Head of Market Access

What do you do?

I head up the Market Access Department for my organisation, which involves creating an environment that enables the right patients to have access to our medicines at the right time and in the right place as well as working to become a valued partner with the health service.

What qualifications and experience do you have?

I have a Bsc in Chemistry, Msc in Medical Biochemistry and a MBA. I have worked as a biomedical scientist within a hospital before moving to the pharmaceutical industry and working in various roles across sales, marketing and market access.

What does your typical day involve?

It varies but generally involves catching up on emails, meeting with my team to ensure we are on plan to deliver on our core projects, attending cross-functional meetings to provide input to our strategic plans from an access perspective, attending external meetings with key organisations.

How has your career developed since you entered the industry? 

I started as a sales representative and progressed to a field based market access role as NHS Liaison Manager and then into sales management – managing a team of representatives in the field.  This was followed by a move into the office to work in marketing before progressing to more national market access roles.

When did you decide on a career in the pharmaceutical industry?

I was working within the chemical pathology department of a hospital during which I met a number of pharmaceutical representatives – I was attracted to the industry as I felt it would be a good place to use my scientific background in a more commercial environment.

Do you work mostly on your own or as part of team?

As part of a team

What is it like socially where you work?

I am office based and it is a fun welcoming environment. We have lovely offices with fantastic views so the working environment as well as the people make for a great social atmosphere. We also have various social activities running at various times during the year.

What are you most proud of in your career?

Achieving my objectives as this means our products have become accessible to HCP and patients.

Do you think additional qualifications or experience would be an advantage for someone entering the industry now?

Yes – but I would advise waiting until you are sure of what function you want to specialise in and then get the right qualification to support that.

What possibilities are there for your career in the future?

As a global organisation there are various opportunities at Regional and Global level within my organisation. In addition the Pharmaceutical Industry continues to grow and adapt in response to the needs of patients and the wider health environment, so the possibilities are numerous if you have the right skill set and experience.

What do you think the most important skills are for someone in your role?

Persistence, strategic thinking, organisational savvy and commercial acumen.