Pharmaceutical Executive Search

Find and hire the top Pharmaceutical candidates for your company

Find and hire the top Pharmaceutical candidates for your company

54% of Apex candidate introductions receive interview requests from our clients

Interview top candidates

54% of Apex candidate introductions receive interview requests from our clients

65% of Apex executive search placements are successfully completed within less than 60 days

Hire candidates faster

65% of Apex executive search placements are successfully completed within less than 60 days

98.9% of Apex introduced candidates remain employed by their new employers past 3 months

Retain hired employees

98.9% of Apex introduced candidates remain employed by their new employers past 3 months

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Are you looking to hire top talent in Japan?

What differentiates Apex from the competition is quality. Every candidate is evaluated alongside a 7-point checklist to determine if they will be a good fit for your role and company. This focus on quality over quantity has been the source of our growth and success. Contact us today to get started on your search.

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Executive search metrics for successfully placed candidates in the Pharmaceutical industry

  • Time to hire of placed candidates

    01

    Less than 20 days

    8.2%

    ​02

    20 - 39 days

    31.7%

    03

    40 - 59 days

    22.4%

    04

    60 - 79 days

    18.6%

    05

    80 - 99 days

    5.5%

    06

    More than 99 days

    13.7%

  • Salary distribution of placed candidates

    01

    Less than ¥10,000,000

    43.5%

    ​02

    ¥10,000,000 - ¥14,999,999

    37.5%

    03

    ¥15,000,000 - ¥19,999,999

    15.8%

    04

    ¥20,000,000 - ¥24,999,999

    1.6%

    05

    ¥25,000,000 - ¥29,999,999

    0.5%

    06

    ​More than ¥29,999,999​

    1.1%

  • Age distribution of placed candidates

    01

    Less than 30 years old

    2.7%

    ​02

    30 - 34 years old

    7.6%

    03

    35-39 years old

    8.2%

    04

    40 - 44 years old

    20.7%

    05

    45 - 49 years old

    21.7%

    06​

    50 - 54 years old

    20.1%

    07

    Over 54 years old

    19.0%

Specialized hiring support for Pharmaceutical functions

  • Clinical Development
  • Regulatory Affairs
  • Medical Affairs & MSL
  • Medical
  • Consulting
  • Pharmacovigilance (PV) & Safety
  • Market Access
  • External Affairs
  • Marketing
  • Sales
  • Drug Discovery
  • Quality
  • Business Development & Planning
  • Education & Training
  • Project Management
  • PMS
  • Alliance Management
  • Data Analyst
  • Manufacturing
  • Research & Development (R&D)
  • Market Research
  • CMC Regulatory Affairs
  • Licensing
  • Commercial Excellence

Hiring service flow

  • 01

    Step 1. Kickoff meeting with Apex

    ※​We will assign a project lead who will serve as the main point of contact throughout the search process. The project lead will schedule a kickoff meeting with you to discuss the positions specifications, target companies, ideal candidates, search strategy, and timeline.

  • 02

    Step 2. Identify the target candidates for the roll

    ※​We will create a target list of ideal candidates that fit your specifications. This will be done through a combination of market research, database searches, and networking.

  • 03

    Meet with the target candidates

    ※​We will meet with the target candidates to get a better understanding of their skills, drive, and motivation. This will help us narrow down the candidate pool to the best possible match for your company.

  • 04

    Step 4. Facilitate the interview process

    ※​We will manage interview scheduling, provide regular feedback to confirm alignment with hiring needs, and continuously optimize results until an offer is signed.

  • 05

    Step 5. Offer negotiation

    ​※We will handle negotiations on behalf of you and the candidate to close the deal with a win-win outcome.

  • 06

    Step 6. Resignation

    ※​​We will provide consultation and support to newly hired candidate to ensure a smooth and certain resignation.

  • 07

    Step 7. Ongoing Assistance

    ※​We will be available for ongoing assistance to both you and the hired candidate to ensure a successful transition and onboarding process.

Frequently asked questions

Q1. How soon can we start the executive search process?

A. We can start the search immediately once we have confirmed the role you are hiring for. Contracts can be negotiated during the search process to reduce potential delays in hiring your ideal candidate.

Q2. How long does it take to complete an executive search?

A. We have a successful track record of completing most searches within 2 to 4 months. Of course, the length of the search will vary greatly depending on industry, function, role, confidentiality, seniority level, urgency, and search type requested.

Q3. How many candidates do you provide career consultation services to?

A. Apex actively provides career consultation services to more than 35,000 of Japan's most talented professionals.

Q4. Do you provide Japan market entry support?

A. Yes, we has supported global brands and startups with market entry to Japan for over 12 years. Our team will guide you through the complexities of making your first key hire, formally establishing your business, and arranging all necessary functions essential to operating successfully in Japan.

Q5.How involved will you be in the interview process?

A. We will manage interview scheduling between both parties to ensure everything goes smoothly and milestones are met. Throughout the interview process we will manage interview scheduling, provide regular feedback to confirm alignment with hiring needs, and continuously optimize results until an offer is signed.

Q6. What are the different search options Apex offers?

A. Apex mainly offers 3 search options: Contingency search, exclusive contingency search, and retained search. The best option will vary greatly depending on the confidentiality, seniority level, and urgency of the role. For this reason, we recommend you speak with an Apex Consultant to learn which option is best suited for your hiring needs.

Q7. What are the different payment options?

A. Payment options are dependant on the search type. For example, with a contingency search, the fee is only paid to Apex after we successfully introduce a candidate who joins your company. With a retained search, the fee is commonly paid in 3 installments. Since this search type is commonly structured in a 3 tiered goalpost framework, we will invoice you roughly 1/3 of the agreed upon rate following the completion of each goal.

Q8. Are there specific industries that Apex specializes in?

A. Apex specializes in 10 industries: Pharmaceutical, Medical Device, Life Science & Diagnostics, Technology, Legal & Compliance, Human Resources, Finance & Accounting, Banking & Financial Services, Supply Chain & Procurement, and Consumer.

  • Successful case studies

    ​Search assignment

    Head of QA & CMC at a global biotechnology company in Japan

    Search challenges

    • The top priority candidate was internally promoted and wanted to pull out of the interview process midway

    • The client needed a candidate who could cover both QA and CMC at a very high level

    • This was a replacement position, so the client needed the search done in the most confidential way

    151 Days

    Time to Hire

    27 Candidates

    Candidates Approached

    8 Candidates

    Candidates Introduced

    1 Candidate

    Candidates Interviewed

  • Successful case studies

    ​​Search assignment

    APAC Market Access, Associate Director at a global pharmaceutical company in Japan

    Search challenges

    • Defining the profile for the role including their priorities for market access, access vs pricing, and how to find the ideal candidate in the market

    • The client wanted a candidate with APAC experience and fluent-level English

    • The candidate pool that matched the exact requirements was limited

    61 Days

    Time to Hire

    6 Candidates

    Candidates Approached

    3 Candidates

    Candidates Introduced

    3 Candidates

    Candidates Interviewed

Meet our Pharmaceutical consultants

You will find that the consultant you meet is trustworthy, reliable, and conducive of a true recruitment professional.

Contact us today to get started on your search for Japan's top Pharmaceutical talent.

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