After spending many years working in social services I was craving a new challenge, something to get my teeth stuck into. My journey into the MedComms environment started with an office manager position within a MedComms agency, and I quickly found myself having job envy of those who were working directly with clients. This happily led me on to becoming a programme coordinator. Over the next 5 years I worked hard and made my way up through the ranks to gain a wealth of knowledge and experience in project and account management, mainly in the publications space. I also provided support for advisory boards, forums, and the multichannel and digital deliverables that have become so important in recent years.
As a senior account manager (SAM) at Envision Pharma Group (EPG), I am responsible for the delivery of our client’s publication plans in two different therapy areas. There are many teams in EPG, and between us we work on every type of MedComms project you can imagine. The teams I work with proudly focus on the development of abstracts, posters, presentations and manuscripts, and the digital enhancements that will help important clinical data reach target audiences in a memorable way.
No 2 days are the same. Generally, however, I take actions and make decisions to support publications in development and ensure compliance requirements are met, timelines are achieved and the next steps are clear to everyone involved. I run meetings with colleagues and clients to discuss ongoing and planned projects, and check team members have everything they need to complete their assigned tasks as I support them by addressing any queries they might have. Another important part of being a SAM is financial management – creating budgets, tracking spend and forecasting how much work each team will deliver and when – so that we can plan ahead as much as possible and be in a strong position when surprises turn up, which they usually do!
I have a wonderful, experienced team around me to make sure our clients are receiving the highest standard of support for all their publication needs. I have been fortunate enough to mentor several team members to help them achieve their career aspirations and ensure that good practice is shared, which I find especially rewarding.
What makes publications special for me? I receive so much job satisfaction when I see the team around me supporting our clients, and in turn receiving kudos and thanks for a job well done! As a SAM, the most important part of my role is to develop and ,
maintain strong working partnerships. Relationships underpin the highest standard of service and provide our clients with the confidence to come to us when they need reliable partners to achieve their own objectives, ultimately for the benefit of the patients we all serve.
I see my future continuing in MedComms at EPG, and plan to develop my skills and experience further so that I can continue to offer our clients a top-class service. I am proud to be able to say that I have a part to play in advancing medical knowledge to enhance the lives of others.
This personal profile first appeared in the FirstMedCommsJob careers guide, The business of medical communications: a guide to getting started in account management, published January 2022
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