Project Assistant

Role Summary

• Responsibilities: You will be responsible for a variety of administrative, coordination and scientific tasks related to client projects, as well as working on company and divisional initiatives
• Salary: £35,000 per annum
• Benefits: Discretionary profit share bonuses, hybrid working options, generous holiday allowance, flexible working hours, employer pension contributions, comprehensive travel insurance, private medical insurance, critical illness cover, income protection, full funding for external training, interest-free travel loan scheme, discounted gym memberships, and more
• Role Type: Full-time, permanent
• Start Date: We are currently recruiting for start dates in May, June and July 2024, and you will be asked to state your availability on your application form
• Location: This role is available in our Global Headquarters in Cambridge, as well as our London and Manchester offices, and our newly opened Bristol office

About the Role

Project Assistants are based in each of our scientific divisions and support with a wide range of administrative, project coordination and scientific tasks. These divisions are broadly described as Medical Communications, Value and Access and Evidence Development, and also include the specialist areas of Rare Diseases, MedTech and Health Policy. Your interest in the different areas of our work will be explored at the various recruitment stages and you will be assigned to a division when you join. Many Project Assistants also work cross-divisionally, giving them the opportunity to explore a wide variety of project types and responsibilities.

The responsibilities of the Project Assistant role are varied, and, in a typical week, the majority of your time will be spent overseeing the delivery of scientific work to our clients in the healthcare sector, with responsibility for the smooth running of projects. This will include identifying and suggesting improvements to processes, as well as implementation of these changes, with the aim of enhancing quality and efficiency within the team and, where appropriate, across the wider company.

You may also work on internal projects that contribute to the successful operation of your team.

Key responsibilities may include:

• Formatting, consistency and general quality control review of scientific documents, including reimbursement submissions, reports, slide sets, manuscripts, abstracts and posters
• Assisting Project Managers with client and healthcare professional communication on multi-component projects, and the production of progress reports and summaries that enhance the level of customer service delivered
• Coordinating logistics and providing project support for both in-person and virtual events and meetings, for example congresses, symposiums and advisory boards
• Day-to-day co-ordination of the project team and monitoring of project timelines, in collaboration with the project manager
• Scheduling meetings, recording minutes and coordinating their distribution
• Assisting the team with the development of planning tools to optimise the productivity of the team and cross-collaboration between the team and other divisions
• Supporting the accurate referencing of scientific materials, including preparing reference packs
• Screening records for relevance to research questions and extracting data from relevant publications
• Liaising with our Creative team on the development of figures and other visuals to be included in reports
• Supporting the development of client proposals and tracking those sent and responded to
• Management of project compliance, which includes completing compliance training, preparation of project compliance documentation, liaising with client compliance teams and acting as the internal point of contact for all compliance-related queries
• Liaising with external suppliers, including translation agencies, as well as digital and marketing agencies and other consultancies, to ensure smooth delivery of projects
• Ownership of tasks in our project management system to support the correct budgeting and invoicing of projects
• Supporting Analysts and Medical Writers with the write up of methods and results of projects into engaging reports and slide sets
• Reformatting of scientific documents to ensure adherence to client requirements and/or relevant submission guidelines
• Helping project teams to keep abreast of the latest potentially relevant sources of information and industry guidelines to inform their project work, and keeping all divisional resources up to date
• Organising divisional monthly meetings and other internal activities

Career Profile

We offer many opportunities for personal and professional development at Costello Medical. Please click below to read first hand accounts from our colleagues about their time with the company: (url removed)

A Day in the Life of a Project Assistant

To learn more about a typical day for a Project Assistant at Costello Medical, please click here: (url removed)...

Requirements

About You

The ideal candidate will be proactive, innovative and eager to take on new challenges and responsibilities with an ambition to develop in the role. You will receive close training and mentorship from experienced colleagues, so no prior industry experience is required.

This role will suit those who have excellent attention-to-detail and organisational skills, a talent for communication and a passion for improving healthcare outcomes.

