Medical & Pharmaceutical

Executive assistants for the medical and pharmaceutical industry

This industry presents a wonderful opportunity for executive assistants

What could be more rewarding than working for an employer dedicated to improving the health outcomes for your community? The medical and pharmaceutical industry presents a rewarding and dynamic scope of opportunities for capable and career driven executive assistants.

The industry is known to be highly values-driven

The focus on health makes it a rewarding choice for the high-performing EA who relishes the opportunity to make a difference and impact the broader industry in their career. While still relatively traditional and somewhat conservative, culture varies greatly depending on the organisation in this vast sector.

With such a regulated industry, an EA who understands compliance and policy will be highly regarded. It can be a high-stakes, competitive and pressure-driven industry. Executives leading large teams will typically seek support in internal communications, adherence to procedure and operational efficiency.

Considerations for hiring an EA in this space

EAs with a strong understanding of both the implementation of and adherence to policy should be well regarded. Highly organised and able to juggle multiple demands is often the requirement for EAs in this space. Industry events, particularly conferences, are still a large element of many organisations in this field, so experience in event management, diary keeping and travel management will suit EAs in the field.

A technical, scientific mind, capable of understanding complex research papers and the like may also be a valuable quality to consider in potential applicants. Plus, this can be a high-pressure industry, so an EA who is able to anticipate the needs of their executive and confidently troubleshoots problems as they arise is certainly set to be highly valued.

Considerations for executive assistants in the pharmaceutical industry

In the pharmaceutical space, an understanding of CRM software, such as Salesforce can be essential. Pharmaceutical sales is a relationship-driven industry, so an EA who understands the value of stakeholder management is key. As such, corporate hospitality via private dinners, industry events, corporate sponsorship and other events may be a regular part of the EAs to-do list.