GCC Pharma Firm Hired 40 Specialists Before First Audit
Career Pro filled all four departments with verified GMP specialists in 11 weeks despite a hard MOHAP deadline.
Client Overview
A newly licensed pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution company based in Abu Dhabi, established to serve the growing domestic demand for locally produced generic medicines and nutraceuticals. Having secured MOHAP approval and GMP certification in early 2025, the company needed to rapidly assemble a compliant, highly credentialed team before first production runs.
Company Size
80–150 Employees
Locations
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Growth Stage
Launch Stage A
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Challenge
Greenfield pharmaceutical operations have no margin for error in talent. Every hire needs the right credentials, clearances, and regulatory understanding before a single batch is produced.
GMP-Certified Talent Scarcity
Candidates with hands-on GMP manufacturing experience in the UAE are exceptionally limited, with most working within long-term contracts at established pharma giants.
Regulatory Affairs Expertise Gap
MOHAP submission experience is highly specialised and rarely listed on CVs, making standard keyword-based sourcing entirely ineffective for this critical role.
Tight Pre-Production Deadline
The MOHAP licence carried a production commencement obligation, meaning staffing delays could result in licence penalties or suspension of operating rights.
Simultaneous Hiring Across All Departments
Quality, production, regulatory, and supply chain teams all needed to be built in parallel, requiring a volume hiring approach without compromising on credentials.
Employer Brand Disadvantage
As an unknown start-up competing for talent against established multinationals like AstraZeneca and Julphar, attracting top candidates required repositioning the opportunity entirely.
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Our Approach
Career Pro deployed a credentialed-candidate-first strategy, using specialised pharma networks and a compelling employer narrative to build all four departments simultaneously within a defined launch window.
Pharma-Specific Talent Network Activation
We tapped an exclusive network of GCC-based pharmaceutical professionals, directly approaching 180+ candidates with verified GMP and regulatory credentials.
Regulatory Affairs Specialist Headhunting
Given the niche nature of MOHAP experience, we deployed targeted headhunting rather than advertising, identifying six viable candidates within 12 days.
Phased Hiring Calendar Aligned to Launch
We built a rolling hiring schedule backward from the production start date, ensuring each department was staffed in the correct order for regulatory readiness.
Employer Brand Storytelling Campaign
We repositioned the client as a ground-floor opportunity for pharma professionals to shape UAE's national medicine production landscape from day one.
Credential Verification as Standard
All candidates underwent third-party qualification verification before the offer stage, ensuring zero compliance risk from unverified academic or professional claims.
11 Wks
to fully staff all four departments before production start100 %
of placed staff held verified GMP or relevant certifications4 x
increase in qualified applicants after employer brand campaign0
compliance findings linked to staff credentials at first MOHAP auditWhat our clients say
Zarif Usaim, CEO, Dubai
6 months ago
We partnered with Career Pro to fill several key positions, and their team demonstrated deep market understanding and professionalism. Their support directly contributed to improved team performance.
Farhan, COO, Dubai
6 months ago
Helpful Team. The Career Pro team was incredibly responsive during a critical hiring phase for our operations. Their ability to quickly provide top talent helped us meet tight deadlines without compromising quality.
Fakih Sati, Head of Sales, Dubai
6 months ago
We were searching for high-performing sales professionals, and Career Pro delivered beyond expectations. Their recruiters understood our goals and provided candidates who delivered immediate results.
Utbah Basil, HR Manager, Sharjah
6 months ago
From our initial consultation to final onboarding, the Career Pro team was a true partner. Their strategic input helped streamline our hiring process and strengthen our workforce with top-tier candidates.
Additional Impact
MOHAP Audit Passed Clean
First regulatory audit completed with zero workforce-related non-conformances noted.
Production Target Met
First batch production launched within the MOHAP licence commencement deadline.
Quality Team Stability
QA and QC departments saw zero attrition in the first nine months post-launch.
Talent Brand Established
Company now receives 60+ unsolicited pharma applications monthly from local market.
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