Testimonials

 As Packaging Development Project Manager, I am in charge of all the stages in designing and manufacturing Expanscience product packaging.  I have to define the components required for the packaging, check that Marketing requirements are achievable, meet schedules, transmit all the information needed for packaging manufacture to the experts concerned and maintain a competitive, technological and regulatory watch.  I also have to be proactive, as we innovate constantly.

I really like the cross-functional nature of my job. It brings me into contact with most Expanscience departments: Marketing, Buying, Production, R & D and the Supply Chain and also with suppliers.

The diversity of Expanscience’s activities also enables me to work in different fields: pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. The variety is very stimulating.”

“The aim of my department is to provide the production teams with an installed base of machines with which they can carry out production in compliance with their cost and deadline constraints. To achieve this we carry out full preventive maintenance on the equipment twice yearly, together with maintenance/repair operations and regular checks throughout the year.

Safety is the top priority for us: our own, during operations on machines; the safety of the people working with these machines; and consumer safety: which we guarantee by complying with the rules of best production practices.

I am personally responsible for one production line, and I use many different skills on a daily basis: general mechanics, electricity, electronics, pneumatics, hydraulics, and also engineering drawing, automation and IT.   It’s never boring!

Every day we have to meet new challenges and improve our production facility to raise our performance levels. It’s a fascinating job, because we’re directly linked to the very heart of the system. And the excellent working conditions at Expanscience make you want to strive every day to defend the colours of the company.”

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“I am responsible for coordinating the cosmetic products development process. In addition to managing my team, my main tasks are to comply with the quality standards laid down by Expanscience, scientific innovation and a technology watch.

This is a demanding and stimulating business, requiring frequent self-assessment and a keen critical sense. It involves a lot of contact with people, with my team and also with other departments: Marketing, Quality Control, Buying, Regulatory Affairs, etc. I have to take the different points of view into account and understand everyone’s constraints. It is very fulfilling, and there is an excellent working atmosphere: the teams get on well together and everyone works as hard as possible to ensure projects are successful.”

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 “For the past few months I have held the post of New Process Research Manager in the Lipid Chemistry and Plant Extraction laboratory. My role focuses on the challenges of sustainable development: I have to research and develop processes with low environmental impact for manufacturing the substances used in the different Laboratoires Expanscience areas of activity.

To achieve this, I maintain an extensive technological watch, particularly by finding public or private partners, in France or abroad, with skills in green and cutting-edge technologies.

My job calls for skills in many disciplines: green technologies may involve physical, chemical or biochemical processes combined with regulatory, toxicology, eco-toxicology or economic data.

This job is a constant source of enrichment, in both personal and professional terms. I love the idea of contributing, at my level, to the protection of the environment and to the development of Laboratoires Expanscience’s responsible approach.”
 

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“I came to Expanscience in 2005 as a trainee Pharmacist in the Quality Assurance Department. The role of Quality Assurance on a production site is to set up tools to ensure product quality. For six months, I was in charge of the qualification of a tube filler in the cosmetics production unit. I was also involved in validating the manufacturing process following the installation of new equipment in the pharmaceutical production unit.

When my training ended, I was recruited as a Pharmacist in the same department. I have now been working in this function for five years, and my role continues to change as the years go by. I check the quality of each batch produced at the Epernon site before authorizing its marketing. I also audit the sites of subcontractors manufacturing some of our products before drawing up the quality specifications.

Then again, I, along with the rest of the Quality Assurance team, share the responsibility for managing the training of all site personnel in best manufacturing practice. Along with Production and Maintenance, I might also be asked to take part in field research in response to customer complaints.

To succeed in this function, it is important to be able to apply regulations whilst at the same time taking account of the requirements and opinions of experts in various disciplines. Our involvement in cross-disciplinary projects is extremely interesting. We have as much to do with Production, Regulatory Affairs and Maintenance as we do with Marketing, R&D and Engineering.”
 

 “I joined Laboratoires Expanscience in June 2006 as Head of the Mustela Bébé Worldwide Group.

My role consists of defining the strategy for the Mustela Bébé line at an international level: the product offering, communications, price positioning etc. Each project must reflect the general strategy of the Mustela brand. It is vital for the ongoing sustainability and performance of our brands to have a strong, consistent image across all countries.

As a Group Head, it is essential to be able to factor the challenges of the company into the strategic orientations and concrete action plans for our products.
An analytical and global approach coupled with a sense of innovation also help to identify and recommend the products that will be most beneficial to the brand and the company. Lastly, being able to communicate one’s ideas is a valuable asset in uniting all our partners, whether they are internal (R&D, Logistics, Production etc.) or external (communications and advertising agencies etc.)

I appreciate the variety of day-to-day tasks in my job and the wealth of exchanges with business experts and our contacts in the subsidiaries and the export side of the business. There is no such thing as monotony in a high-speed position like this! It is also very satisfying to be able to manage projects with my team from A to Z, from design right through to realization in order to best meet the requirements of the various targets in our markets.”

