Learning & development

We are dedicated to creating a team of employees that are proud of what they do and talented enough to do it well. We provide learning and development solutions that:

• Build on the Octapharma values and culture;

• Meet employee needs and those of the business.

We provide a stimulating and a dynamic environment that places customer and patient goals above all else.

Global Corporate trainee programme

Every year, we recruit enthusiastic graduates who have an interest in the pharmaceutical industry and fully immerse them in how we work. Each intake usually consists of 10–12 graduates. This number can vary according to the needs of the business or the quality of the applicants.

Trainees can work in Octapharma’s many functional areas to gain “on-the-job” experience:

• Have the opportunity to work abroad;

• Develop networking skills on an international level;

• Benefit from mentoring by experienced colleagues.

Our requirements:

• You must be a recent university graduate. Graduates in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, engineering and management are of particular interest, but we have corporate trainees from many other subject areas too;

• Maximum two years of work experience (excl. internships);

• Aspiring attitude and excellent communication skills;

• Fluency in English (additional languages a plus);

• Flexible team player;

• Willing to move internationally for work assignments.

Find our Corporate Trainee Programme openings here: available opportunities

Continuous learning

We believe in continuous learning and we love technology-so combined the two to provide a digital learning platform for all our employees. Courses are available in several languages and covers business, functional, personal and leadership competencies.

Digital learning opportunities

All employees have the opportunity to enhance their skillset by using our digital learning programme. The programme is available in several languages and covers business, functional, personal and leadership competencies. Being an online programme, employees can fit their study into a time that is convenient for them.

Management development centres

We develop our future leaders from within through our bespoke management development centres. The centresoffer future leaders the chance to participate in realistic business simulations built on the Octapharma set of competencies and values. They receive constructive and comprehensive feedback on their competencies, resulting in a personal development plan. A mentor is assigned to provide essential support for their on going development.

INSEAD collaboration

Octapharma and INSEAD (European Institute of Business Administration) have co-created the “Octapharma Leadership Journey”, a customised executive development program with a modular approach. Intended for middle management, the program is built on the Octapharma values of Ownership, Integrity, Leadership, Sustainability and Entrepreneurship, making it a unique learning experience. It complements our existing development landscape to build a deeper, stronger and more diverse leadership pipeline, supporting our fast growth and empowering our employees.

Career paths

Octapharma defines career paths for several functions. These provide a framework for achieving individual and team goals. The purpose is to support our people in their development and to ensure they are in the right position for optimum job satisfaction. With a clear set of defined competencies, experiences, tools and training programs, we provide transparency and fairness throughout your career.

Working at Octapharma is highly rewarding for those who like turning ideas into reality and who enjoy working together on unique projects that solve a customer problem.

Our career development activities will help you manage your future by enabling you to explore your options, plan your actions and find the best role for you within the company.

As an example, let’s look at how it works in Octapharma project management. There are three project management roles defined: 

• Level 1 (Junior Project Manager)

• Level 2 (Project Manager)

• Level 3 (Senior Project Manager)