Account Manager

Springer Healthcare is a leading global medical communications and education provider. Working in partnership with pharmaceutical companies and key opinion leaders, Springer Healthcare develop bespoke content delivered via multichannel solutions, providing the essential tools to support healthcare professionals in achieving the best possible outcomes for patients.

Job Title: Account Manager

inScience Communications (part of Springer Healthcare)

Location: Chester, Manchester or London

Full Time, Permanent Role

Excellent Salary and Benefits Package

Closing Date: 31st March 2023

inScience Communications is a medical communications agency with over 35 years of experience in the industry. We offer excellent opportunities for career progression with a focus on employee satisfaction and retention.

We’re looking for a talented individual, keen to take on the integral role of Account Manager within our expanding operation in the UK, working with some of the biggest names in the pharmaceutical industry.

This role offers the chance to work on a large medical communications and publications accounts within a supportive, team-focused environment. You will be engaging with key clients and working with internal team memebrs including medical writers, other client service managers and the financial team to aid the management of individual projects and the business overall. This is a fantastic opportunity to make your mark in this important role within our company. With continuing growth and plans for expansion, now is an excellent time to join the team and make a difference.

Further details on the role are shown below – please contact our recruitment team to find out more or to talk through your current situation and where you might fit in.

1. Organic Growth

• Provide commercial direction to account team delivering organic business growth for designated account(s):

  • Apply a thorough understanding of the principles and processes underlying the various components of a strategic communications programme and how these fit within a product life‑cycle

  • Involve relevant individuals (e.g. Senior Account Manager, Account Director, Client Services Director, Healthcare Outcomes Director, Business Development Manager ) in account team meetings and discussions to optimally address client business needs

  • Make recommendations to clients for new ideas and develop appropriate proposals for products and services that meet identified client needs

  • Review proposals developed by Account Executives and provide constructive feedback. Check that recommendations being made are on brief, on specification and provide a budget that reflects their true market value (ensuring value-added delivery, where possible)

  • Liaise with the client to negotiate and close proposals, as appropriate

  • Share best practice with client and internal teams

2. Client Service

• Build and sustain long-term influential business relationships with client team(s):

  • Develop and maintain awareness and understanding of the client’s market, product profile, competitors and trends

  • Demonstrate knowledge of market and therapeutic area when interacting with client and internal teams

  • Attend and lead client meetings with support from Client Services Director, Account Director, Senior Account Manager and drive completion of follow-up actions

  • Keep an overview of issues arising with clients within account team(s) and work with Client Services Director, Account Director, Senior Account Manager to ensure they are resolved so that future relationships are not damaged

  • Flag any unresolved issues to the Senior Account Manager, Account Director or Client Services Director outlining business risk and making recommendations for action

3. Project Management

• Manage a large portfolio of projects across client account(s)

• Probe clients for a specific brief for projects with support from more senior personnel (if necessary)

• Arrange and lead (where appropriate) brainstorming meetings to shape/challenge briefs

• Discuss and communicate brief to the rest of the team (including team members from other departments e.g. Editorial) ensuring it is understood

  • If understanding is unclear then clarify with client or Senior Account Manager, Account Director, Client Services Director

• Liaise appropriately with all relevant departments, providing information that may assist them in their day-to-day work (e.g. Editorial)

• Drive the day-to-day project management of all live projects within an account(s)

• Comply with agreed standard operating procedures (SOPs) so the team works in an effective manner – communicate these to the team to educate as appropriate

• Work with the account team to deliver comprehensive/up to date status sheets for the client and support the Account Executive in status calls, where appropriate

• Work closely with the rest of the team to set up new systems/processes, as required, to optimally manage the account(s)

• Manage project risks and take corrective action e.g. contingency planning techniques are used

• Participate in and lead internal and external debrief meetings implementing any learning’s for future projects

4. New Business Development

• In conjunction with the Business Development Manager, Senior Account Manager, Account Director and/or Client Services Director exploit new business opportunities with both current client company and others

• Contribute to the generation of commercially relevant proposals, population of RFIs and capabilities/pitch presentations

