Meet our Employees

Department: Global Sourcing Management
With Grünenthal since: December 2010

What are your main tasks within your department?
Our department is responsible for selecting the most suitable external companies to perform specific activities from our clinical trials either because we do not have the resources available internally, the expertise or just because it is cheaper. Once the external vendor is selected we are also responsible for negotiating the best price for their services and executing a contract with them. My responsibilities include...

Department: Accounting Services
With Grünenthal since: August 1996 

What are your main tasks within your department?
I work in the accounts payable area and as ‘godfather’ for apprentices and application manager. At the moment I am responsible for various projects concerning process improvements and implements in the company and our department.

Which interfaces with other departments exist?
As accountancy, we work with almost every other department at Grünenthal when something is ordered...

Department: Global Trade Marks
With Grünenthal since: September 1974

What are your main tasks within your department?
I am responsible for the trademark processing. This includes preparation of the opposition proceedings, collaborating on projects and the preparation of drafts of trademark license agreements.

How did you come to Grünenthal?
I completed an apprenticeship as an industrial clerk and was then...

Department: Global Compliance 
With Grünenthal since: March 2010

What are your main tasks within your department?
Ensure that all company activities are in compliance with internal and external regulations on local and international level. Protect and secure the integrity and reputation of the company, their managers and the employees with the goal to avoid compliance and reputational risks...

Department: Global Toll Manufacturing
With Grünenthal since: September 1996

What are your main tasks within your department?
I am responsible for the business with third party customers at all production sites within Grünenthal. The TMA (Toll Manufacturing) department  takes care of our external customers. This does not concern customers who order from Grünenthal because of licensing agreements.

Which interfaces with other departments exist?
The most important interfaces lie within Global Product Supply...

Department: Global Operating Commitee
Working for Grünenthal since: January 2009

What are your main tasks within the department?
Definition of the strategy and strategic objectives for the Grünenthal Group in alignment with the Group Operating Committee and the Supervisory Board, derive priorities, operational focus as well as resource allocation, and ensure collaboration across strategic business units and functions.

Calling, preparing and leading the meetings of the Group Operating Committee. Ensuring the regular communication from Executive Management to...

Department: Global Industrial Operations Switzerland
With Grünenthal since: January 2002

What are your main tasks within your department?
I am responsible for Global Product Supply (GPS), which manages the worldwide supply of our medications. We have to produce medications at the highest quality standard and at competitive prices, while conforming to the "Good Manufacturing Practice" as well as safety, health and environmental laws. We are also responsible for purchasing all raw materials and for providing required infrastructure at our locations worldwide...

Department: Data Management
With Grünenthal since: April 1987

What are your main tasks within your department?
I take care of documenting side effects of Grünenthal products worldwide.

Which interfaces with other departments exist?
We have interfaces with Quality Organisation, Regulatory Affairs, the Drug Safety departments of all Grünenthal affiliates and Data Management Clinical Development...

Department: Global Human Resources
Working for Grünenthal since: April 2009

What are your main tasks in the department?
I am in charge – from human resources management perspective – of all employees who work at our headquarters in Aachen for the SBU (Strategic Business Unit) Europe & Australia. The tasks range from hiring to preparation of certificates and all other questions of executives and employees.

How did you come to Grünenthal?
More than 10 years ago I completed my apprenticeship...

Department: Supply Chain Management
Working for Grünenthal since: July 2007

What are your main tasks in the department?
My main task is the order processing for all countries in the Middle Eastern regions and all South American countries. Moreover, I am in charge of the dispatch of registration samples and the transaction of all other consignments abroad that leave Grünenthal. These are for example substances, mechanical parts or electronic equipment.

My third task is the creation of manual invoices...

Department: Global Preclinical Drug Development
With Grünenthal since: January 2005

What are your main tasks within your department?
The planning and coordination of projects focusing on the development of special dosage form technologies, for example Tamper Resistant Formulations (TRF), transdermal systems, effervescent tablets…

Which interfaces with other departments exist?
There are various interfaces with other departments, for example to Galenics, Analytics, Human pharmacology, as well as to the project management...

Department: Development Biological Laboratory Assistant
With Grünenthal since: August 2010

What are your main tasks within your department?
Each apprentice in the department gets to know the department’s specific experiments and carries out series of experiments. During these we are constantly supervised by our laboratory mentors, in case any questions arise. Moreover, there is the possibility to take part in the implementation of new experiments. Apart from that, there are theoretical trainings and practical preparations for our intermediate and final exams...

