The Regional Account Executive:
creating partnership opportunities

As a regional account exec, I have to keep up to speed with the ever-changing structures of the NHS. And because my job involves high level conversations with senior clinicians and healthcare administrators, I make sure I also understand the priorities of each customer group – and nowadays, that includes a lot of different roles!

In the three projects I’m driving through the NHS right now, for example, I’m working with chief pharmacists, prescribing advisers, patient associations and executive committee members as well as GPs. My job is get to know all these people well enough to be able to spot opportunities for us to initiate joint working ventures with them in areas where our specialist experience and expertise can add value.

To do that, I need a network of contacts at every level of the NHS in my region and I have to work on developing those relationships. And once I’ve identified potential partners, I work with them to develop initiatives that help meet their objectives, drawing on the resources of our internal team.

For me, there’s no such a thing as a typical day - sometimes I’m being proactive, sometimes reactive. Because I’m the one responsible for implementing the plans and processes to deliver the outcomes agreed with these partners, my job requires all the skills of a good project leader – being able to allocate resources effectively and keep the project on track, motivating the team and resolving any tensions that crop up.

It’s a big job - and an exciting one if you’re a people person who’s intellectually curious and can think on your feet. It’s also very rewarding, because what I do ultimately helps patients as well as the NHS.