Essential requirements for the role are:

• A degree level or equivalent qualification in a scientific discipline (minimum 2.1 or equivalent). Postgraduate qualifications (minimum 2.1 or equivalent) would be an advantage, but they are not a requirement for the role. We welcome applications from candidates with a diverse range of specialisms, including but not limited to; biology, chemistry, pharmacy, biomedical sciences, global health, epidemiology, biochemistry and medicine
• A flair for, and attention to, detail
• Exceptional written English, which you will use in client work, email communication and internal messaging
• Effective verbal communication skills, which you will use when working with colleagues and clients
• The ability to tailor your communication style to a variety of audiences, including healthcare professionals, patient groups, suppliers, clients, non-scientific colleagues and governmental bodies
• Being self-motivated and enthusiastic, with a genuine interest in healthcare and an eagerness to learn about new areas of science
• Excellent organisational skills and a passion for maintaining high levels of organisation across tasks and processes
• The ability to respond to conflicting deadlines, work independently and self-manage your time
• The self-awareness to reflect on your own performance, alongside a willingness to take ownership of your work and the development of your career
• A commitment to delivering excellent customer service
• A desire and aptitude for collaborative working across project teams, where you share knowledge with others in your team to promote the attainment of a common objective, and work together to overcome obstacles to success
• A “can do” approach, and the initiative, positivity and creativity required to continually improve the service we offer
• Embodying Costello Medical’s values, which includes being committed to delivering quality work, championing innovation in healthcare, acting with integrity and supporting your colleagues as they would support you
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Office

Benefits

About Costello Medical

Costello Medical is a rapidly growing global healthcare agency specialising in medical communications, market access and health economic and outcomes research. We work with a wide range of clients, including the industry’s most successful pharmaceutical and medical technology companies, patient and public health bodies and charitable organisations. Our mission is to be a community of the very best people, building trusted partnerships across the healthcare sector by delivering an exceptional service. Our vision is to be a leading global partner consistently striving for meaningful and outstanding contributions that improve people’s health and lives.

We are committed to our company values which are central to creating our fun, friendly and innovative workplace in which we strive to deliver the highest standards of quality. As a result, we have been listed in The Top 100 Companies to Work For list for five consecutive years.

On 27th May 2022 Costello Medical received its certification as a B Corporation. We are really proud of this achievement as it demonstrates that Costello Medical is meeting the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance. We underwent a rigorous assessment that covered the whole of our business including employee benefits, charitable giving and sustainability. We believe this certification is external validation of our mission to be a force for good.

The Recruitment Process

Our recruitment process includes a short assessment, involving two tasks, for you to complete remotely, followed by a telephone interview with a member of our Talent Acquisition team. If successful, you will be invited to an interview. Our standard recruitment process lasts around 1 month however, this can be adapted if necessary.

As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce and, throughout the recruitment process, there are a number of reasonable adjustments we can provide. Please click here to read more about this and contact the People Team via (url removed) should you require reasonable adjustments at any stage.

We are currently recruiting for start dates in May, June and July 2024. You will be asked to state your availability on your application form. Whilst there are no set application deadlines, we strongly recommend applying as early as possible so that we can begin processing your application. The role will close when suitable candidates are found.

This This role is available in our Global Headquarters in Cambridge, as well as our London and Manchester offices, and our newly opened Bristol office. You can learn more about our office locations here: (url removed)/careers/locations

What We Offer

• A starting salary of £35,000
• A discretionary profit share bonus paid twice per year
• 25 days’ annual leave plus bank and public holidays
• The chance to work from home for up to half of your working time
• Flexible benefits scheme offering additional holiday, cash payments and pension contributions
• 4% employer pension contributions
• Private Medical Insurance which offers comprehensive cover on a “medical history disregard” basis
• Paid study leave and funding for external qualifications
• Cycle to Work scheme and an interest-free travel loan scheme
• Critical Illness Cover, Income Protection and Life Assurance
• Access to an Employee Assistance Programme
• Discounted gym membership
• Comprehensive travel insurance
• Flexible working hours
• Regular company-funded social activities

Please click here to learn about our reward package and the other benefits of working for Costello Medical: (url removed)

How to Apply

You are required to submit your CV and a cover letter via our online application form. In your cover letter, you must explain why you think you would be suited to the role and why you would like to join Costello Medical, with examples to support both. As written communication is a vital skill for this role, if your cover letter is suspected to have been generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI), your application is likely to be disqualified. Your CV should clearly state the dates of all qualifications and grades achieved where applicable. Please contact the Talent Acquisition team at (url removed) if you have any questions about the role or application process.

Visa Sponsorship

We can provide visa sponsorship for eligible candidates for our Project Assistant role. You will be asked to provide details of your right to work in the UK within your application, however this will have no impact on the processing of your application.