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Rare BU Head

Rome, Latium
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The Europe & Canada (EUCAN) Business unit supports Takeda's mission at a regional level and as the leader in rare diseases and specialty care, we champion better health and a brighter future for patients, healthcare providers and our people.

Across the EUCAN BU, patients come first in every decision we make. We develop strategic partnerships which deliver value for society and create a culture within which our people can thrive and reach their full potential.

Our mission is to empower and enable our people to fulfill their potential by embracing diversity and creating a high-performance, collaborative working environment. In the EUCAN region integrity is one of our key values. We put patients, trust and reputation before business and this is one of the main reasons why our people choose to work here.

Job ID R0122645 Date posted 05/08/2024 Location Rome, Latium

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Job Description

ROLE OBJECTIVE

  • Responsible for setting the vision, defining the Business Unit (BU) strategy, ensuring execution of brand and key account plans to achieve the ambition goals.
  • Lead the BU team members and cross functional teams to deliver a superior patient experience, exceed expectations of key customers and become best-in-class in Rare Disease arena.
  • Is responsible for sound sales & marketing strategies to ensure successful performance and goal achievement and has P&L responsibility for his BU.
  • Ensures implementation of targeted patient programs, to support access to our medicines and compliance.
  • Ensures the team lives and executes customer-centricity, defined as listening to customers and meeting their needs to provide customer centric solutions, also ensures that in the team mindset and outcomes the patient comes first.
  • Thereby the BU Head acts in compliance with laws, internal regulations, company strategies & Takeda’s corporate philosophy and supports GM in achievement of company objectives.
  • As Key member of Italian’s Leadership Team is accountable to strive business company goals and accelerate Leadership transformation.
  • Ensure Plasma Derived Therapies availability for the country through internal negotiation of yearly allocation and market trends dynamics.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

Leadership responsibility for sales & marketing team:

  • Initiates and promotes the development of direct reports in a structured way.
  • Promotes cooperative and an inclusive way of working together within the BU team members and the cross functional teams.
  • Ensures the team lives and executes customer-centricity, defined as listening to customers and meeting their needs to provide customer centric solutions, also ensures that in the team mindset and outcomes for the patient come first.
  • Sets targets and objectives for the BU, promotes and regularly monitors achievement.
  • Coaches, mentors and trains employees and appraises performance within the organization.
  • In cooperation with HR and the General Manager hires, develops and retain commercial staff (marketing, sales), while developing a “best in class” working environment
  • Maintains and strengthens the high reputations of Takeda in the Rare Disease arena, possibly representing Takeda in PDT Farmindustria working group.

Financial & strategic planning:

  • Fully responsible for the local BU Rare business, including present and any future products in this therapy area.
  • Develops a BU strategy in close cooperation with cross functional team members (Medical, Marketing, Sales, Value & Access, Business support etc.).
  • Ensures implementation of policies and programs to achieve revenues and profit targets.
  • Establishes a financial plan including units, revenue and expenses in alignment with overall financial planning process, with regular forecasting.
  • Informs Brand strategy and inspires the Brand Plans for the BU brands and develops & coordinates commercial strategies/tactics with specific timelines, budgets and stakeholder responsibilities.
  • Ensures brands, competition, market dynamics, medical trends and levers of growth are assessed on a regular basis. Develops a strategy on brand issues, market development, competitive positioning, customer segments & needs.
  • Establishes and further develops a successful go-to-market model and drives projects for a revolutionary new onset in Pharmaceutical Marketing (implementing a “best in class” Rare Diseases organization).

Sales Force planning and management:

  • Responsible for building and refining the account management capabilities of individual Key Account Managers as well as the whole organization, driving key account management as a mindset rather than just a function.
  • Involves KAMs and customers in identifying critical insights to develop customer focused initiatives, innovative projects and materials.
  • Sets Sales Force Effectiveness standards and KPI’s and monitors achievement on regular basis.
  • Drives KAM planning and management process.
  • Aspire to the highest standard in Sales Force Effectiveness by dedicated training activities and regular assessments.
  • Establishes Sales Force concept including coverage, resources, account planning and accurate targeting & segmentation. 
  • Develops effective and compliant SF incentive system in cooperation with GM and HR.

Project Management & Cross Functional Cooperation:

  • Ensures implementation of truly cross-functional plans for sales and marketing, while working in close collaboration with Medical and Value & Access functions.
  • Transforms and communicates strategies into implementable tactics and ensures smooth execution through own core team and cross functional team members.
  • Promotes products/markets by innovative commercial programs and high quality education programs for health care stakeholders.