“My work consists of promoting the medication marketed by Expanscience to different health professionals (family practitioners, rheumatologists and pharmacists). To achieve this, I have to communicate high-quality information to these professionals in order to precisely define the use of the medication in treating the pathology concerned.  I therefore contribute to improving patient treatment while complying with company guidelines.

I also play an important role in drug monitoring, by collecting observations from the doctors visited on any undesirable effects noted with their patients.

 This job is certainly not humdrum: every day is different! We have to keep on our toes constantly in order to achieve the performance required of us. It’s very stimulating, especially as our managers always try to ensure we have the best possible conditions to achieve our targets.
At Expanscience, I have the impression of making progress in a company of human proportions: almost like a large family in which everyone can make themselves heard. This climate of trust means that we can give the best of ourselves, every day.”

“I have held the post of Manager of Regulatory Affairs, Cosmetics, since 2001, when it was created. Since then, the department has grown and is now divided into a number of business units dealing with regulatory affairs as they relate to raw materials, international regulatory affairs (technico-regulatory support in bringing products to market in different countries), regulatory affairs in Europe (drawing up product files and analyzing the acceptability of product claims, and support for European subsidiaries).

The role of the department is to monitor, advise on and ensure compliance with regulations relating to cosmetic ingredients and Laboratoires Expanscience products. Throughout the product development process, I provide information and advice to the Research & Development and business teams on the regulatory framework and associated issues. I also support the teams responsible for developing our products internationally to launch products and maintain them on the market.
During the development phase, I am more specifically involved in analyzing the regulatory acceptability of ingredients and formulae that we develop and in formulating product branding and analyzing the regulatory acceptability of communication resources aimed at the general public and professionals. Lastly, as a contact person for the competent authorities in regulatory compliance, I support all teams in ensuring we meet our compliance requirements.

A number of skills are necessary in my role, such as analytical ability, curiosity, precision and organization. Good communications and interpersonal skills, and great adaptability are also vital for working in project mode and in a team.

My position as an interface between a number of departments and disciplines gives me an overview of products and the processes used in the company, from selecting raw materials to bringing products to market, and after that, monitoring their compliance. A first-rate job that is extremely interesting!”
 

 “I have been a pharmaceutical representative for the Dermo-Cosmetics Division of Laboratoires Expanscience for over three years. I am responsible for visiting the different pharmacies in my sector to present the company’s different brands. My primary task is to achieve my sales targets, to increase Expanscience sales and maintain our leading position A constant challenge!

Each time I visit a pharmacy, I have to check on the visibility of our brands, get new products listed and set up promotional campaigns in cooperation with the pharmacists. My job involves lots of people skills, and a good knowledge of the world of pharmacies is essential.”

“When I joined Expanscience, I started as a Continuous Improvement Engineer. I was responsible for the organization and deployment of approaches to progress aimed at improving industrial facility performance in terms of quality, cost and deadlines.

Then I moved on to my current post: IT Systems Applications Manager I am responsible for the implementation, administration, upgrading and parameterization of all the industrial applications and for monitoring their proper use. This job has some common points with my previous post, namely process optimization and the “customer”-oriented approach. But this new post is more cross-functional: it requires knowledge of many different company departments (Buying, Logistics, Production, Quality Assurance, etc.) and different technical skills.

The change occurred naturally, via continuous improvement projects that were highly IT oriented ... My definite liking for IT was the driving force. Skills that are complementary to our specialist field are sometimes really helpful in taking the next step up!”

“After more than 10 years in internal audit, information systems and management control in several international groups, I joined Laboratoires Expanscience in February 2009. Since then, I’ve held the position of Management Controller for the Mustela and Noviderm brands.

My main task is to serve as a relay for the policies introduced by Administration and Finance Division with regard to internal controls, planning and reporting. I also have an advisory role to management. I support them in strategic positioning, decision-making and steering the business worldwide.

This highly business-oriented function requires strong involvement in the life of the brands. To perform it, one needs to be a driving force in the company’s ongoing performance improvement process.

It really is a position that is central in a company operating on a human scale. Its richness lies in the great variety of tasks it offers. I also appreciate the stimulation I gain from collaborating in project mode with all divisions, both operational and support."

 “After a post supervising 12 staff in logistics, I am now Production Buying Manager in charge of a team of buyers. Our role consists of defining, with our suppliers, the corporate strategy for all articles used in the composition of the products we market.

These two functions differ in themselves, one being fairly technical and the other more strategic, with far greater accessibility to the outside world, but they are similar in operational terms:

they have a common managerial dimension and require the ability to work with and understand the different areas of expertise in the business. For this move, Expanscience offered me advanced training in buying management. From a practical point of view, the transition between the two posts took place over two months, the time it took to train and support my replacement. Such an opportunity for a career change is quite rare within the same company. As I want to develop my skills, I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity.

In offering me this opening, Laboratoires Expanscience has given me new career prospects!”