Pharmaceutical Portfolio Strategy Lead

The successful candidate will lead the strategic and execution-driven growth of the Pharma portfolio across therapy areas and trade-led growth engines, shaping brand strategy, portfolio priorities, and go-to-market effectiveness across multiple markets.

Reporting directly to the CEO, this is a high-impact leadership role that blends portfolio-level strategy with hands-on execution, requiring strong judgment, cross-functional influence, and the ability to scale marketing performance across geographies.

Key Accountabilities:

1. Therapy-Based Portfolio Leadership & Brand Accountability:

• Lead the shift from Rx / OTx-based organisation to therapy-led brand ownership, driving sharper focus and accountability across portfolios.
• Own the end-to-end Pharma marketing portfolio across defined therapy areas including Pain & Malaria, Gastroenterology, Women’s & Child Health, Anti-Infectives, Respiratory & Immunology, and Cardiometabolic therapies, alongside trade-led growth portfolios.
• Collaborate with Operating Unit leadership to define Product Priority Matrices and align brand-wise field force allocation with growth potential.

2. Brand Strategy, ATL & POS Excellence:

• Set and govern brand strategy standards across markets, spanning ATL (where relevant), POS and trade activation, Rx-only medico detailing,
• Ensure pharma marketing capability extends beyond traditional detailing to include ATL planning and agency governance, POS marketing and in-shop activation, packaging and brand visibility levers.
• Act as the final decision authority on major brand investments, launches, extensions, and repositioning.

3. Institutions, Trade & Channel Alignment:

• Ensure strong alignment between therapy marketing teams, trade push activation, institutions/ KAM-led demand generation.
• Partner with commercial leadership to ensure clear accountability for outcomes, aligned incentives, no dilution of brand ownership despite channel overlap.

4. Performance & Governance

• Own pharma marketing performance reviews covering growth vs AOP, ROI on ATL and POS spends, portfolio focus and execution quality.
• Provide leadership, direction, and performance oversight to marketing Heads across therapy areas and trade-led portfolios.
• Ensure robust governance across budgets, agencies, compliance, and brand standards.

Essential qualifications & experience:

• Postgraduate qualification in Management / Marketing / Business (MBA preferred).
• 18–22+ years of experience in Pharmaceutical Marketing.
• Demonstrated experience leading multiple therapy areas and large brand portfolios.
• Strong exposure to ATL and POS marketing (not limited to medico detailing), trade activation and visibility-driven growth models, emerging / frontier markets (Africa preferred)
• Proven ability to lead and influence senior marketing leaders.

Desired skills & attributes:

• Strong portfolio and prioritization mindset;
  comfortable saying no to low-impact brands.
• Deep understanding of ATL, POS, and Rx marketing models and when to deploy each.
• Commercially sharp with a strong ROI orientation.
• Confident leader with the ability to drive accountability without micromanaging.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity and shaping structure as the business evolves.

Why Join Us?

• Be part of a fast-growing, mission-led organization transforming healthcare access in Africa.
• Work alongside passionate teams with deep expertise and purpose.
• Gain exposure to cross-cultural operations, strategic growth projects, and innovation opportunities.