2. 20 EQUAL OPPORTUNITY SUMMER 2010
OnTheFrontLinesToHelpPeoplePHARMACEUTICAL FIRMS PROVE A GREAT FIT
FOR JOBSEEKERS.
LISA SMITH-STROTHER,
GLOBAL RECRUITMENT
MARKETING DELIVERY MANAGER,
ASTRAZENECA
L
isa Smith-Strother, global recruitment marketing delivery manager works
with human resources at AstraZeneca. She has been with the company
nearly three years and is based at the company’s U.S. headquarters in
Wilmington, DE. Smith-Strother implements Web 2.0 marketing, candi-
date attraction, and segmentation strategies. These jobs include
employer/brand and recruitment marketing to provide a positive image of
AstraZeneca for potential candidates. Also included are channel marketing man-
agement, digital media, Web, direct marketing, social media, candidate relation-
ship management, and print media.
Prior to joining AstraZeneca, Smith-Strother started out as a management
trainee in the financial services arena over 20 years ago. Her experience and back-
ground have always been in marketing, but never on the HR recruitment side. Her
marketing background covers credit card marketing/analysis, branch consumer
segmentation, strategic direct marketing, branding, ethnic marketing, and project
management—all in financial services.
“What forced me to be creative was the environment I was in, such places as at
a credit union as marketing director where there wasn’t much money in the
budget,” explains Smith-Strother. “This forced me to be creative, strategic, and
identify innovative low cost channels. Another role—as vice president of strategic
marketing at a regional bank—allowed me to implement various cost-effective seg-
mentation and direct marketing alternatives. And, at American Express, I did proj-
ect management and business analysis for a variety of credit marketing initiatives
allowing me to explore creative options.”
She adds, “The marketing background and experience gave me a good under-
standing and appreciation of marketing across all industries. I have been able to
transfer my skills and assimilate well into recruitment with a pharmaceutical firm.
If I try to target an affluent segment for a particular financial product it’s no differ-
ent than trying to find a candidate or talent target who has a tough and challenging
skillset. Both efforts require strategic segmentation, channel marketing, and target-
ing. With recruitment and candidate attraction, these approaches are just starting to
be done in a more strategic and thrilling way and they are starting to incorporate
more return on investment metrics, so it’s exciting to actually see the maturation
process from a recruitment perspective.”
SUMMER 2010 EQUAL OPPORTUNITY 21
Lisa Smith-Strother, Global Recruitment
Marketing Delivery Manager,
AstraZeneca
BY PE T E R HI L D E B R A N D T
AstraZenecahas been a supporter
of the Inroadsinternshipprogram
that identifies primarily
diversestudents.