Job Description

POSITION SUMMARY
The Cluster Lead SSA / Country Manager South Africa position is the external face and voice of Pfizer SSA with our most senior stakeholders: Government, Trade Associations, Media and Payers. This role supports the entire Pfizer SSA business by working to influence the business environment externally for success across the Pfizer portfolio across the Sub Sahara Cluster region.
The candidate in this position will devote a large proportion of his/her/their time to the internal leadership of the SSA Cluster in-country organization, championing a One Pfizer mindset, leading market access activities for our new medicines across our broad range of therapeutics and vaccines. This position will also seek to simplify our organization through improving the team ethos and removing unnecessary bureaucracy.
This position will have direct accountability for driving growth for the SSA region and preparing the market for launches, while proactively managing the P&L and revenue responsibility for the overall business.
The Cluster Lead for the SSA Region will lead, manage and develop the business to achieve its strategic goals, financial objectives and deliver breakthroughs that change the lives of patients by:

• Being accountable to lead the transformation journey in Pfizer SSA to become a science-based, innovative, and patient-focused organization.
• Playing a leadership role in shaping the industry, working proactively to influence external policy and the healthcare environment to address the healthcare needs of the countries within SSA.
• Inspiring and facilitating the culture change to reimagine new ways of work in alignment with Pfizer's core values, global strategies and doing business with integrity.

The organization has over 180 full-time colleagues and several distributor agreements across several markets in the region. Its revenue budget for 2026 is USD 130M, with growth aspirational ambitions of USD 200M in 2028.
POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES
Leadership of external environment & Pfizer Stakeholders

• External reputation & business environment strategy in collaboration with all Pfizer Groups/BUs.
• Assessment of market business risks/health care opportunities.
• Leads market access negotiations for negotiations that span the portfolio when there are cross-BU implications being representative of Pfizer.
• Committee leadership of industry boards, advocacy and preparation of position papers.
• Aligns market access strategic and commercial strategies across BU to ensure interest of One Pfizer prevails over individual BU interests at the customer interface.

Leadership of internal environment, Pfizer colleagues & culture

• Driving alignment on key One Pfizer issues/activities & seeking synergies/resolving internal BU/Group disputes.
• Continued creation of an environment where diversity is welcome and recognized as a source of innovation, performance and joy.
• Ability to build a strong Cluster Culture aligned with our Purpose, Blueprint and Pfizer Values.
• Co-championing wellbeing and welfare of colleague initiatives to support the Pfizer values of Joy, Equity, Excellence and Courage.
• Chairing Pfizer Legal Entity board.
• Ensuring a compliance focused "Winning the Right Way" business approach.

Leadership of revenue, P&L achievement and compliance

• Achieving in-country revenue targets and P&L objectives for the SSA Region.
• Maximizes the in-country portfolio of the SSA cluster and manages daily operations of the business and appropriate business development opportunities in conjunction with the Business Development team.
• Line leadership for SSA colleagues, Country Health and Value, Corporate Affairs (including Communications), Digital, Payers Account Management and Commercial Operations platform functions.

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS
Leadership & Oversight:

• Legal Entities representative.
• South Africa Management Forum.
• One Pfizer activities and governance.
• Country Health and Value, Corporate Affairs (including Communications), Digital, Payers Account Management and Commercial Operations platform functions.
• Oversight and coordination of Group/BU and Enabling Functions convening meeting as required in a timely, transparent way.
• Partnership with Medical Group including local co-ordination of resources.

Key interactions & Team Memberships:

• Membership / leadership positions within government bodies, pharma/industry associations, external alliances, KOL's, patient groups.
• MERA LT membership.

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY/RESOURCES MANAGED

• Budget Responsibility

• USD 130 Million projected revenues for 2026, growing to
• USD 200 Million projected revenues for 2028.
• Number of direct reports

• Pfizer Employee(s): 6 & total Pfizer SSA organization: 180.
• Geographic Scope

• Sub-Saharan Africa region

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree. Business Management degree is an advantage.
• Experience as a Cluster Lead is preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years commercial work experience with preference in a MNC within the healthcare industry across multi Therapeutic Area and or Brand portfolio.
• Broad knowledge and experience of a relevant healthcare and pharmaceutical environment.
• Leading the improvement of access through expanded and novel payer partnerships.
• Creating and rightsizing flexible organizations to reflect market changes.
• Significant experience working with the government and payers is highly preferred.
• Ability to build and lead high performing teams while maintaining highest integrity.
• Direct management and accountability for revenue and full P&L.
• Proven ability to influence across a range of diverse stakeholders.
• Track record of successfully leading organizational change.
• Preferred international experience and dealing with multicultural teams.
• Proficient in written and spoken English.

TECHNICAL SKILLS REQUIREMENTS
Technical skills required and/or preferred, as applicable.

• Pfizer Senior Leader Competencies.
• Managing and coaching in a matrix environment.
• Entrepreneurial mindset.
• Commercial and marketing acumen and skills (e.g., pharmaceutical marketing proficiency, sales force management, negotiating skills, etc.).
• Strong commercial and marketing acumen spanning multiple markets (e.g., knowledge of various access environments, etc.).
• Analytical thinking.
• Managing complexity (across brands, markets, functions, cultures).
• Building and leading high performance teams.
• Track record of building strong culture aligned with Pfizer Values.
• Considered risk understanding / taking.
• Enterprise leader mentality.
• Change Leadership - Risk taking / Judgement / Innovation.
• Strong collaborator within and outside the Cluster.
• Acts decisively in complex and fast-moving environment.
• Commits to "One Pfizer" and Bold move organization imperatives.

Pfizer is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable equal employment opportunity legislation in each jurisdiction in which it operates.
Mkt & Sales/Commercial Bus

Skills Required