Customer Engagement Consultant

Novartis; Midrand; On-site; ZAR 600 000 - 700 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global pharmaceutical company is seeking a Customer Engagement Consultant in Gauteng, South Africa. The role focuses on driving sales performance by building and maintaining relationships with healthcare professionals, fostering customer insights, and delivering value to both customers and patients. Candidates must have at least 5 years of sales experience, preferably in innovative Pharma and Biotechnology. This position promotes equity and inclusivity in line with Novartis's commitment to diversity.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits package

Inclusive work environment

Professional growth opportunities

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of sales experience preferred in innovative Pharma and Biotechnology.

Responsibilities

• Drive competitive sales growth and enhance customer engagement.
• Build deep relationships with healthcare professionals for better customer interactions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to address customer needs.

Skills

Account Management

Commercial Excellence

Communication Skills

Compliance and Ethics as a mindset

Conflict Management

Cross-Functional Coordination

Customer Insights

Healthcare Sector

Influencing Skills

Negotiation Skills

Problem solving

Selling Skills

Technical Skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Life Science or Commerce

Job description

Summary

The Customer Engagement Consultant is a leading driver of our customer interactions and sales performance. They are the face of our customer experience approach and build deep relationships that deliver value for customers and patients in order to drive sales growth in a compliant and ethical manner.

About The Role

Major accountabilities:

• Drive Competitive Sales Growth.
• Identify and prioritize high‑potential customers through data analysis (HCPs and stakeholders) who influence prescription decisions.
• Drive sales performance through the skillful orchestration of positive customer experiences.
• Engage and Build Relationships.
• Engage in value‑based conversations (in‑person and virtually) to understand critical customer challenges, decision‑drivers, pain points and opportunities.
• Personalize and orchestrate customer engagement journeys for target HCPs by reflecting customer preferences, leveraging available content and multiple engagement channels.
• Build engagement by working in partnership with HCPs to develop a sustained collaboration over time for Novartis.
• Deliver memorable, customer‑centric experiences beyond clinical differentiation by listening to their needs and understanding their healthcare environment.
• Establish effective working relationships with opinion leaders and top medical influencers (at territory level) and challenge current behaviors in order to improve the patient journey (right patient, right time).
• Develop Deep Customer Insights and Understanding.
• Gather insights on the customer’s business to uncover what is important to them.
• Follow up on customer feedback and translate responses into actions that create additional value and exceed expectations.
• Leverage available data sources to create, dynamically prioritize and adjust relevant territory, account and customer interaction plans.
• Share customer insights with relevant internal stakeholders on an ongoing basis to support the development of product‑and‑indication‑related content, campaigns and interaction plans.
• Deliver Value to Customers and Patients.
• Collaborate compliantly with cross‑functional teams to design and implement solutions that address unmet customer and patient needs.
• Act as a trusted partner to the customer for the purpose of helping them run their business; listen to learn; strive to deepen the relationship in a compliant and ethical manner; position themselves to create value‑add solutions.
• Act with integrity and honesty by treating customers and colleagues in a transparent and respectful manner with clear intent.
• When facing ethical dilemmas, do the right thing and speak up when things don’t seem right.
• Live by Novartis Code of Ethics and Values and Behaviors.
• Reporting of technical complaints / adverse events / special case scenarios related to Novartis products within 24 hours of receipt.

Experience

Minimum Requirements:

• Previous Sales Experience (Minimum 5 years – Innovative Pharma and Biotechnology preferred).

Education

• Bachelor’s Degree (Life Science or Equivalent, Commerce).

Skills

• Account Management.
• Commercial Excellence.
• Communication Skills.
• Compliance and Ethics as a mindset.
• Conflict Management.
• Cross‑Functional Coordination.
• Customer Insights.
• Healthcare Sector.
• Influencing Skills.
• Negotiation Skills.
• Problem solving.
• Selling Skills.
• Technical Skills.

Languages

• English.

Novartis South Africa is committed to promoting equity (race, gender, and disability) through the filling of this post with a candidate whose transfer/promotion/appointment will promote representivity in line with the numerical targets as contained in our Employment Equity plan. While we are prioritizing designated groups, our selection process will still be based on the most suitable candidate, with the necessary skills and experience, as outlined in the job description.

Why Novartis?

Our purpose is to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people’s lives and our vision is to become the most valued and trusted medicines company in the world. How can we achieve this? With our people. It is our associates that drive us each day to reach our ambitions. Be a part of this mission and join us! Learn more here: https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture

You’ll receive: You can find everything you need to know about our benefits and rewards in the Novartis Life Handbook. https://www.novartis.com/careers/benefits-rewards

Join our Novartis Network: If this role is not suitable to your experience or career goals but you wish to stay connected to hear more about Novartis and our career opportunities, join the Novartis Network here: https://talentnetwork.novartis.com/network

Benefits and Rewards: Read our handbook to learn about all the ways we’ll help you thrive personally and professionally: https://www.novartis.com/careers/benefits-rewards