Abacus International: Business development manager – USA

WANTED: Pioneer to extend Abacus International’s innovative market access solutions within the USA.

Abacus International

For over 16 years, Abacus International has pioneered the development of evidence-based market access solutions for many of the world’s leading healthcare companies. In the 1990’s, Abacus were the first to develop cost effectiveness and budget impact models for use by key account teams with payers. Abacus were also involved in the development of the first HTA submission. More recently we have developed a value platform tool, a unique web-based method for communicating value messages in a layered and transparent fashion. Abacus remain at the cutting edge of health economic modelling and systematic review with associated meta-analysis techniques. Most recently, we have developed the first economic models for iPad and have introduced a strategic market access offering, analyzing global HTA & reimbursement decisions to provide key learnings for new product launches.

Abacus’ ethos is to combine technical excellence with commercial clarity and we strive to evolve our services in order to meet the needs of our customers in a constantly changing environment. Our experienced and expert team of health economic and market access specialists is one of the largest in Europe.

About 20% of our business is commissioned by the US-based global departments of major healthcare companies. We want to establish a US based office to accelerate the rate of growth of our North American business and seek a manager who will drive this business, taking the lead on selling the range of our services to prospective clients. This manager will become a key individual in our international growth and, ultimately, their success will determine the rate of recruitment of other local staff to deliver the projects. Currently our team of 60 UK-based staff are delivering all projects, irrespective of client geography.

The role

Ideally based in New York/New Jersey, you will take ultimate responsibility for selling Abacus services to the healthcare industry in North America. You will be responsible for generating leads, booking meetings and presenting our specialist services to a range of potential customers including market access, health economics and marketing. You will need to liaise with our 6 business unit directors, and the commercial and finance directors, in order to fully understand our deliverables and the selling proposition for each service offering. Abacus consultants in the UK manage projects but also have a business development role by key account. You will therefore need to develop relationships with the consultants to coordinate business development activities across key accounts. As the first member of our US-based office you will eventually become a senior figure, potentially involved in general management issues such as recruitment and office site management (supported by members from the UK team).

This is an exciting opportunity to build upon the excellent reputation of Abacus in Europe and establish us as a market access and health economic force in North America. Abacus have 60-70 active clients each year, including 19 of the top 25 pharma companies. We are preferred suppliers to many organisations with a very broad range of innovative deliverables. You would have the advantage of presenting the European credibility of Abacus, often with a history of working on the products in the portfolio of the client you are presenting to.  The products that we would see you selling as a focus would include:

1)      Payer landscaping: A strategic analysis of global payer decisions; this includes the development of an online database of payer decisions, linking the evidence they reviewed to the ultimate approval decision. This product is unique to Abacus and receives a very positive reception when presented to customers.

2)      iPad and web versions of local budget impact and HE models. Again, an innovative approach by Abacus and one that excites potential customers.

3)      Value platform tool: An online hosting system presenting layered and interactive value dossiers linked to source material, such as the HE model.

4)      Technical HE modelling: Abacus teach Excel® modelling at Masters level and our technical models are truly impressive. You would probably co-present at pitches with one of our health economists.

5)      Systematic review and meta-analysis, a core element of comparative  effectiveness research.

The candidate

·         Ideally from a consultancy or industry background, with a good grounding in market access and health economics

·         Driven by meeting sales targets and motivated by success

·         A good network of North American industry contacts

·         Tenacity at seeking out leads and finding opportunities to present services

·         Exceptional communication skills and the ability to present market access and health economic services with authority and understanding

·         An organised, presentable and approachable individual

The package

Abacus is an exceptional place to work with a very low staff turnover. Although a company of around 60 staff, we strive to maintain our family-centric ethos. We believe in a good work life balance and this contract, although US-based, will be based upon our UK structure, including a holiday package of around 28 days, rising to 30 days after 5 years. The general remuneration package will be competitive and commensurate with experience; bonus will be linked to sales success.

Please send your CV to simon.howard@abacusint.com or call +44 (0)1869 241281 for an informal discussion.

Closing date: 29^th of February, 2012