High-performing students tend to gravitate toward a few careers after college. Structured analyst, consulting, or business rotational programs are an attractive option for many top graduates. These programs provide new grads with experience and a career roadmap, setting them up for success after they put in a couple years of work. But they often come at a price.
Business school data shows a steep decline in students interested in entering the field of investment banking, where entry-level analysts often work up to 80-hour weeks. While analysts from all walks of life earn their stripes through a mix of tedious hours, repetitive tasks and grunt work, not all analyst programs are the same. Take Roivant Sciences, a global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to reducing inefficiencies in the drug development process, for example. The company offers one of the top rotational analyst programs in the country, allowing analysts to do meaningful work from the start. The two-year program gives analysts the opportunity to gain experience in four different functional areas, all while getting the chance to make a real impact on the business. Analysts also have the opportunity to rotate through Sumitovant Biopharma, a global biopharmaceutical company that is wholly owned by Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma, through a partnership arrangement with Roivant.
We spoke with two former analysts to learn more about the program and the impact they made during their two years in the rotation—both on the organization and society.
Analysts Gain Deep Experience Across a Broad Number of Areas
Rotational programs give employees exposure to several business functions in a short period. At Roivant, however, it’s not just about the breadth of experience, but the depth.
“Coming out of the Roivant Analyst Program, you have a deep understanding of how each function works, a solid foundation in biotech operations, and a much better sense of the overall life cycle of drug development,” said Mehar, a former analyst. “You’ve had a deep dive into several functional areas, so rather than being siloed off in one team or one corner of the organization, you can connect the dots and find intersections between various elements of the business.”
Because analysts work in each functional area for 6 months at a time, participating as full-fledged members of the team, they develop a good sense of which areas of the business they’re most interested in.
Chris, a former analyst with degrees in both business and bioengineering, who originally planned to attend medical school, found this experience invaluable in helping him discover his future career path.
“I just saw so many possibilities for where to go in healthcare, but wasn’t sure what direction I wanted to take. Experiencing different rotations at Roivant allowed me to navigate that uncertainty of figuring out what I really wanted to do. I’ve learned a ton over the two years of the program, and it allowed me to mature in the industry quickly. I would have had to go through multiple roles at different companies, probably over a much longer time, to gain a similar level of experience. It really helps to accelerate your career.”
While completing their rotations, both Mehar and Chris figured out which areas of the business they enjoyed the most and which were best suited to their strengths. They’re each now working in areas they were exposed to during their analyst rotations. Mehar is Chief of Staff to the CIO at Sumitovant Biopharma and Chris works in clinical strategy for Aruvant, a Roivant subsidiary.
Impact the Organization From the Start
Analysts at Roivant don’t just learn and grow as individuals. Each analyst works as a valued member of the team from the start. While analyst programs at large companies often include hundreds of participants, each Roivant cohort includes just a couple dozen analysts, all of whom play a significant role in their departments.
“At Roivant, we have small teams with a flat management structure, so I got to report to our CEO and to the rest of our executive management team,” said Chris. “I actually feel my contributions here, and I can see the direct influence that I have across the company. I think that’s a dimension of work that you don’t see in very large companies that offer rotational programs.”
Mehar reiterated, “At Roivant, there is a culture of ownership for all employees, and that definitely extends to the analysts. You are given a lot of responsibility, even though you’re straight out of school. You’re given the autonomy to operate, make strategic decisions yourself, and own your work.”
The camaraderie the analysts develop with each other is another impressive aspect of the program. These bonds not only help analysts navigate their new work environment, but allow them to strengthen their knowledge of the organization. While analysts get to work in four different departments throughout the program, they also get to learn about other parts of the organization through their work with their peers.
“Something that was really important to me was the sense of community I got from the analyst program itself,” said Mehar. “You develop an amazing network of other young people who are just as passionate about making a difference in the healthcare space. I also gained so much insight into initiatives and developments in other parts of the company through my connections in the program. In every rotation, we would report back to each other and present the work that we did. That was really insightful and eye opening. It gave me that bigger picture, high-level view of the company that I may not have had without the rotational program.”
Just because analysts can make an impact on their teams from the start, doesn’t mean they have to work endlessly to do so, however. While they certainly work hard and may sometimes work long hours, the culture of ownership at Roivant means they’re trusted to just do their work—there are no expectations to stay late and complete mindless tasks just to look busy.
As Mehar shared, “I think because you have the freedom to direct your rotations, you can have some level of control over the work-life balance. Since Roivant is very outcome-oriented, there is less of an emphasis on working certain hours or having arbitrary face time. Instead performance is centered around achieving results. I think that sort of mentality makes it easier to focus on getting things done, while also balancing your social life and taking care of everything else.”
Analysts Get To Impact Society, Too
When you join Roivant’s Analyst Program, you don’t just impact the organization, but play a part in helping the public, as well. Roivant is reimagining how to develop therapies to treat rare diseases, and analysts play a significant role in this process. Huge pharmaceutical companies have to navigate a complicated landscape to develop new treatments. Roivant, on the other hand, develops Vants, “nimble and focused biopharmaceutical and health technology companies,” that are hyper-focused on specific areas. This allows them to move more quickly while developing therapies for the rare diseases they work to cure.
Working for an organization in the biotech industry, especially one as innovative as Roivant, gives analysts a chance to affect the lives of others, even as new grads.
As Chris shared, “Healthcare is one of those fundamental areas where you can really have a tremendous impact on other people and society. I think for college students who are considering a new career, many of them see that healthcare is a very interesting field. But they may not understand all the opportunities available. For example, they may see medical school as their only path to the industry. And then they might think, do I really want to spend 12 years of my life before I can be a full-time doctor? But there are other options.”
“Healthcare is a field where you can have a real impact, and that was really important to me. I think Roivant is setting a trend and creating new opportunities for younger people, especially to make a big impact within the field. At Roivant, you really get hands-on experience building from the ground up, and get to see solutions being developed and deployed. That’s really a unique aspect of the Roivant Analyst Program. It allows college students to get a hands-on experience in healthcare that otherwise they would be missing.”
“One commonality among the analysts at Roivant is that we all wanted to make a big impact, especially in healthcare, but weren’t exactly sure what opportunities there were in the industry. This program helped us figure out where we wanted to be.”
With the opportunity to explore different career paths, make a difference from the start, and gain experience in an important industry, the Roivant Analyst Program is truly a great opportunity for any high-achieving graduate with an interest in helping others.