Senior Manager, Professional and Academic Affairs, Canada

The role of Senior Manager, Professional and Academic Affairs, Canada, is a key position within CooperVision that requires a strong understanding of the optical industry and a proven track record of developing and executing strategic plans to drive business growth. This role will work closely with a range of customers to promote the CooperVision brand and the contact lens category among ECPs and their staff, while also elevating the professional profile of CooperVision throughout the optical industry.

• Develop a comprehensive Professional and Academic Affairs Plan in collaboration with Marketing to drive top-line and market share growth, while ensuring compliance with corporate, industry, and country regulations.
• Develop an annual professional and scientific communication and education program plan and budget, partnering with brand marketing and marcom as appropriate in its implementation.
• Manage budget and administrative responsibilities for Professional and Academic Affairs.
• Ensure consistent representation throughout Canada of CooperVision's superior technology in the marketplace, CooperVision's position as the superior provider of ECP business solutions and tools, and CooperVision's excellent customer service.
• Promote and deliver company-approved product education through presentations and practical training at various education sessions and across a range of events, including dinners, workshops, seminars, conferences, and trade shows.
• Identify, develop, and maintain key opinion leaders and CooperVision advocates to assist in delivering key messages and education of CooperVision core products during execution of communications plans, raising the presence and share of voice of CooperVision in the professional community.
• Represent CooperVision in respect of activities involving national, regional, and local professional associations, as well as academic institutions and optometric student organizations.
• Support and provide guidance to Marketing and Sales Training teams regarding ECP integration of technical, clinical, and in-practice business aspects of our product portfolio.
• Support and execute, in partnership with marketing, commercial, and corporate account teams, customer-specific product content for new product & services innovation or brand extensions.
• Creates appropriate, relevant content for Professional and Academic Affairs' presentations at national and regional trade shows, doctors' group meetings, state-level professional societies, Professional Advancement Consultant events, and other key account events.
• Participate in co-travels with sales reps and/or MMS to develop their clinical knowledge and message delivery.
• Support customer meetings to advance the technical product understanding and practice integration of CooperVision's products.
• Takes a leading role in the implementation of peer-to-peer ECP customer engagement programs for key product introductions.
• Interprets clinical studies and market data to add credibility, overcome objectives, and influence the sales process in a compelling manner.
• Leverages existing programs, training platforms, and other Global and US initiatives from the Professional & Academic Affairs Teams and tailors them to suit the needs of the Canadian market when possible and in alignment with our business strategy.
• Works with federal and provincial professional associations, schools, and customers to execute and implement our Professional & Academic Affairs Plan.
• Drives CVI contact lens preference in optometric practices and the schools and college of optometry, through the delivery of clinical, product, contact lens category, and practice management training.
• Enhances the credibility of CooperVision amongst ECPs and contributes to CooperVision's performance by shaping the view of innovation amongst key influencers and customers in Canada.
• Works with Corporate Accounts, Marketing, and the US Professional Affairs team as needed, to develop a clinical strategy for specific key accounts.
• Assists in the management and/or delivery of product in-market studies and practitioner evaluation surveys.
• Monitors industry's practice management activities, clinical science, managed care, health care reform, and regulatory landscape to identify opportunities to link and leverage best practices in the marketplace to CVI products and services.
• Collaborates with CVI global Professional Affairs teams to ensure an aligned approach with global ECPs and enables the sharing of key learnings, success stories, and best practices.
• Participates on and supports cross-functional teams to drive achievement of customer plans with stakeholders including sales, sales support, marketing administration, supply chain, finance, and customer service.
• Builds and maintains familiarity with CooperVision customer agreements and policies regarding training and continued education process and requirements.
• Builds, maintains, and leads strong relationships with peers, other members of the sales team, sales leadership, corporate accounts team, sales support, and commercial management teams to gain their support in executing customer objectives.
• Implements professional learning opportunities through multiple delivery models including programs for both live events and digital/online platforms.
• Analyzes and uses data to identify professional development needs and evaluates, improves, and reports on program effectiveness.
• Recommends, develops, and tracks success metrics of educational programs and recommends appropriate actions to optimize operating expense effectiveness and ROI.
• Supports content approval processes and final messaging through Agile review.
• Supports CVI's legislative advocacy initiatives and promote CVI's support of the eye care professional and the optometric profession when needed and as appropriate.
• Ensures updated product messages are identified and incorporated into content delivered by associated consultants and internal partners.

• Travel, predominantly domestic for company, industry, and customer events, approximately 50%.

• High levels of personal commitment, work ethic, and professionalism that fully meets or exceeds customer expectations and CooperVision's brand promise.
• Ability to present with positive personal impact.
• Strong coaching and facilitation skills.
• Strong personal presence, networking, and communication skills.
• Hands-on go-getter, willing to roll up his/her sleeves and personally act to drive success.
• Demonstrated leadership skills; ability to work successfully alone as well as within a team to achieve determined objectives.
• Superior influencing and relationship-building skills, both with customers and internal stakeholders, which allow achievement of strategic and business goals.
• Excellent applied qualitative and quantitative analytic skills.
• Proficiency with office software including Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook.
• Bilingual in English and French is preferable.

• Must be located in the Greater Toronto Area or Montreal, QC.
• Remote Office Environment.
• Working in-office as needed.
• Sedentary to light physical effort necessary to perform the job.

• Minimum of ten years in optical industry.
• Current relationships with Key Opinion Leaders and industry experts would be a plus.
• Experience with both independent and retail optometric practices would be a plus.
• Experience with ophthalmology practices is an asset.
• Experience in delivering engaging and informative clinical presentations to an optometric audience.
• Strong clinical experience in contact lens fitting and patient management, across a broad range of lens types and modalities.

• Bachelor's degree, Doctor of Optometry required.
• Minimum of 3 years clinical practice experience required.
• Contact lens residency and/or advanced scientific degree or fellowship is desired.
• Bilingual in English and French preferred.