Finding regulatory affairs talent – especially at a senior or leadership level – can be a challenge. Whether it’s for a newly created position or to fill a recent resignation, finding and then securing the perfect candidate can be difficult. There are so many elements that come into play: finding someone with the required (or better!) experience, attracting exceptional candidates that maybe aren’t yet actively looking for a job, ensuring that the person you hire has the right attitude and personality to fit in with your company, creating the perfect job offer that your chosen candidate can’t say no to. 

Now factor in another layer of complexity – finding regulatory affairs talent in the medical devices and IVDs industry. Finding the ideal candidate in this niche industry can sometimes feel like looking for a needle in a haystack, especially when you are trying to meet all the criteria listed above. It’s possible that the right candidate for you – the one with the perfect experience, attitude and expectations – is only just starting to think about a new job, in which case they won’t be actively searching for roles or looking at medical device regulatory job listings. How can you possibly let them know about your fantastic job offer in regulatory affairs if they aren’t looking on your website? Capturing the attention of that person, whilst looking through the haystack at the same time…. It isn’t easy!

At this point, where the fear creeps in that you might never find the perfect person to join your company and help push it forward to greater success, it’s time to enlist the help of a recruitment agency. Not any recruitment agency either  – you need a great regulatory affairs recruitment agency that specialises in medical devices and regulatory affairs. Look out for our 5 markers of a great regulatory affairs recruitment agency to know you’re working with the right one!

1. Specialists in medical devices and regulatory affairs

Most generalist agencies will recruit across multiple industries and lots of different role types. They might have a good approach to recruitment and attractive rates, but do they have the network, proven track record and trust of the candidates you are trying to reach? Great agencies will be medical devices and regulatory affairs experts, with a laser-beam focus on what it means to be a successful medical devices company in the current market. They will talk confidently to you about the impact of changing regulations such as MDR and IVDR, and the implications such changes might have on your business’ hiring needs later on down the line. How can you know what you’re looking for is realistic, that you’re paying the right salary, and what it is that makes you stand out against all the other roles in regulatory affairs? They will share their own market insights and data with you, to make sure you have all the relevant information needed to make the right hiring decisions for your business. 

2. Connected to a wide network that you would otherwise not have access to

A fantastic regulatory affairs recruitment agency will have a warm database of candidates who engage with them on social media, on their website, by email, and as part of company events and programs. They will have relationships that mean that when they call, your perfect candidate will answer. This network of regulatory affairs professionals – all with the kind of medical devices experience you are looking for – might not be actively looking for new jobs. But with the visibility that a great regulatory affairs recruitment agency can provide in terms of promoting new jobs and the insights they have over signals that suggest someone might be about to look for a new job – this means that suddenly, with the right agency, your open positions are being presented to exceptional candidates who would otherwise not have seen them. 

3. Embedded in the medical devices community

It takes a really great regulatory affairs agency to not just work in the medical devices industry, but to be valued as an important and contributing part of it. This makes the conversations between recruitment consultants and candidates even smoother and more effective, as they already know and respect the business and its team. Look for agencies who are thought leaders – those that are considered integral to the industry by its members, with team members who lead the way in terms of medical device conversations and resources. These agencies are more than just suppliers, they are trusted strategic advisors.

4. Proven success rate with companies like yours

A great regulatory affairs recruitment agency will have a fantastic history of success – look for how many years they’ve been operating for (especially in medical devices and regulatory affairs) and great client testimonials that speak to the hiring challenges you are facing. It’s important to not just focus on the client side; look for candidate testimonials and  don’t forget that your chosen recruitment partner will be an extension of your company brand. They will represent you in the market. Testimonials are excellent proof that the agency you’re considering puts time and energy into creating perfect client/candidate matches. One challenge you may be facing when recruiting senior regulatory affairs professionals for medical devices is simply having the time to find the best candidate. Great agencies with well-versed processes and proven success rates run efficiently and effectively, meaning that you can put your trust in them to do a brilliant job.

5. Supportive throughout your entire working relationship, not just when you have a position to fill

A really great regulatory affairs recruitment agency will be there for more than just finding and placing your candidate. They will be there to support you at the very start of the process, when you’re facing an unexpected resignation or are trying to benchmark salaries. They will use their specialist knowledge to help you understand the talent landscape, employment trends, and give you competitive market insights that you won’t be able to find publicly. 

Use this list as your checklist when assessing regulatory affairs recruitment agencies for your medical devices hiring needs. Do research on social media – especially on LinkedIn – and visit their websites to get a better understanding of their calibres. Speak to industry peers for verbal recommendations and, if you’re curious to know how the team here at Elemed can help, get in touch with us now.