VP, Sales, Strategic Accounts

At West, we’re a dedicated team that is connected by a purpose to improve patient lives that has been at the center of our Company for more than a century. Our story began when Herman O. West solved the problem of supplying penicillin in mass quantities to the US Government during World War 2. Through our work to deliver thousands of life-saving and life-enhancing injectable medicines to millions of patients daily, West’s indelible mark on the healthcare industry has just begun. A name started our story. How will yours help write our future?

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Job Summary:

This position is for a senior-level individual with defined responsibility and accountability for driving the strategic direction, profitability and growth of all of West’s business within the Strategic Accounts customer base. These accounts are represented by the very significant level of business they represent to West, but also the strong growth potential and the collaborative partnership that exists today between both companies. The expectations for the leader in this role are that they will define and execute on a growth strategy for the Strategic Accounts and working with their team of senior Sales directors deliver strong, profitable growth for this customer base. In addition, the role requires building a new framework for how we engage with, and support, these accounts across the organization, establishing multiple touchpoints at senior functional levels between both companies, agreeing on an operating model that recognizes the value and partnership West has with these Strategic Accounts, agreeing joint commitments between West and the customer, and having collaborative discussions about their pipeline, our product roadmap and their future market needs.

Results will be achieved through effective team leadership, customer engagement and management, improving the customer experience, establishing good governance processes between both organizations, account penetration and effective cross-functional engagement within West to deliver on the new framework. In addition, the responsibility includes identification and capturing of new business, having a thorough understanding of our customers’ pipeline and value chain, and generating customer insights to best position West to secure new businesses and meet our short and long-term strategic plans. In addition, this leader will be required to have strong levels of collaboration to provide direction and achieve support for operational, R&D and quality resources to deliver on the needs of this important customer segment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Establish and enhance West’s position within the Strategic Accounts customer base:
  • As a global market leader in containment and delivery systems
  • As a trusted technical and scientific partner who they seek to collaborate with and co-create new business solutions
  • As a company easy to do business with, by providing an excellent customer experience.
  • As an innovator, with a constant stream of value-added products and services
• Lead a team of leading Sales professionals to grow all West’s business within the Strategic Accounts customer base.
  • Understand and interpret the environment in which West and the customer operates, as well as building deep customer and market insights to enable West to better support this critical cohort of customers. This includes monitoring customer pipeline activity, customer earnings calls, etc., as well as competitive activities, to ensure strong market intelligence within the industry.
  • Develop winning strategies with the Strategic Accounts sales team, communicate them effectively, and execute them successfully.
    • Strategies will be comprehensive and may reach across all functional and geographic boundaries, including our Emerging Markets region.
    • This also includes working to build the most appropriate operating model with which we need to effectively service the customer to provide the optimal customer experience to these strategic accounts at West.
    • Implement the appropriate governance models and establish executive connections as required in these accounts to ensure complete alignment across our businesses.
    • Preparation and execution of Forecasts & Budgets that align with the Strategic Plan.
    • Measure the impact of these strategies systematically and adjust as necessary (including updating as required which accounts are included in the Strategic Accounts program).
  • Develop team and individual capabilities in line with the West leadership model and in parallel with the Head of Proprietary Sales, Developed Markets, enhance sales leadership and effectiveness of the sales team.
• Responsibility for the revenue and growth targets of the Strategic Accounts business
  • Focus on growth of revenue, profitability, and new business wins.
  • Working in collaboration with Product Management and Strategic Marketing, ensure that the growth is aligned with West’s strategic goals as they pertain to product positioning, promotion and development, across all product categories.
  • Develop and build relationships with the Strategic customers to achieve organic as well as inorganic growth, including market expansion, geographic expansion, product line and service expansion, acquisitions, strategic alliances, and strategic pricing and commercial models.
  • Work with the Head of Proprietary Sales, Developed Markets, and other senior stakeholders in the business to agree on the service model for the Strategic Accounts and work cross functionally to implement it.
  • Provide routine reporting on financials, KPI´s and achievements.
• Ensure alignment and collaboration between applicable West functional teams and stakeholders.
  • Work closely with other key West functions to improve operational effectiveness, maintain the highest regulatory and quality standards, and operate at the highest standards of ethics and integrity.
  • Provide direction to R&D, Strategic Marketing, Product Management and Operations to ensure alignment between market/customer needs and West capabilities and product roadmap.
  • Provide regular updates to the ELT on the status of West’s business with these accounts outlining growth opportunities and the requirements to achieve them.
• Other duties as assigned.

Basic Qualifications:

• Degree in Business in marketing, finance, science or technical or equivalent experience
• Minimum of 15+ years of experience in experience in business; operations, sales, marketing, and/or finance.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong commercial leadership experience in a global environment, preferably in a multinational life sciences manufacturing organization.
• Experience with the pharmaceutical drug approval process and the supply chain and manufacturing requirements of such process.
• Experience working for a matrix organization.
• Functional expertise: in-depth knowledge in sales/marketing, operations, finance, in a B2B environment.
• Solid understanding of manufacturing operations, global supply chain, quality assurance and regulatory affairs.
• Strong Business and Financial acumen
• Proven at developing and executing an effective strategy and vision to drive significant growth.
• A clear understanding of the healthcare industry, including pharmaceutical/medical device in global markets and the complexities of working effectively in this environment.
• Strong leadership of a team of sales professionals and the demonstrated ability to support them (and coach them) in managing their customers issues, opportunities, and their respective executive engagements.
• Experience in successfully leading global multi-functional or cross-functional teams, in developing cohesive relationships and producing strong business results.
• Successful track record of working and building relationships and ability to influence at a regional and global level, developing trust and confidence from senior leaders.
• Key account management experience, country sales management, as well as, selling, marketing, presenting, negotiating to build trust with customers through regular interaction and input.
• Experience in managing performance, coaching and developing people.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English (required).
• Excellent presentation skills for internal and external requirements, including at senior executive level.
• Strong business acumen, continuous improvement approach and complex problem-solving skills.
• Be aware of all relevant SOPs as per Company policy as they relate to the role covered by this Job Description.
• Fully compliant with the company’s safety and quality policies at all times.

Travel Requirements:

• Must be able to travel up to 30% of the time, including internationally.

Physical and Mental Requirements:

• Sedentary - exerting force occasionally, and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, incl. the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally, and all other sedentary criteria are met.
• Work is performed in an office environment. Able to routinely use standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.
• Must be able to communicate effectively with written and oral skills, make quick decisions, interpret data, read & write, speak in front of groups, express & exchange ideas, understand direction and adhere to procedures.
• Organizational skills will enable planning, prioritization & achievement of goals especially of importance for the successful execution of related activities.
• Position operates in a professional office environment. May stand or sit for extended periods of time.
• Read and interpret data, information and documents.
• Must maintain the ability to work well with others in a variety of situations.
• Must be able to multi-task, work under time constraints, problem solve, and prioritize.
• Ability to make independent and sound judgments, observe and interpret situations, analyze and solve problems and have critical decision-making skills.

West is an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. If you have a special need that requires accommodation in order to apply to West, please send an email to [email protected]. Where permitted by law, an offer of employment with West Pharmaceutical Services, or any of its subsidiary or affiliate companies, is contingent upon the satisfactory completion of background screening and/or a pre-employment drug screening.