Virology Customer Representative – Boston, MA

Merck; Santa Fe (NM); Remote; USD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

A global pharmaceutical company is seeking a Virology Customer Representative based in the Boston area. This role focuses on driving sales and customer engagement for Virology products, requiring strong sales experience and an understanding of healthcare dynamics. The ideal candidate should have the ability to collaborate with healthcare professionals and demonstrate ethics and compliance in a highly regulated environment.

Qualifications

• 2-6 years of sales experience or 6 years equivalent experience.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Experience working with Infectious Disease customers.

Responsibilities

• Communicate product information meaningfully to customers.
• Act as the primary contact for selected accounts.
• Collaborate with the account team to develop strategies.

Skills

Sales experience

Customer engagement

Healthcare knowledge

Account management

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

High school diploma with equivalent experience

Job description

Job Description

The Virology Customer Representative is a key member of the Customer Team and plays a critical role in supporting our Company’s customer centric business model. They are responsible for working with the Customer Team to understand and identify customer needs, supporting pull-through activities relative to the customer strategy, keeping with our Company’s values and standards as governed by our policies and ensuring that our Company is viewed as demonstrating better health outcomes to healthcare professionals and their patients.

The Virology Customer Representative demonstrates professionalism and leadership by modeling the required knowledge for successful execution of all Field Sales competencies.

Territory Information:

• This is a field-based sales position that is responsible for covering the Boston, Massachusetts territory.

• This territory also includes Metro Boston.

• The ideal location to reside is within this territory or within a reasonable commuting distance to workload center.

• Travel (%) varies based on candidate’s location within the geography.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Communicate product information in a way that’s meaningful and relevant to each individual customer; customizes discussions and client interactions based on understanding of customer’s needs.

• Engage in informed discussions about products with HCP customers — knowing when/how to seek and provide additional information.

• Within select customer accounts, act as primary point of contact for customer, meets with key customers/personnel to understand practice structure, business model, key influencers (IDS, ADAP, DOC, VAs, DOH)/network structure, customer needs and identifies business opportunities.

• For select customer accounts/HCPs, coordinate with customer team to develop customer strategy — outlining strategy for interactions/ relationship, solutions and potential offerings for customer.

• Share learnings and best-practices from one customer to help other customers meet their needs.

• Demonstrate a focus on better health outcomes (considers the HCP & patient experience).

• Provide input into resource allocation decisions across customers.

• Identify and select programs/services available in the library of our “resources” to address customer needs.

• Maintain current understanding of practice structure, business model, key influencers/ network structure and make information available to relevant stakeholders.

• Influence beyond their specific geography or product area.

• Embrace and maximize new technological capabilities and channels to engage customers.

• Engage in all job responsibilities and activities with the highest standards of ethics and integrity, with particular emphasis on compliance with all relevant laws, policies and regulation.

Virology Specific:

The Virology Customer Representative demonstrates the ability to:

• Execute at each stage of the sales process.

• Create a compelling and logical rationale in positioning our Company’s Virology products versus the competition by focusing on appropriate patient types and use of supportive approved resources.

• Stay ahead of market trends, assess impact of dynamics on current business state and make proactive recommendations to meet the future needs of the business.

• Innovate and thrive in fast-changing, ambiguous business environments through resilience and adaptability.

• Ask strategic, insightful questions to obtain information on customer healthcare needs. Use insights to position Virology products and collaborates with customers on focused and customized business strategy.

• Identify customer/market segments and industry conditions in local market. Special emphasis on Specialty Pharmacy to leverage business opportunities and understanding of Virology products distribution channels/challenges.

• Drive results by appropriately managing the total Virology product portfolio by prioritizing individual opportunities and plan execution through customer segmentation, targeting and business analysis.

• Articulate the complexities of the HIV payer environment, recognizing the role each stakeholder plays in the ability to access our Company’s Virology product portfolio.

• Apply understanding of account needs and inter-dependencies in order to develop and execute account plans. Collaborate and model teamwork with extended members of the Virology Account Team (CLs, CTLs, Managed Care, Marketing) in the development of long-term account plans and customer centric solutions to improve value for both customers and patients.

• Embrace and maximize current and future technological capabilities and multi-channel opportunities to engage customers.

• Collaborate to optimally maximize customer interactions and territory management with cross-functional Virology and non-Virology stakeholders such as Community Liaisons, IDS executives, fellow District members etc.

• Create and manage business relationships with difficult to access customers in a “no sample” environment.

• Employ a “business owner mindset” during business cycles undergoing a high degree of change, including flexing across customer segments, product portfolios, and working in flexible matrix configurations.

• Maintain high-level compliance with all Company policies and procedures.

Position Qualifications:

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree with 2-6 years Sales experience OR a minimum of high school diploma with at least 6 years of equivalent experience which could include professional sales, experience in marketing, military or healthcare/scientific field that is not sales related (pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical devices).

• Valid Driver’s license.

Preferred Experience and Skills:

• Minimum of two (2) years working in one or more of the following areas: account management or sales experience working with Infectious Disease customers, with a preference for HIV product experience and/or launch experience.

• Preference for specialty sales experience across multiple specialty markets with a preference for launch experience.

• Experience in pharma, biotech or medical device sales.

• Demonstrated experience developing and executing plans for engaging customers and meeting customer needs.

• Demonstrated success in establishing, developing and maintaining relationships.

• Prior experience working in a highly regulated industry or environment where compliance to laws and policies is critical.

• Account experience working in complex hospital systems, teaching Institutions and community hospitals.

• Demonstrated skill set to identify account inter-dependencies and build partnerships with key stakeholders/departments.

• Experience with complex payer environments, recognizing the role each stakeholder plays in the ability to access the product portfolio, especially pharmacy stakeholders.

• Current disease state customers acknowledge individual as a trusted and reliable representative.

• Experience interacting with scientific thought leaders and developing advocates across an adoption continuum.

• Demonstrated ability to develop customer relationships in a challenging-to-access or “no sampling” environment.

• High level of business acumen and account management skills.

• Current relationships with key opinion leaders within designated account preferred.

• Leadership, planning and organization, self-motivation and initiative, ability to learn, understand and convey complex information.

• Understanding of the value and importance of approaching job responsibilities with ethics and integrity and working in a highly compliant environment.

EEO Statement:

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. We provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.