Defining Your Role

“So, what exactly do you do?”

That question—simple at first glance—has caused even experienced pharma professionals to hesitate.

Whether you work in clinical trials, regulatory affairs, medical affairs, manufacturing, safety, quality assurance, or commercial teams, being able to explain your role clearly in English—especially to someone outside your department or function—is a professional skill that many overlook.

But in today’s cross-functional, global pharmaceutical environment, defining your role is not just about introductions. It’s about building credibility and enabling smooth collaboration.

Why Defining Your Role Matters

Across departments, clarity helps people:

Know when to involve you

Understand how your work fits into the bigger picture

Avoid confusion or duplicated effort

Trust your input

You might be on a global project call, at a vendor meeting, or in an interview. In each of these, your ability to explain your role—in a way that is precise, professional, and accessible—affects how others perceive you and how effectively you can contribute.

Common Scenarios

You're on a cross-functional call and someone says, “I’m not sure who’s responsible for that.”

A colleague from another country asks, “Can you explain your part in the process?”

You’re completing a form that requires you to describe your responsibilities.

You’re in an interview and the hiring manager says, “Tell me what you do in your current role.”

You’re training a new team member who doesn’t know what your title means.

In all these cases, a vague or overly technical explanation won’t help. You need a version of your role that’s clear, concise, and structured—especially in English.

Why It’s Hard (Especially in English)

Even native speakers struggle with this. In English, the challenges include:

Broad or unclear job titles – “Specialist,” “Coordinator,” “Advisor” vary in meaning across companies.

Too much detail – Listing every task overwhelms the listener and loses focus.

Disorganised speech – Jumping between tasks without a structure makes your explanation confusing.

Passive or modest language – “I assist with…” or “I’m involved in…” weakens the message.

Let’s change that.

Step 1: Understand Your Role First

Before speaking confidently about your role, you must define it for yourself. Ask:

What is the main purpose of my work?

Which functional area am I part of (e.g., R&D, QA, PV, Regulatory, Marketing)?

What are my top 3–5 responsibilities?

Which systems or tools do I use?

Who do I collaborate with internally and externally?

Write this down in plain English—not just for your CV, but so you can communicate it clearly to others.

Step 2: Use a Simple, Structured Role Sentence

Here’s a simple formula:

“I + action verb + what/who + why.”

For example:

“I coordinate cross-functional documentation to support product registration in multiple markets.”

This tells others what you do and why it matters. Then, you can expand with 2–3 additional sentences.

Step 3: Pharma Role Examples

Let’s look at examples across pharma roles:

Regulatory Affairs Specialist: “I prepare and submit regulatory dossiers for new product approvals and lifecycle management. I collaborate with global teams and ensure alignment with EMA and FDA guidelines.”

Pharmacovigilance Associate: “I monitor and assess safety data to identify any risks related to our products. I work with case processing systems and contribute to safety reports submitted to health authorities.”

Medical Affairs Manager: “I develop medical content and support external expert engagement to ensure scientific accuracy and compliance. I work closely with the medical field team and regulatory reviewers.”

Quality Assurance Officer: "I review and approve GMP documentation and conduct internal audits to ensure our processes meet regulatory standards. I work closely with production and compliance teams.”

Clinical Data Manager: “I oversee data cleaning and validation activities to ensure our clinical trial data is reliable for statistical analysis. I work with EDC systems and coordinate closely with CRAs and statisticians.”

Market Access Analyst: “I analyse healthcare system requirements and compile pricing and reimbursement dossiers. I support strategic planning by aligning data with payer expectations.”

Step 4: Practice Your Own Version

📝 TASK: Write 1–2 clear sentences about your role. Then add:

The stage or phase of the process you contribute to

The teams or stakeholders you interact with

The systems or tools you use

Example (Manufacturing QA): “I ensure batch records are reviewed and deviations are addressed before product release. I work closely with the production and QC teams during the manufacturing process and use QMS software for documentation.”

Practice saying it out loud. Record yourself. Refine.

Step 5: Upgrade Your Language

To sound more professional and clear, replace vague phrases with specific, active verbs.

For example, instead of saying “I help with documentation,” say “I compile and review documentation.”

Instead of “I work with the team,” say “I coordinate with stakeholders.”

Swap “I am involved in submissions” for “I lead the preparation of submission packages.”

Rather than “I do quality checks,” say “I perform quality reviews and ensure compliance.”

And instead of “I support safety activities,” you could say “I assess and report safety signals.”

Along with stronger verbs, use precise nouns that reflect your expertise and familiarity with pharma processes.

For example:

“I contribute to developing risk mitigation plans for new products.”

“I review validation protocols for equipment qualification.”

“I conduct weekly literature monitoring for safety signals.”

“I approve documentation prior to batch release.”

“I support the preparation of medical advisory board meetings.”

Using industry-specific language shows confidence, competence, and clarity.

Step 6: Sound More Confident

When you describe your role:

✅ Use active, direct verbs: “I manage,” “I lead,” “I review,” “I compile”

❌ Avoid downplaying: Don’t say “It’s just admin” or “I only support…”

🎤 Rehearse: Say your role sentence aloud a few times a week. The more you say it, the more natural it will feel.

Final Thoughts

Pharma professionals work in complex, high-impact roles—but people outside the function often misunderstand those roles.

Whether you're speaking with auditors, interviewers, colleagues from another department, or global partners, your ability to describe your work clearly in English helps you gain respect, build partnerships, and grow your career.

It’s not about fancy language. It’s about clarity, confidence, and ownership.

So next time someone asks, “What do you do?”, don’t hesitate. Answer with pride—and precision.