management/Meetings and Investor Relationship Management/Board Meetings. You'll be expected to co-ordinate with senior management on individual projects and obtain the necessary monitoring information required by the Founder and President, and follow up on actions to ensure they're completed on time. You'll produce and maintain progress reports and minutes for commercial projects, and coordinate key senior management meetings, which includes researching, planning and arranging travel arrangements, accommodation and event documentation.</p> <p>You'll be accountable for preparing monthly reports for the Directors and Board papers for agendas which need Board approval.</p> <p>You must have experience in a business strategy environment, and have dealt with consultancy, business strategy, and corporate projects; you must be good at multi tasking! &nbsp;</p> <p>If you've worked with minimal supervision on behalf of senior managers, and you have a degree of equivalent qualification in business administration, then we'd like to hear from you!</p> <p>If you'd like to know more about this exceptional role, please contact Sam at STAR on 07545 519 684 or email your CV to samantha.wise@starmedical.co.uk</p>

Territory Manager, M3/M27 Corridor

Location: South East/Central

Salary: Competitive salary

Notes: <p>Territory Manager</p> <p>M3/M27 Corridor (covers Basingstoke to Portsmouth, Southampton, the upper edge of Dorset and the Isle of Wight)</p> <p>Permanent</p> <p>1003-10</p> <p>STAR's recruiting for a Territory Manager to join a highly motivated, high-performing team, reporting to the Regional Sales Manager. The position is field based so you must live within the territory boundary.</p> <p>Following your training, you'll be responsible for promoting a strong portfolio of single patient use Ultrasonic and Advanced Bi-polar surgical devices.</p> <p>Working closely with the Regional Manager, Commercial Team and Territory Manager counterparts, you'll deliver outstanding value to our clinical and non-clinical customers and in turn transform patient care through innovation.&nbsp; Your ability to effectively plan and implement clinical added value services e.g. bespoke in-service support, UK/European Professional Education, Masterclass, and Preceptorship facilitation, will be critical to driving the adoption of new surgical procedures and the use of our client's products.</p> <p>The successful candidate will have a proven track record in medical sales. You'll have the emotional maturity and competence to build good relationships based on trust and respect. Personal drive, commitment, organisational and business skills are key qualities required to deliver outstanding results within this rapidly growing area.&nbsp;</p> <p>If you'd like to hear more about this exciting opportunity, call Jamie today on 01628 581240 or email your CV to <a href="mailto:jamie.bailey@starmedical.co.uk">jamie.bailey@starmedical.co.uk</a></p>

Territory Manager, M6 Corridor

Location: M6 Corridor

Salary: Competitive salary

Notes: <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Territory Manager</p> <p>M6 Corridor (Wolverhampton out to Wrexham, Worcestershire, Shropshire)</p> <p>Permanent</p> <p>1003-9</p> <p>STAR's recruiting for a Territory Manager to join a highly motivated, high-performing team, reporting to the Regional Sales Manager. The position is field based so you must live within the territory boundary.</p> <p>Following your training, you'll be responsible for promoting a strong portfolio of single patient use Ultrasonic and Advanced Bi-polar surgical devices.</p> <p>Working closely with the Regional Manager, Commercial Team and Territory Manager counterparts, you'll deliver outstanding value to our clinical and non-clinical customers and in turn transform patient care through innovation.&nbsp; Your ability to effectively plan and implement clinical added value services e.g. bespoke in-service support, UK/European Professional Education, Masterclass, and Preceptorship facilitation, will be critical to driving the adoption of new surgical procedures and the use of our client's products.</p> <p>The successful candidate will have a proven track record in medical sales. You'll have the emotional maturity and competence to build good relationships based on trust and respect. Personal drive, commitment, organisational and business skills are key qualities required to deliver outstanding results within this rapidly growing area.&nbsp;</p> <p>If you'd like to hear more about this exciting opportunity, call Rory today on 01628 581240 or email your CV to <a href="mailto:rory.broughal@starmedical.co.uk">rory.broughal@starmedical.co.uk</a></p>


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STAR Medical

STAR House / 4 Kelso Place / Upper Bristol Road / BATH BA1 3AU

Tel: 01225 336 335 / Fax: 01225 326 398 / Email: solutions@starmedical.co.uk


STAR Medical Ltd. is registered in England & Wales Reg. No. 448 7307.
STAR Medical Contracts Ltd. is registered in England & Wales Reg. No. 577 0769.
Registered address 4 Kelso Place / Upper Bristol Road / BATH BA1 3AU.