Pharmacovigilance, Safety & Benefit/Risk talent solutions
Pharmacovigilance and safety are fundamental in medicine and vaccine development, ensuring patient well-being.
At Wentworth Life Sciences, we specialize in these fields, providing skilled talent to support your projects and safety goals. Our proactive approach in pharmacovigilance, drug safety, and benefit/risk management helps you achieve patient safety goals.
We offer permanent hires and shorter-term consultants with a transparent process and a commitment to excellence. Partner with us to efficiently access the leading talent for your team.
We built a new EU PV team for our biotech client. Read the case study here.
Local PV & Safety talent across a global network
UK, Ireland,
USA,
France,
Germany,
Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Hungary, Belgium, Netherlands, Poland,
Denmark +
Growing departments across Biotech, Pharma and CRO and PV Service Providers
BioPharma
BioTech
Pharma
CRO
PV Vendors
MedTech
MedDevices
Start-ups
SME
Big pharma
Contract and Permanent Talent - across all roles and levels
Function Heads
QPPVs
Deputy QPPVs
Drug Safety Physicians
Safety Scientists
PV Audit & Inspection Readiness
Compliance & QA
Process Improvement
PVA & SDEAs
Case Study - EU PV team build
In Q4 2022, we were approached by an innovative, East Coast US rare disease focussed biotechnology company. They asked us to find a Executive Director/PV Head and to help them then build a new internal PV function for Europe.
Transfer from CRO
To transition from an external PV function and PSMF to an in-house team and system.
System build
Establish clear and robust PV and safety systems, processes, and procedures.
Team build
Recruit the first hire, an Executive Director level EU/EEA QPPV, and rapidly build the team around them.
The objective
Challenges & Solutions
TIME & URGENCY
Challenge
With impending inspections by regulatory authorities and the strategic decision to bring the PV system in-house, our client wanted to urgently get the project/s underway.
Solution
The Wentworth team met for a kick-off meeting, to discuss the clients' goals and timelines and establish a plan with project timelines, deliverables and with individual tasks allocated to ensure maximum efficiency.
We deployed a whole team across this project.
Already present in the PV space, we had an established talent pool to resource from (as part of our 13,000 CRM database and much wider industry network).
As part of our strategic planning for this project, we utilised external tools and databases to support our resourcing plan.
Our approach led to the successful candidate being identified and engaged within 4 days following the initial client brief, the formal introduction made within 7 days and the first interview within 9 days of introduction. Within 23 days the candidate had a formal offer of employment.
INTERVIEWER AVAILABILITY
Challenge
For the most important first hire, our client wanted to involve many department heads. This required coordination of interviews across time zones for six separate interviewers.
Furthermore, each individual had a heavy workload and delays were inevitable.
Solution
Having fewer interviewers would have reduced the time to hire however, for such an important role, we didn't recommend reducing the number of interviewers as it was beneficial to both parties to have a thorough evaluation.
Instead, we focussed on expediting the interview process as efficiently as possible, responding to updated availability late into the evening to accommodate the US hours.
We could also offer pre-recorded video interviews to remove initial interviews but this did not suit our client.
Additionally, we ensured that the candidates in process were updated with increased frequency and transparency.
We received positive comments and thanks from each candidate in appreciation for the conscientious approach.
CANDIDATE AVAILABILITY
Challenge
The pharmacovigilance candidate pool with the level of expertise required, is naturally limited due to the niche nature of PV. Furthermore, our client wanted to swiftly hire, however most candidates at this level have three to six months’ notice period which further limited the talent pool.
Additionally, our client based the position in Dublin which has a limiting impact on the talent pool and the local market is fiercely competitive.
Solution
We consulted with our client, sharing data around the talent pool size and nature to help set context and expectations for this first hire.
Our discussions resulted in us being able to open-up further European locations from which to source appropriate talent, while we prioritised candidates in Ireland which was our clients' preference.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Challenge
Our client wished to hire discreetly and with minimal complications from multiple recruitment partners working on the same project.
Solution
We were trusted to be the exclusive recruitment partner for our client, based on previous successes managing high-level, confidential and fast moving searches.
Each of the candidates we approached signed our CDA and respected the need for discretion.
With no external advertisements placed by us or our client, we were solely reliant on our tried and tested search and engagement methods.
It was imperative to be professional, sincere and respectful in our interactions, particularly where we couldn't not discuss all aspects of the project in our first contact. All whom we engaged, responded positively to our contact.
CANDIDATE RETICENCE
Challenge
With no internal European PV team, some candidates perceived this as too high risk and led to some more risk averse candidates choosing not to pursue the opportunity.
Solution
It was important to be totally honest about the current challenges but also, promote the opportunities that this role represented, now and in the future.
As ethical recruiters, we pride ourselves on putting forward all of the available information and allowing individuals to make informed decisions at what is often a potentially life-changing time.
JOB DESCRIPTIONS & EVOLVING PRIORITIES
Challenge
There was initially an outdated job description and this wasn't provided until well into the search.
Additionally, role locations changed and hiring priorities changed.
Solution
We took a good brief on the vacancy from HR, combined this with our knowledge of the market and commenced our resourcing and engagement project.
In parallel, we discussed the need for a renewed and comprehensive job description, particularly when we moved to the interview stage. This was not only so that candidates had accurate expectations of the role but also, that interviewers knew what they were interviewing candidates against.
We are inherently a flexible team and we positively adapted to changing requirements.
ONGOING CONSULTANCY
As important as the very first project, is our ongoing support of our client which includes:
Resourcing for additional permanent and contract hires
Compensation and benefits benchmarking
Market intelligence
Managing the existing and future contractors including:
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Contracts (working with client HR, Legal and Compliance teams across different time zones)
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Onboarding support (working with HR to ensure the contractors and staff have everything they need)
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Payroll/Invoicing
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Ongoing support/advice (including regular check-ins with all parties to offer support and address any potential challenges at an early stage)
Case study success stories
Permanent hires
Executive Director, EU/EEA QPPV
Director, Deputy EU/EEA QPPV