Insight Alcedis: Head of Clinical Operations Andrea
Published: 07.23.2021
Organisation, personal development and a sense of humour at work are three essential points that make up the daily routine of Andrea, Head of Clinical Operations at Alcedis.
Who are you?
Name: Andrea
Position: Head of Clinical Operations
Department: Clinical Operations
With Alcedis since: 01.05.2019
Main responsibilities:
"In my position at Alcedis, I am responsible, among other things, for the management and coordination of the department as well as for staff scheduling within the teams. I also determine the training needs of the team and regularly coordinate the training plan together with our quality department. My daily routine also includes advising the project teams. In addition, I have an overview of our ongoing projects and make sure that all customer requirements are met."
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How did you come to Alcedis?
"I studied nutritional sciences here in Gießen and worked for a CRO in Frankfurt for more than ten years after graduating. There I held various positions - including monitor and later also project manager - and thus got to know the extensive fields of clinical research within a contract research organisation.
I live in Giessen, so I had been looking at Alcedis as a potential employer for a while. When a suitable position as project manager was advertised, I applied directly in 2019. I'm very happy with the change, work and family are now in harmony."
What do colleagues appreciate about you?
"I have an open and direct manner. Besides, I always keep the glass half full without losing touch with reality. I think my colleagues find that good."
And now take a critical look at yourself: What did the team have to get used to with you?
"I sometimes have a sense of humour that amuses me but might seem weird for others (laughs). For example, when we were all still working in the office before the Corona pandemic, I put funny alpaca cards all over our hallway. Hanno Härtlein, our managing director, still has one of them hanging on his door.
And on April 1st ("April Fools") this year, I also introduced compulsory slippers in our department."
What distinguishes Alcedis as an employer for you?
"Many colleagues have a close connection to Gießen and feel at home here. This is also noticeable in everyday life; a familiar feeling quickly arises in the team. Giessen is a university town, which is also reflected in our young team. We often get support from students or young professionals, who always bring new wind and new ideas.
The good interaction is also shaped by Alcedis itself: We have regular company events, and collegiality was actively promoted. The flat hierarchies also help. So far, I have always been able to go to my supervisor or the managing directors and openly talk about what I think is good, but also express criticism.
What also distinguishes us from other CROs is that all departments are centrally located in Gießen. At other contract research organisations, departments are sometimes spread all over the world, which often inhibits fast internal processes. Since we can reach each other quickly here on site, we can react very flexibly to current processes.
What also appeals to me is the versatility. Our focus is of course on clinical trials and non-interventional studies, but we are also not afraid to try something different and get involved in studies in a variety of ways."
How have you personally developed at Alcedis?
"In my current position, I have of course been able to develop enormously and I am grateful for the great degree of trust.
During the pandemic, I was also able to learn a lot: the team stuck together very strongly and everyone supported each other. That made a huge impression on me and showed me that this crisis made us even stronger as a team and as a company. We have proven that we can deal with such a crisis and grow. Of course, the behaviour of the management and our HR department also contributed significantly to this."
What fascinates you most about your job?
"People say that so often, but for me it's really like that: every day is different. Every project is different - that's what makes my job so varied. Of course, we have standardised processes and workflows that can be applied to almost all projects. Nevertheless, you have to adjust to every project anew. I also find it very fascinating that we can play our part in medical developments."