BEC / Takeda Expansion Case Study
22 May, 2023
How BEC selected the 20 Neuromuscular Territory Business Managers that would elevate Takeda’s sales performance and outreach.
Introduction
Companies that revolutionize their field and maintain position as an industry leader are built on the foundation of the right team. But, building this team is no simple task. For Takeda, they needed to find neuromuscular territory business managers that met their high-standards, matched with their values, and were driven to help their new rare disease treatments reach as many patients as possible.
Mission
Takeda’s mission for growth began with the development of new plasma derived therapies. They have made strides in this field with the development of Gammagard Liquid to treat Multi-Focal Motor Neuropathy (MMN) as well as other Immune Globulin treatments. These therapies would make a difference in the lives of thousands of patients suffering from rare neuromuscular conditions, so finding the right team to help them make an impact was vital.
This would require the expansion of Takeda’s existing neuromuscular sales organization, and, more specifically, the hiring of approximately 20 Neuromuscular Territory Business Managers in under four months. To be up to Takeda standards, candidates would need to meet the following criteria:
- Minimum of 10 years specialty pharmaceutical sales experience
- Neuromuscular or neurology specialty background
- Demonstrated success and experience in launch execution of new therapeutic options
- Top performer, fits Takeda’s cultural values
This endeavor began in late September, meaning that the upcoming holiday season would pose even greater challenges, in addition to entering 2023 which was set to be the most competitive market for top talent in the history of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. So, how did Takeda achieve their goal with all 20 new managers starting on January 23rd? That’s where BEC’s unmatched commitment and the power of the Direct Recruiting OutsourcingⓇ advantage come in.
A recruiting partner like no other
To find the top-talent that would spread the reach of Takeda’s plasma-derived therapies and raise awareness on appropriate diagnosis and treatment of rare neuromuscular conditions, Takeda needed a recruiting partner that would go above and beyond the typical search processes.
Since 1979, dozens of companies have found that partner in Buckman Enochs Coss and Associates (BEC), from Fortune 20 companies to startups commercializing for the first time or expanding for the launch of a recent FDA approved product.
A game-changing team on an unmatched timeline
Between September and January, BEC identified the industry-leading, non-active candidates to recruit for Takeda’s team. Undoubtedly, BEC’s Direct Recruiting OutsourcingⓇ (DRO) was an integral part of this process. BEC is the exclusive provider of the DRO advantage, which allows us unmatched access to not just the current hiring pool, but top-performers not seeking to make a move. This advantage gives BEC the ability to find industry-leading talent that other recruiters are not pursuing.
“At BEC, our decades of experience combined with the Direct Recruiting OutsourcingⓇ (DRO) advantage mean that we know exactly where to look to find the top-talent our partners need to elevate their team,” said Jon Denny, BEC Executive Recruiting Manager.
Another hallmark advantage of partnering with BEC is our industry-leading candidate placement retention rate. This means that our partners don’t just meet their short-term hiring goals but find long-term success with a team that continues to grow and improve together. BEC’s candidate retention rate far exceeds that of the industry average, with 97% of our recruits still in their roles after the first year, and a turnover rate of just 5% after the first year, compared to the industry average of 15%.
At the outset of the partnership in September of 2022, it was BEC’s goal to deliver Takeda a DRO program that would provide their team with a full life cycle of recruiting services by presenting top talent for positions. This has been successfully and expeditiously achieved through robust applicant sourcing, tracking, screening, assessment and bandwidth expansion leaving Takeda’s internal team members to focus on business-critical initiatives.
Our recruitment team became completely integrated with Takeda’s talent acquisition and human resource teams, which ensured a seamless experience for both the candidates and the company. With our system in place, candidate offers were extended and accepted by December 9th, and all 20 new Neuromuscular Territory Business Managers started on January 23rd.
The values that drive success
At the core of any successful partnership is a well-aligned set of values.
Integrating the BEC recruitment team with Takeda’s talent acquisition and human resource teams was a key step in ensuring that the two partnering companies were not just aligned on the goals of the expansion project, but also the core values upheld by each respectively. “At BEC, our top values include trust, integrity, respect, collaboration, and commitment. These core values meshed extremely well with Takeda’s and helped us to identify recruits that would align perfectly with their company mission,” said BEC Partner, Ted Coss.
As an industry leader in the development of rare disease treatments and therapies, Takeda is guided above all by a patient-first mentality, with their token vision remaining to discover and deliver life-transforming treatments, guided by our commitment to patients, our people and the planet. BEC’s DRO advantage, team integration, and applicant tracking and screening process ensured that their 20 new Neuromuscular Territory Business Managers were not just above average candidates, but game-changers and difference makers that would truly contribute to this lasting vision.
Success by the numbers
Thanks to the close working relationship developed between BEC and Takeda, each of the partnership goals were completed within the timelines established to successfully hire 20 neuromuscular territory business managers.
- 17 years average number of specialty pharmaceutical experience
- 65% diverse candidates hired
About Takeda Pharmaceuticals
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. (TPUSA) is among the top 25 largest pharmaceutical companies in the United States. Founded in 1998, as Takeda’s largest business unit outside of Japan, TPUSA / the U.S. Business Unit continues to be a key contributor to their global growth and success.
Plasma-derived therapies are critical, life-saving medicines that thousands of people with rare and complex diseases rely on every day around the world. Global demand for these therapies, particularly immunoglobulins, has increased dramatically over the last 15 years, and continues to grow. Takeda is a leader in rare diseases and has a deep understanding of the patient journey.
Takeda has a 75+ year pioneering legacy in producing plasma-derived therapies and is established as a top three global player with end-to-end capabilities spanning the plasma value chain from donor to patient. Takeda has a broad and differentiated portfolio of plasma-derived products, including more than 20 therapies, including a diverse offering of subcutaneous IG (SCIG) products.
About Buckman Enochs Coss and Associates
For over four decades, Buckman Enochs Coss and Associates has been the Life Sciences and Healthcare industry’s magnet for top talent. We specialize in helping the best Life Sciences and Healthcare companies find the best people for every level of their organization. We do this with a sense of urgency, helping companies reach out to the right people at the right time and make compelling introductions that bring both company and candidate together.
As your 360-degree Life Sciences and Healthcare executive search firm, we are uniquely qualified to help you search for the perfect fit for your open positions. Because our deep Life Sciences and Healthcare resources and expertise are unrivaled, you can be confident that we will deliver a diverse pool of candidates who will bring what you seek most: not only the skills and experience—but also the passion to help lead you into the future.
Buckman Enochs Coss and Associates has specialized solely in working with leading Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology, Medical, Diagnostic and Healthcare Technology companies for over 40 years. Our corporate office is based in Columbus, Ohio. Clients who have engaged our firm on Retained, Contingent and Direct Recruiting OutsourcingⓇ (DRO) bases range from leading Life Sciences and Healthcare Fortune 20 companies to exciting startups commercializing for the first time or expanding for the launch of a recent FDA approved product. We have been instrumental in the initial build out, as well as the continued growth, for emerging companies on a national basis.
