Sanofi Australia & New Zealand Graduate Programs & Internships

What it does: Biopharmaceuticals

Staff stats: 750 locally, 110,000 globally

The good bits: Flexible and friendly workplace

The not so good bits: Navigating the bureaucracy

The Sanofi story

While Sanofi isn’t a name many Australians are familiar with, it’s one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. The modern-day giant that’s Sanofi is a result of two large French pharmaceutical companies that were launched in the 1970s - Sanofi and Synthélabo – merging in 1999 to form Sanofi-Synthélabo, then that company combining with Aventis in 2004. (Aventis was a French-German pharmaceutical company established in 1999.) The resulting company has been known as Sanofi since 2011. 

Sanofi concentrates on inventing, manufacturing and marketing pharmaceuticals used to treat cancer, cardiovascular issues, diabetes, thrombosis and rare disease. It’s also the world’s largest manufacturer of vaccines. If you’ve ever purchased Mersynofen, Dulcolax, Bisolvon, Buscopan, Telfast or Phenergan, or something from Nature’s Own, Selsun, Ostelin, Betadine or Cenovis ranges, then you’ve bought a Sanofi product. Sanofi’s wares are found in 8,800 pharmacies and supermarkets throughout Australia and New Zealand.  

Sanofi’s Australian head office is in Macquarie Park, Sydney and it has a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Brisbane. It also has offices in Auckland, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. Sanofi is headquartered in Paris. In 2018 it had revenue of €34.46 billion (A$55 billion) 

The culture

Sanofi promises its staff an open and inclusive environment where you can be yourself. It claims that diversity and inclusion are foundational to how we operate and are embedded in our values. It appears the company walks the diversity walk as well as talking the talk. Women make up just under half the global workforce and those from all age groups are fairly represented. In Australia their Senior Leadership is gender balanced. While there is no data aside from France, it seems the company also makes an effort to hire and accommodate disabled individuals. They are listed as a member of Australian Network on Disability The company has won awards all around the world for providing both family-friendly and LGBTQIA-friendly workplaces.  

Social contribution

The Sanofi Espoir Foundation was created in 2010 to reduce health inequalities. It’s three main aims are to fight childhood cancers in low-income countries, improve maternal and newborn health around the world and improve access to healthcare for disadvantaged individuals in France. The Foundation funds a large number of projects in 32 countries. 

In Australia, Sanofi has partnered with the Smith Family and White Ribbon. Through the Smith Family, Sanofi provides scholarships and mentoring to disadvantaged students studying, or wanting to study, STEM subjects. Sanofi is a White Ribbon Accredited Workplace. This program helps organisations develop or modify workplace policies, procedures and training programs in order to reduce gender discrimination and domestic violence.

Sanofi also offers its Australian and New Zealand employees (paid) volunteering opportunities locally and abroad. 

The recruitment process

If you’re willing to be based in Sydney or Brisbane, have the relevant qualifications and are interested in working in communications/public affairs, business intelligence, marketing, the medical and health sciences or trade, you should be eligible to apply for Sanofi’s grad program. 
Sanofi seeks to hire ambitious grads who can demonstrate: 

• A flexible approach 
• Leadership abilities
• Strong communication skills 
• A willingness to build relationships at all levels
• The capacity to work in a fast-paced environment
• An eagerness to learn and contribute
• A collaborative and curious attitude 

When applying, via the careers page of the company website, you’ll be required to fill out an eligibility questionnaire. If that goes well, you’ll do a phone interview with one of the recruitment team. If you make the cut, you’ll then be invited to do a video interview. The final hurdle is a visit to an assessment centre.

Sanofi’s grad program goes for two years. It offers a fully supported learning environment. One in which grads gain invaluable industry experience and are able to optimise professional development, which prepares them for long-term success. 

Those in the grad program are paired with a mentor. They attend coaching sessions and engage in learning programs that accelerate personal and professional development. It’s not guaranteed, but at the end of the grad program those that have performed well are usually offered a permanent position. 

Remuneration

Sanofi promises potential employees that it will reward success in many ways including via our peer- nominated online live social feed, competitive remuneration packages and financial rewards based on your role and contribution.

The company also prides itself on offering staff flexible work arrangements and providing them with generous leave, especially if they are parents. Staff can access a variety of programs that support physical, mental and financial wellness. There’s also an impressive employee discount scheme that allows staff to obtain everything from cut-price Nissans to Apple computers. 

Career prospects

Sanofi offers its staff leadership and professional development programs, global career progression opportunities, stretch assignments and education assistance. It also promises diverse company opportunities. Given the size and footprint of the organisation, there’s plenty of scope for sideways and upwards moves both in Australia and other countries. 

The vibe of the place

Sanofi expects its employees to be good team players, to act with integrity, to have the courage to innovate and to act respectfully to those they come in contact with. 

In return, the company tries hard to create a positive environment with people who feel like family and allow staff to feel proud of the work you do, the people you work with and the company you work for. 

If you like the sound of becoming part of a committed, driven and passionate global network of people who work to understand and solve the healthcare needs of people around the world, you should find Sanofi a good fit. 

Star Rating: Not available 
 

From the employer:

"Sanofi is dedicated to supporting people through their health challenges.

We are a global biopharmaceutical company focused on human health. We prevent illness with vaccines, provide self-care solutions to better manage personal wellbeing and provide innovative treatments to fight pain and ease suffering. We stand by the few who suffer from rare diseases and the millions with long-term chronic conditions.

With more than 100,000 people in 100 countries, Sanofi is transforming scientific innovation into healthcare solutions around the globe.

In Australia and New Zealand we have more than 750 people working in four Global Business Units and Support Functions. Our head office is in Sydney, Macquarie Park with other Australian offices in Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth. We also have an office in Auckland New Zealand.

Our Graduate program aims to develop both functional and technical skills in future leaders of our business. Successful candidates complete two 12-month rotations in a business unit aligned to their interests.

During your rotations you will develop skills across the areas of teamwork, project management, leadership, agility and business acumen.

To complement your technical learning, you will also be paired with a mentor, attend coaching sessions and engage in learning programs that will develop your whole self at work.
Our award winning evidence based well-being program. LIFE, is helping our people learn and implement proven techniques in resilience, mindset and mindfulness.

We understand we all have a role to play in helping our community to be the best it can be. Inspired by our values we created the ‘Our Community’ program to help empower our people to make a difference. That’s why we support The Smith Family to bridge the STEM divide in Australia and why we’re helping White Ribbon to end violence against women. We raise funds for these organisations through various wellness and social activities.

Our ideal graduates will be motivated, curious and demonstrate our values of teamwork, courage, respect and integrity. You will be passionate about creating an impact through your work and how you can help to understand and solve the healthcare needs of Australians and New Zealanders."