Case Study: Reducing hiring delays for a Phase III study

Earlier this year, one of our clients - a global biotech company located in Zurich - was looking to expand its organisation to prepare for a phase III study.

To support them in this process, we undertook a benchmarking exercise that provided them with in-depth data on salaries and talent pools for various skillsets across Switzerland, which they used to plan the budgets for their growth plans.

Several months later, they approached us with an urgent need to hire 2 Clinical Trial Managers for their team.

There was a risk that they would fail to get candidates on board in time for the launch of the phase III study, which was going to have a significant impact on the study timelines! .

They had been trying to search directly for clinical trial managers for the prior 6 weeks. Their advertising was attracting unsuitable candidates due to location or a lack of specific skill and they could not find anyone available or the right cultural fit from their existing network.

We worked closely with their internal hiring team to define the exact profile that was required, both in terms of technical skills for the study and the personality that would merge well with the existing team.

Using this information, we advised them on employer branding and worked closely to ensure we were taking the right message to the marketplace that would best represent their culture and attract the right candidates for the company.

We then engaged our network of candidates across Switzerland to create a shortlist of 5 candidates that matched the profile. We supported them through the interview process and two were offered the positions.  

Both candidates accepted their offers and we conducted the reference checks for the company before supporting the client and candidates with the onboarding.

Through this collaboration, we were able to ensure the new clinical trial managers were onboarded without any delays to the Phase III study. By focusing on their requirements, we provided them with candidates that were already based in Switzerland, which meant they saved money by not paying relocation costs.

We continue to support this client regularly and provide cross-functional recruitment solutions to ensure they have candidates across the various areas of their growth plans. We have successfully helped them hire a Statistician, Quality Assurance Manager (GCP) and Regulatory Director.