Success Story
Scaling a U.S. Commercial Organization for a Global Rare Disease Launch
Story background
When an established global biopharmaceutical company prepared to expand its U.S. operations around a first-in-class rare ophthalmology therapy – the first FDA-approved topical biologic of its kind – they needed more than a recruiting partner. They needed a team who could stand up multiple commercial functions simultaneously, on an aggressive timeline, without sacrificing candidate quality or cultural fit.
The client engaged Mix to build out Commercial, Market Access, and Medical teams in advance of their U.S. launch. The scope was significant: 59 roles across nine distinct functions, with some positions needed in as few as six weeks.
The client needed support with:
Recruiting specialized roles
across sales leadership, medical affairs, and corporate functions.
Coordinating a live national hiring event
Our approach
Mix implemented a cross-functional recruitment strategy designed for speed, precision, and cultural alignment – customized to each of the nine distinct role profiles involved in the engagement.
Behavioral profiling & assessment
Mix's in-house team of Industrial/Organizational Psychologists defined behavioral profiles for every role and built customized interview guides to ensure consistency across hiring leaders – a critical step when leadership teams are new and timelines are short.
Dedicated project management
A Mix project manager partnered directly with the client’s HR team to oversee progress across multiple business units, hosting weekly updates with individual hiring leaders to track results and adjust recruitment strategy in real time.
Integrated sourcing & candidate experience
Mix leveraged its proprietary life sciences talent network and data-driven sourcing model to move candidates quickly without sacrificing the high-touch experience that reflects the client's culture and mission.
Live hiring event execution
With 70+ finalists across Key Account Manager and Field Access & Reimbursement roles, Mix facilitated a national hiring event where leadership teams aligned on selections and confirmed onboarding timelines – ensuring all roles were filled on schedule.
The results
Mix filled all 59 roles, meeting every deadline and delivering a fully staffed, launch-ready organization.
59 roles filled across 9 functions
From Key Account Managers and Field Access Managers to Medical Science Liaisons, a Medical Director, and a Senior Director of HR – all hired to profile and on time.
New Market Access division stood up from scratch
With newly hired leadership on board for less than a week before the hiring event, Mix presented 44 candidates in time for leaders to interview and finalize their teams – all Field Access Manager roles were filled, with candidates starting by the client's deadline.
Six-week KAM build completed on schedule
With openings posted in late May and a live hiring event in July, Mix sourced, screened, and moved 35 Key Account Manager candidates through a three-step interview process, hitting every milestone in the timeline.
Roles filled:
35 Key Account Managers | 9 Field Access Managers | 2 Area Sales Directors | 2 Regional Sales Directors | 2 Market Access Area Directors | 6 Medical Science Liaisons | 1 Medical Director | 1 Medical Information Specialist | 1 Senior Director of HR