Securing Biometrics Leadership Talent In Ireland
Challenge
A global pharmaceutical company specialising in plasma-derived therapies across Infectious Diseases, Immunology, Pulmonology, Neurology, Alzheimer’s, and CNS required a strategic expansion of their Statistical Programming function. With over 23,000 employees across 30 countries, their core Biometrics teams are based in Ireland and the United States. As the entire Biometrics team was located in Ireland, there was a pressing need to appoint an Associate Director of Statistical Programming, a rare hybrid role requiring both hands-on technical expertise and strong leadership capabilities. This individual would be responsible for overseeing CRO study work, driving process improvements, contributing to strategic planning, and playing a key part in the team’s growth and development. Given the niche skill set required and the limited local talent pool, the company needed a specialist recruitment partner with deep sector knowledge and an extensive senior-level network.
Approach
Warman O’Brien leveraged its long-established network of leadership-level Biostatisticians, built through years of industry experience and presence at events such as PSI and PHUSE. It quickly became evident that the Irish market alone lacked sufficient senior-level candidates, so we advised widening the search to include the UK and Europe. Through trusted relationships with several senior leaders in the field, we were able to engage qualified individuals without the need to advertise the role publicly. This added a sense of exclusivity and piqued the interest of several high-calibre candidates. We were transparent from the outset about the varied nature of the role, which involved both programming and strategic responsibilities, and we took time to provide a detailed picture of the team structure, leadership, and growth opportunities.
Finding a leader who is also willing and able to remain hands-on with programming is a rare challenge. Despite this, we were able to present a strong shortlist of candidates, two of whom impressed the client so much that they expanded their hiring plan and created an additional role to secure both. This successful outcome not only fulfilled the client’s immediate needs but also laid a strong foundation for the future expansion of their programming team. We are proud to continue supporting them in growing and strengthening their Biometrics function.
Biometrics
Associate Director of Statistical Programming
Ireland
This was an exciting challenge, and with our strong track record of placing candidates in Ireland, we were enthusiastic about the opportunity to support our client in securing this key talent. The icing on the cake was that they were so impressed with our candidates, they created an entirely new role, allowing them to hire not just one, but two exceptional individuals.
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