Life as a Business Unit Director

What prompted you to pursue an opportunity in Client Services?

I studied biomedical science at university but knew I didn’t want to pursue a lab-based career. I wanted to find a role that combined my love for science with business and came across the medical communications sector. While I initially intended to pursue medical writing, I soon accepted an entry-level role in client services after first working as a buyer in a pharmaceutical parallel importing role. I haven’t looked back since!

You are currently on secondment within a different part of our Global Marketing capability. What made you pursue this opportunity?

There was an opening for a secondment in another area of the business to lead a rare disease product launch. I was keen to further my professional development and meet colleagues in another part of the organization, so I decided to seize this opportunity.

What are the key takeaways you’ve learned from your secondment experience?

Always keep an open mind and be willing to learn from every opportunity that comes your way—this applies throughout life but can significantly enrich an individual’s career journey, in particular. This secondment has proven to be a wonderful experience for me—I’ve especially enjoyed building relationships with new colleagues and sharing my own experiences and perspectives with the team.

What do you find most rewarding about your work?

I love building relationships with my clients and collaborating with colleagues across our other core capabilities (Medical; Marketing; Policy; Value, Evidence, and Access; Consulting; and Digital Experience Technology) to deliver the best work possible. I also enjoy mentoring and working with junior members of the team to help them grow and develop professionally. It’s incredibly rewarding to watch them excel and thrive in their chosen careers.

How have you developed your own skill set since becoming a business unit director?

Becoming a business unit director means that your responsibilities shift slightly to become more holistic when managing both the team and the client work overall. This means taking a more comprehensive and strategic approach when looking at our performance, what we can do more optimally, and how we can become more efficient in delivering our best work.

How would you describe the working environment at Avalere Health?

The passion and drive from each of our teams are evident across the organization. I felt this same energy and excitement from Day 1 of my secondment too—there is a real sense of collaboration, support, and camaraderie across the group, and everyone here is really proud of the work they produce. We are also quite a social bunch! Beyond the workday, our social and well-being committees organize wonderful activities and events on a regular basis.

Do you have any advice for maintaining mental well-being while working from home?

The organization places a strong emphasis on supporting our mental health and well-being. As part of this mission, employees are offered the opportunity to undertake mental health first aid training, which equips us with the knowledge to identify those who may require mental health support and the confidence to offer assistance when it’s needed. I found this course helpful not only as an individual but also as a leader of a team.

It’s also important to instill a good work-life balance, especially when working from home as online and offline hours tend to blur together. I always try to set an example for my team by taking regular lunch breaks and ensuring we all work together to finish on time, especially on Fridays.

After a busy workweek, how do you unwind?

I’m a huge foodie and enjoy trying new restaurants or experimenting with dishes for my husband at home. We also spend a lot of time with family, and our weekends tend to revolve around watching football (we both support different teams!).