The challenge

Our partner was looking for a regulatory affairs liaison to focus on the Chinese and Japanese markets. This is an extremely niche area within regulatory affairs and therefore a challenging role to fill. The talent pool was very limited within a tough location, and internal searches had not yielded any success so far. They had explored the option of having local workers based remotely, but this had not proved successful.

The solution

We advised that to fill this role, a contract solution would be the best option, rather than the contingent option previously considered by our partner. We suggested that 2 part-time consultants could share the role, therefore completing the five-day quota but with a 2-day and 3-day workers. From our existing network, well-referenced consultants who had been part of our contractor base for 10 years were shortlisted. We advised our partner on rates and pay structures, as this wasn’t a solution they had used before, and were able to educate them on the current market, which dictated that a more flexible workforce was required. We provided a shortlist of 8 candidates, with full-time and part-time options, including a variety of rates and levels of expertise.

The outcome

• Our partner opted for the part-time solution, and 2 candidates were successfully hired
• The project was delivered within the agreed timelines and budget
• Following this success, they have now partnered with us across their medical affairs, clinical, and pharmacovigilance divisions
• The relationship has been consolidated further with them choosing us to be their sole supplier for UK and APAC regulatory affairs