Customer Activities:

  • Identifies, develops and maintains professional relationships with key customers, KOLs and scientific societies, identifies new opportunities and ways to better meet customer needs, serves as role model in terms of customer orientation, in order to develop a high performing customer centric organization.
  • Collects input for the development of projects and anticipates customer need/solution approach.
  • Actively participates in customer events and congresses.
  • Dedicates time in listening our external customers, elaborates insights and uses them to support initiatives that differentiate Takeda and meet the customer needs.
  • Collaborates with Patients networks and plans and executes positive collaborations.
  • Develops and supports meaningful patient programs and services according to relevant patients’ needs.
  • Designs a proper strategy and monitors PDT area dynamics to get the right allocation and to avoid supply disruption.
  • Acts as key driver to strengthen reputation of Takeda in the country.

Administration, monitoring and controlling:

  • Plans and monitors his budget and ensures proper resource allocation. Checks constantly the prioritization of tactical measures & programs and takes corrective actions if required.
  • Monitors KPI’s (sales, MS, prices, timelines, milestones etc.) on regular basis.
  • Monitors competitor activities (Market Intelligence and Benchmarking) on regular basis and ensures learnings are acted upon.
  • Supports adherence to defined local & shared service processes and manages internal workflows including ordering & purchasing, invoices operation, promo-material-clearing, etc.
  • Ensures that quality standards and legal & internal requirements are met.

Cross country collaboration:

  • Fosters best practices and customers’ insights sharing them among Italy LOC and Takeda Regional and Global teams.
  • Represents the BU in Regional, Global or other Leadership Team meetings.
  • Actively collaborates with Global and Regional commercial, medical and Value & Access teams in developing strategy and tactics for the Rare BU.

SKILLS and LEADERSHIP CAPABILITIES

Education and experience

  • University Degree qualification.
  • Fluent written and spoken English.
  • At least 10 years of resources leading and management in equivalent roles.

Skills

  • Successful launch experience in Rare Disease or Specialty market and scientific background, is preferred but not a pre-requisite. However, it is crucial that the candidate is familiar with the business model where BU products play.
  • Proven track record of understanding customers’ needs andis able to translate their needs into highly impactful tactics and solutions.
  • Inspires and leads Rare BU (and the wider Takeda organization) to deliver innovative solutions and services to be recognized as an excellence in Rare Disease area.
  • Proficiency in delivering a KAM business model in the market where it operates. 
  • Builds a collaborative network of relationships with people in a variety of functions, roles and locations and leverages formal and informal networks to accomplish the ambitious goals.
  • Creates an open and supportive environment in which learning is are encouraged and fosters the team / talent development and by coaching individuals and providing constructive feedback to establish high performing teams.
  • Business acumen and ability to manage a P&L.

Locations

Rome, Italy

Worker Type

Employee

Worker Sub-Type

Regular

Time Type

Full time
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Success profile

What makes a successful team member within EUCAN at Takeda?

  • Agile
  • Analytical
  • Enthusiastic
  • Ambitious
  • Collaborative
  • Entrepreneurial
Believe in your own ability to do things you want to do. If you do that, things will happen.

Heena Howitt - Country Medical Lead Genetic Diseases

  • Takeda named Global Top Employer for seventh consecutive year. Recognized for our culture and way of working, we’re one of only 17 companies to receive Top Global Employer® status for 2024.
  • About Takeda At Takeda, there is an unwavering commitment to putting patients first, and to creating a workplace that is underpinned by empowerment and focused on diversity, collaboration and steadfast values.
  • Europe & Canada Business Unit Takeda in Europe and Canada (EUCAN) is delivering leading innovations in oncology, gastroenterology and rare diseases to provide better health and a brighter future for patients.

Working at Takeda

  • Inclusion

    Here, you will feel welcomed, respected, and valued as a vital contributor to our global team.
  • Collaboration

    A strong, borderless team, we strive together towards our priorities and inspiring mission.
  • Innovation

    Bold initiatives, continuous improvement, and creativity are at the heart of how we bring scientific breakthroughs from the lab to patients.
  • Top Workplace

    Recognized for our culture and way of working, we’re one of only 17 companies to receive Top Global Employer® status for 2024.
  • Work-Life

    Our people-first mission extends beyond patients to include their families, communities, and our own Takeda family.
  • Empowerment

    Through trust and respect, you will have genuine support from leaders, managers, and colleagues to do your best work.

We're Steadfast In Our Commitment to Four Key Imperatives

Patient


Responsibly translate science into highly innovative medicines and accelerate access to improve lives worldwide.

People


Create an exceptional people experience.

Planet


Protect our planet.

Data & Digital


Transform Takeda into the most trusted, data-driven, outcomes-based biopharmaceutical company.

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