Department: Data Center and IT-Services
Working for Grünenthal since: August 1999

What are your main tasks within your department?
The management of mobile equipment and their link-up to the Grünenthal infrastructure, the selection of new models as well as the administration of our e-mail system “Exchange-Server”.

Which interfaces with other departments exist?
As we have contact to both internal and external customers, interfaces exist with most of the departments at Grünenthal: Procurement, Media Management, Research…

Department: Chemical Development
Working for Grünenthal since: August 1984

What are your main tasks within your department?
I manage the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-regulated sector of the chemical development. In this sector, the “Team Technical Centre” carries out the upscaling of the formulation from laboratory scale to production scale. Additionally, we produce Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) for different studies under GMP conditions...

Department: TMA Business
With Grünenthal since: March 1997

What are your main tasks within your department?
I search for business opportunities in order to acquire more units for Tecnandina, Grünenthal’s production site in Ecuador.

Which interfaces with other departments exist?
We have interfaces with a lot of other departments, for example Pharmaceutical Technological Deployment, Production, Cost, Quality Control, Quality Assurance, Supply...

Department: E-Marketing
With Grünenthal since: March 2011

What are your main tasks within your department?
In my department we have a multichannel approach for Closed Loop Marketing, where we set up E-Marketing projects like iDetailing, eDetailing, websites and Social Media. We work closely with the affiliates from Europe and Australia on implementing the projects.

Which interfaces with other departments exist?
For our projects we have to work with Medical Affairs, Product teams, Sales, Training Department,...

Department: Global Strategic Brand Management
Working for Grünenthal since: February 2007

What are your main tasks within your department?
In my current area of responsibility, we are aiming to build an excellence center around our global brands and main indications in the fields of ‘Branding’ (meaning developing branding strategies for future products), ‘Learning’ (initiate innovative learning programs to learn about our products’ indications and brand management), and...

Department: Patient Insights 
With Grünenthal since: Januar 2008

What are your main tasks within your department?
Grünenthal aims to be the most patient centric company in the market. My role as Head of Patient Insights is to be the motor of this aspiration by creating awareness and motivation for this vision on a corporate level on the one hand, and by providing the strategy, framework, support services and guidance to the organization on the other. Furthermore, Patient Insights provides opportunities for direct and indirect contact with chronic pain patients...

Department: Medical Affairs Grünenthal Europe & Australia
With Grünenthal since: July 2007

What are your main tasks within your department?
Within Medical Affairs I am responsible for the tramadol-containing products, gynecology and Medical Information Versatis.

Which interfaces with other departments exist?
We work closely with the Marketing Department, Drug Safety and Regulatory Affairs, but also with Preclinical and Clinical Development, Medical Writing, Life Cycle Management and Business Development.

Department: Sales 
With Grünenthal since: August 1987

What are your main tasks within your department?
One of the most important tasks of my daily business are the sales calls. At the moment we particularly visit medical specialist groups of practitioners and internists. Additionally, I regularly visit selected pharmacies to inform them about our products. Beside these visits I also regularly arrange customer events. These include booth representation at congresses and working dinners. A further focus is on meetings, trainings and individual training courses.

Department: Market Access
With Grünenthal since: September 2009 

What are your main tasks within your department?
I am responsible for the preparation and protection of our products’ market access.
My tasks also include reimbursement, pricing and creation of benefit dossiers. Health services research and contracts with health insurances also are within my field of functions.

Which interfaces with other departments exist?
There are interfaces with Medical Affairs, Marketing, Sales and Market Access within our headquarters.

Department: Drug Safety
Within Grünenthal since: October 1986 

What are your main tasks within your department?
The Application Management is the interface between Business (in my case: Drug Safety) and the IT. Among other things I am responsible for the configuration of our pharmacovigilance database (that includes product portfolio and reporting obligations) and the preparation of reports.

Which interfaces with other departments exist?
Of course with Global IT, but also with several other departments,...

Department: Packaging examination (Marc) & Global Human Resources (Hans)
With Grünenthal since: September 2011 (Marc) & September 1975 (Hans)

What are your main tasks within your department?
Marc: In the department, in which I am currently employed as part of my apprenticeship, I inspect packaging material for its correctness; in my apprenticeship as chemical technician the focus is on the daily work at the laboratory and the workshop.
Hans: I take care of the advancement of Human Resources (HR) processes in the development area;...

Department: Distribution Center
With Grünenthal since: February 1973

What are your main tasks within your department?
My main task is to ship narcotics.

How did you come to Grünenthal?
I heard about the company through friends.

What do you like most about your job or what is particularly interesting?
It is very varied. There is always something going on...