Job Description

Matric and 3 year diploma or degree in Business Management, Marketing, or Project Management (Advantage)
2 Years Pharmaceutical or FMCG Industry experience is required
1 Year experience in Project Coordination or Project Management
1 year exposure to Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
2 years experience operating within a policy framework e.g. understanding and implementation of SOPs
Marketing or Supply Chain or Demand Planning experience in the Pharmaceutical Industry an advantage
An understanding of SAHPRA process is an advantage

Scoping a project
Setting up and clearly outlining the business rationale for the creation of a particular and stakeholders needs in the scoping document.
To get alignment from all internal and external role-players regarding the scope of the project.

Planning
Strictly manage the implementation of projects within a predefined timeline by ensuring cross functional alignment of stakeholder prevails, to ensure that New Product Launches are not delayed
Project manage various projects from concept to commercialisation, to ensure that tasks are managed and actioned by respective stakeholders within expected timelines
Proactively manage tasks that have a risk of being delayed, preventing launch delays.
Ensuring the sequence of activities are taking place as per SOPs and resource requirements.
Identify the milestones and deliverables (collaboration, coordinate, optimize) of the project and evaluate the critical path for each project
Determine the resources and actual duration to complete each task identified in the project plan to in order for the project to meet completion deadlines
Setting timelines that are measurable, realistic and attainable
Achieve alignment across all key stakeholders for the project plan to ensure commitment from all involved in the project
Set up the project in the Launch Management System and allocate tasks accordingly
Attend all stakeholder engagements / meetings relevant to the success of the planning of projects

Execution
Communicate the tasks that have to be completed clearly to resources Ensure that the tasks are executed by the nominated resources on time with the required attention to detail
Coordinate team meetings with the various business units, project manager and cross functional team (regulatory, demand planning and finance) to discuss project impediments, needed resources or issues/delays in completing the tasks within the various projects
Ensure the product is set up in the Demand Planning system and the forecast is managed
Ensure the costings are done and approved by the relevant resources
Ensure that the product is set up at the Manufacturing site
Ensure that Patents and Trademark searches are included in the LMS
Continuously evaluate your project plan and amend when required.
Ensure that the Regulatory feedback is incorporated in the project plans
Ensure that the required information to list the products are requested and received from the manufacturing site, regulatory affairs, Artwork and MediKredit and communicated to the KAM team
Ensure that the listing have been completed to enable sales
Ensure that the Commercial evaluations are completed at the appropriate gates
Ensure that orders are completed, signed off and placed on the manufacturer
Ensure that the artwork is triggered at the appropriate times
Ensure that the signal code is updated when the product is QA released
Ensure all the pricing documentation is completed, approved, and submitted to the DOH. Including the tracking of the
DOH approval.
Coordinate productive meetings to ensure:
- Tasks are completed
Continuously evaluate the progress of the project and adjust as necessary to ensure the successful completion of the project.
Collaboration, communication, and optimization.

Risk Management
As part of planning a risk assessment should be completed e.g. manufacturing risks, RA risks, Pricing Risks, Market Risks, Patent Risks and Trademark Risks.
Project plan should incorporate risk mitigation strategies if they have been identified
Proactively come up with action plans
Assist and encourage with the roll out of the risk grid in the LMS
Assist project teams to identify risks and ensure that these risks are documented Roles and responsibilities to be clearly defined and communicated to resources
Proactively come up with action plans

Desktop market analysis and profit and statement
Understanding and referring to different departmental policies, procedures, and SOP's With the assistance of Commercial NPL team the Project Manager must:
Ensure that a desktop market analysis is performed at pre-defined gates during the launch process
Create or update the profit and loss statement to reflect market changes that could be picked up with a desktop market analysis

Data integrity
Review the quality of data provided by all the role-players and ensure the data is reflected accurately on the LMS
Assist with relevant, up to date reports to share with relevant stakeholders

Reporting
Understand the reporting requirements from role-players and feed this back to the Project Lead:

Ensure that the inputs of your own data is of the highest quality to enhance overall data integrity
Ensuring that LMS and the project plans are always maintained and updated with the most accurate data
Analyse existing reports from the LMS to:
Improve project plans
Identify potential risks

Amendment of IP
Project management responsibilities: Project Manage the commercialization opportunities when there is an amendment planned on IP: This supports the base business of the markets serviced by the South African sales and marketing teams by enabling effective commercialization of products without unnecessary expenditure, within agreed timelines within approved risk parameters
Post- launch analysis
Assist, coordinate and support the respective stakeholders with regards to variations to products that have already been commercialized.
Effectively manage variations to products that have already been commercialized like re-alignments, pack size additions etc.
All launch activities that apply to the respective variation

SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES
Project Management skills
Microsoft project management software (MSP professional)
Process implementation: must be able to implement new processes, be the process champion (change agent)
Must be able to analyse data to ensure data integrity, pick up on risk trends in terms of task completion and suggest scheduling improvements
Problem solving: Analytical skills to analyse the problem and facilitate the role-players or create innovative solutions.
Negotiation skills to create win-win solutions.
Working with others to brainstorm original, mutually beneficial solutions
Risk management: identify, mitigate and ensure business understands the risks related to the projects he/she is managing
Ability to communicate concisely and clearly: Business writing and verbal communication
Well-developed presentation skills
Proven inter-personal skills and a track record of cross functional collaboration
Financial acumen: profit and loss statement including a desk top market analysis
Information seeking: Understand how and where to look for information e.g. what data sets contains what information and what it is used for

KNOWLEDGE
A solid understanding of Project Management and its principals
Deep working knowledge of processes & implementation thereof
Comprehensive knowledge on the Pharma Industry
Excellent understanding of business practices related to marketing, sales, and business development
Ability to translate quantitative data into actionable business recommendations and communicate complex data concepts in ways that organization will understand.
Coordination, collaboration, communication, prioritisation, and optimisation of the project plans to ensure an optimal launch.
Demand Planning actions that impact on the successful commercialisation of a pharmaceutical product
Teamwork: Team players and know how to influence people not under your direct control
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing: Understand manufacturing processes and information requirements and constraints. Understanding how Marketing requests can impact on manufacturing and vice versa.
Must be able to negotiate a win-win solution.
SAHPRA process for approvals for amendments to existing dossiers and how they affect commercialization of the finished product
SAHPRA process and approvals for new product submissions
The commercial impact of changes to the dossier and or manufacturing process
Financial: Profit and Loss statements including a desktop analysis of the Market
Marketing: Basic principles of a brand plan
DOH Pricing regulations
Risk management
SOP's
Microsoft Project professional
Excel

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