Sustainability in the Health Care Sector
A Fortune 200 Corporation with major operations in North Carolina and Europe manufacturing health care products is seeking an independent assessment of sustainability drivers in the markets it serves. Specifically, the Personal Care Division seeks to employ, on a consulting basis, a mature and motivated MBA candidate who would be skilled at identifying sustainability issues important to the Division’s institutional customers (i.e., hospitals, nursing homes and other care facilities) and its major retail customers for whom it provides private label products.
The market intelligence gathered and analyzed for this assignment will inform the development of this Division’s long-term sustainability agenda. This is consistent with the Corporation’s commitment to design sustainability programs that are attuned to the demands of its leading customers and that are tailored to the particular opportunities and risks that exist at the facilities where products are manufactured.
The selected individual will report directly to the Division’s Group Vice President with additional planning and support provided by the Corporation’s Vice President, Sustainability. A limited number of meetings will occur in Raleigh, North Carolina or the surrounding area. The project is estimated to require 120 hours over the course of ten weeks. Much of the work can be completed at an appropriate location of the student’s choosing.
The focus of the research is to discover the “drivers” of sustainability in the Long Term Care and Acute Care markets. We need to understand whether or not sustainability is important to customers within these channels, who are the influencers, what are the most critical factors in customer’s minds, what sustainability programs have they adopted and how are they measured. Additionally, we would like to understand who the thought leaders within the channels are, whether or not there are influential associations or groups and if there are meaningful certifications that we should consider.
Regarding the methods and process of collection, this would be more initial qualitative research efforts – checking data resources, making phone inquiries, etc. We thought it best to keep that open to the student’s strength and talent level.
Skill sets needed would be someone who is a good thinker and problem solver, someone who has excellent communication skills (as there will be contact with key players in the markets they’re researching), with persistency to match. We’re looking for a person who can quickly understand the importance of sustainability within the channels and identify the 1-3 key drivers that we need to understand in order to market our products.
Direct communication with the company’s customers, if necessary, will be reviewed and approved prior to such contact. The candidate must be articulate, informed and efficient in order to represent the client company with the highest professionalism.
The project is expected to be completed during the spring semester, with agreed upon deliverables to be completed prior to April 30, 2013. A consulting fee of $2,500 plus expenses will be paid in two installments, at the project midpoint and the project conclusion.
For more information about this opportunity, please contact:
Brian A. Hoffman
Director, Talent Acquisition
Brian.hoffman@domtar.com
803-802-8330 – Office
704-906-7762 – Cell