• Keep Business Development Manager regularly updated about on-going commercial opportunities and actively seek their involvement where appropriate

5. Financial Management

• Provide accurate monthly and yearly sales and revenue forecasts to the Senior Account Manager /Account Director/Client Services Director to assist in the forward planning of the business unit, perhaps via your manager

• Meet or exceed inScience Communications sales, revenue and profitability expectations within the assigned account(s)

• Oversee the delivery of all live projects for the assigned account(s) to agreed financial ratios (target 90% recoverability) and in line with project specifications

• Deliver against agreed key performance indicators e.g. utilisation, recoverability

• Where applicable, take overall responsibility for client negotiations, agreeing terms and conditions and contracts with the support of your manager

• Work with the account team(s) so sales are placed on the system by the deadline dates

• In close liaison with the account team(s) be accountable for accurate budget proposals, the monitoring of time and costs throughout project delivery and the reconciliation process

• Authorise supplier invoices, ensuring that they are accurately coded

• Manage professionally any issues regarding costs with the client with the support of Senior Account Manager /Account Director/Client Services Director

• Ensure sales are confirmed, revenue is forecasts, pipeline is captured, revenue staging is completed, timesheets are up to date and submitted and invoices are accurately completed and raised by the agreed monthly deadlines

6. Internal Leadership

• Develop direct report and less experienced colleagues to reach full potential both personally and for the benefit of the business:

  • Lead, motivate and drive direct report and less experienced colleagues

  • With input from the Senior Account Manager, Account Director or Client Services Director review the performance of any direct report through the Appraisal process including year-end and mid-year reviews and any other ad hoc discussions (as required)

  • With input from the Senior Account Manager, Account Director or Client Services Director identify skill gaps and develop personal development and training plans for any direct report

  • Encourage and provide constructive feedback

  • Coach, where possible, to fill gaps and facilitate coaching of any direct report

• Provide input to the performance management of non-direct line reports such as less experienced colleagues or writers through the appropriate line manager so that objectives are in line with business goals throughout the account team(s)

• Ensure effective resource planning:

  • With input from the Senior Account Manager, Account Director or Client Services Director plan resource requirements of the account team(s) in advance so that adequate resource is in place to meet client demands

  • Communicate resource demands on other departments/suppliers in advance to allow them to plan appropriate resource to meet client demands

7. Global Support

• Facilitate sharing of business opportunities with other teams/departments

Skills, Experience, Qualifications:

Essential

Previous relevant experience in a medical communications agency

Specialist knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry

Understanding of the drug development and communication process

Desired

Broad range of therapeutic knowledge

To find out more - visit our website at www.insciencecommunications.com

inScience Communications provides strategic and tactical Medical Communications services to the Global and Local Pharmaceutical Industry. Our three Global Offices are based in Chester and London in the UK, and in Philadelphia in the USA.

inScience Communications is part of Springer Healthcare – part of the Springer Nature group. You can find out more about our company structure at http://www.springernature.com/gb/

Springer Nature is the world’s largest academic book publisher, publisher of the world’s highest impact journals and a pioneer in the field of open research. The company numbers almost 13,000 staff in over 50 countries and has a turnover of approximately EUR 1.7 billion. Springer Nature was formed in 2015 through the merger of Nature Publishing Group, Palgrave Macmillan, Macmillan Education and Springer Science+Business Media

Springer Healthcare is a Disability Confident Committed Employer and we encourage applications from candidates with disabilities. If you consider yourself to have a disability or learning difficulty and wish to submit your application in an alternative format or would like to discuss reasonable adjustments during the application and interview process, please get in touch either by phone on +44 (0)207 014 4020 or by email SpringerNatureUKCareers@springernature.com so we can make any necessary arrangements. 

 

At Springer Healthcare we value and celebrate the diversity of our people. We recognise the many benefits of a diverse workforce and strive for an inclusive workplace that empowers all our colleagues to thrive. Our search for the best talent fully encompasses and embraces these values and principles. https://group.springernature.com/jp/group/taking-responsibility/diversity-equity-inclusion.