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Tag: Project Recruitment

Leading Biopharma Company Creates a Cost-Efficient R&D Recruiting Solution

Written by amanda on . Posted in Blog, Customer Stories.

Client Challenge

The HR team for one of the world’s top biopharmaceutical companies was having difficulty balancing increased demand for recruiting with their already heavy workloads. As a result, hiring managers were going to multiple agencies to service their staffing needs. As expenses grew, the client decided a more controlled and cost-effective approach was necessary.

The company selected DoubleStar to co-design and execute a pilot RPO to determine how it might work in their environment.

Our Solution

After reviewing a number of service providers, the client selected DoubleStar to conduct an RPO pilot in one of their most challenging areas: R&D. DoubleStar worked closely with the Senior Director for R&D Recruiting to plan, structure, and implement a 12-month project with a specific focus on difficult-to-fill R&D positions.

The project was implemented in three phases:

Phase I – Planning and Initial Rollout

  • DoubleStar worked in partnership with our client to understand current hiring needs and likely future demand to size the project.
  • Based on the positions assigned to DoubleStar, a project team was deployed with strong experience recruiting for biotechnology organizations.
  • DoubleStar helped fine-tune recruitment processes, such as improving utilization of an applicant-tracking system and implementing new sourcing and screening techniques to identify viable candidates more quickly and accurately.
  • DoubleStar introduced recruitment metrics that helped the organization better understand recruiting effectiveness.

Phase II – Assuming Day-to-Day Recruiting Responsibilities

  • The client moved the entire recruiting process to DoubleStar, including directly interfacing with Hiring Managers without HR involvement.
  • The client and DoubleStar assigned project leaders to manage the recruiting relationship and ensure all service-level agreements were met.
  • Fine-tuning opportunities were identified and changes made to enhance process effectiveness.

Phase III – Transition from Pilot to Steady State

  • Once demand levels became more predictable, DoubleStar adjusted the project team to a more flexible model to accommodate fluctuating needs.
  • DoubleStar assigned a permanent project team to support a long-term recruiting solution.
  • Other areas of the company were added.
  • Formal project milestones were established, and periodic reporting/metrics were implemented.

Business Impacts

Following a successful RPO pilot, the client is fully engaged in a long-term RPO relationship, and other divisions have come on board. Benefits include:

  • Cost-per-hire reduction by more than $5,000 per hire in R&D
  • Elimination of at least $250,000 in annual agency spend
  • Creation of a centralized, efficient, and coordinated recruitment effort for R&D
  • Achievement of positive client satisfaction survey results indicating the pilot was a success
  • Development of a database of R&D candidates for future use
  • Provision of a scalable recruitment solution that can expand or contract depending on the client’s business needs

Global Pharma Company Identifies & Hires 60 Sales Reps in Record Time

Written by amanda on . Posted in Customer Stories.

Client Challenge

An unexpected increase in demand for new products created an immediate staffing need for a leading generic pharmaceutical company. To capture the market opportunity, the company needed an instant expansion of its US field sales force. The goal: hire 60 new sales reps and regional managers throughout the US and enroll them in pre-scheduled sales training classes within 8 weeks.

Our Solution

DoubleStar partnered with the client’s HR and sales leadership to develop a detailed recruiting project plan to meet their time and cost requirements. We assigned our team of recruiters and sourcers with extensive sales force expansion experience and created regionally focused teams to attack the roles by specific geographies.

Our solution included these components:

  • Researching/sourcing all candidates by using multiple planned sourcing initiatives
  • Coordinating all facets of the interview process, including scheduling, resume and interview summary distribution, and logistics
  • Attending on-site interview days to manage and/or participate in interviews as an additional voice/decision-maker
  • Conducting debriefing sessions with hiring managers at the completion of interview days
  • Executing and documenting reference checks, background checks, and drug screening on selected candidates
  • Extending and assisting in closing verbal offers
  • Coaching managers on best practices during the process

DoubleStar’s solution resulted in the filling of all 60 positions within 8 weeks at a cost below $3,000 per hire.

Business Impacts

The cost savings on this project were significant, estimated to be at least $400,000 compared to the company’s traditional recruiting methods. But the business impact was even more significant. Because the positions were filled on time and with the right talent, our client was able to increase market share and secure new relationships with hospitals and physician groups faster than their competitors. In addition, the client received over 9,500 candidates that we identified during the sourcing process that they will use in subsequent recruiting efforts. Finally, we left behind our methodology for running this project so that the client can replicate it in the future using their own staff, if they desire.