Case Study: Transforming Quality & Regulatory Affairs

Situation

Fraser Dove International was appointed by a specialist medical devices organisation undertaking a business-wide transformation. Departing from their traditional business model, our client was tooling up in pursuit of a radical product which has the potential to enhance the lives of its customer base.

As part of this transformation, the Quality and Regulatory Affairs division was to undergo a restructure to ensure quality and consumer safety were maintained to the high standards championed by the organisation while ensuring it could deliver its new innovative product line.

To deliver their vision, our client sought an SVP of Global Quality and Regulatory Affairs to champion the quality strategy and ensure its successful implementation across the organisation. This mission-critical position had stood open for twelve months before Fraser Dove was retained on the search.

Solution:

Discovery Briefing

The first step in the Executive Search Process, the discovery briefing enables us to 1) clarify our clients market offering, their mission, values and culture and 2) define the core requirements of the role(s). It leads to the creation of a Search Matrix – a document outlining the skills, experience and competencies essential for success. It is used in conjunction with the job description to qualify candidates for cultural and technical fit.

Despite the role being vacant for an extended period, our client had not signed off an official job description. Consequently, the Search Matrix informed the development of the official job description; the Assignment Lead consulting with the client throughout its creation.

Talent Mapping:

Fraser Dove’s in-house research function undertook a market mapping exercise to develop a robust talent pool of life science professionals who had substantial experience developing and implementing an international quality strategy. Talent mapping reduces lead times, providing an initial ‘focus’ for the search while ensuring its geographic scope is sufficient to headhunt high-impact talent. It also yields insight into how best to approach prospective candidates, allowing the research team to hone their pitch before reaching out to the talent pool.

The ideal candidate would be experienced in both Quality & Regulatory Affairs, with previous oversite of a division or function comprising at least five hundred personnel.

Executive Search:

Executive Search helps clients identify and secure exceptional leaders who can transform their value chain operations, unlock hidden revenue and save patient lives. Our partner-delivered executive search solution does all this in just nine weeks from briefing to offer of acceptance; without sacrificing the quality and dedication that boutique executive search firms are famed for.  It combines traditional executive search techniques – headhunting, networking and talent mapping – with leading-edge search methodologies to supplement our extensive talent networks.

The Assignment Lead, in conjunction with the research team, conducted a competency and technical based qualification assessment to match long-listed candidate’s against the Search Matrix. Outstanding candidates – those qualified against the skills, experience and competencies outlined in the Skills Matrix – were shortlisted and presented to the client for first-stage interview.

From this point forth, Fraser Dove managed the entire candidate-side interview process on behalf of our client, from scheduling interviews to post-interview feedback and offer negotiation.

Outcome

The restructure of the Quality and Regulatory Affairs division was mission-critical for ensuring the success of the client’s new product line in the US market. The recent appointment of the SVP of Global Quality and Regulatory Affairs gives the client peace-of-mind and ensures the business-critical project can proceed at pace and deliver its objectives on time and budget.