Organizational Redesign and Spans & Layers Assessment for a Biopharmaceutical Company
Clarkston Consulting recently partnered with a biopharmaceutical on an organization redesign and spans & layers assessment. Read a synopsis of the project below or download the full case study.
Download the Organizational Redesign and Spans & Layers Assessment Case Study Here
This client is a commercial biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapies that target the complement system to treat autoimmune and rare nephrology diseases. In light of recent challenges with a new marketing authorization application with the EMA (European Medicines Agency), the client wanted to better understand how to best align its resources and adapt to evolving strategic priorities, including the introduction of new product modalities and combination products.
To support product scale-up, they sought to evaluate whether their entire Technical Operations organization (including Quality, CMC, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing teams) were optimally structured and organized. To address these concerns, the client engaged Clarkston’s strategy experts to conduct a comprehensive assessment of their Technical Operations organization, focusing on improvements across structure, strategy, people, and processes to enhance efficiency and scalability.
The client’s main objectives included designing an optimal organizational structure, evaluating cultural and strategic alignment, establishing well-governed accountability, enhancing functionality, and preparing for future readiness. Our initial discovery conversations surfaced several opportunities for improvement, including areas of overlapping responsibilities, process inefficiencies, ambiguous roles, and challenges related to change adoption. Spans and layers analysis showcased a low span of control, indicating potential inefficiencies at the managerial level. Although the number of resources within each department was appropriate, the distribution across the organization could be modified to increase the span of control and align to industry standards.
Additionally, the introduction of new product types showcased the need for additional skillsets, such as cell therapy expertise. Each functional area was considered in their requirement of a cell therapy specialist and the necessary capabilities needed.
Through this engagement, Clarkston supported the client in rethinking the structure and strategic alignment of their Technical Operations organization. Our recommendations focused on enhancing organizational clarity, improving operational efficiency, and preparing the teams for future growth and innovation. By aligning resources to evolving product strategies and identifying capability needs, Clarkston helped position the client to ensure their organization was fit-for-purpose and ready to scale up and/or down as required, all while strengthening their foundation for long-term success.
