Panda Perspectives: Léa Almansa

Léa's background is in business and sales. She studied Business Management in France and, after graduating, moved to Ireland and then Barcelona, where she first found her way into recruitment.

"I quickly realised that I loved the combination of sales, working with people and the competitive side of the industry."

When the company she was working for opened an office in Toronto, she had the opportunity to move to Canada with them. What started as a new adventure turned into several years of professional and personal growth. In Canada, Lea progressed into a senior role, led a team and became one of the top performers in the country. After nearly seven years, she was ready for another challenge and moved back to Europe to join Panda in Amsterdam.

"Recruitment wasn't necessarily the career I had planned, but it's taken me around the world, introduced me to incredible people and taught me more than I could have imagined."

Working across several countries has taught Léa that there isn't one single way to do recruitment.

"Every market has its own culture, expectations and way of doing business. What works in Canada doesn't necessarily work in Spain or the Netherlands, and learning to adapt has been one of the most valuable parts of my career."

It has also made her more open-minded and curious. She has learned to listen before making assumptions, understand what motivates people and adjust her approach depending on who she's speaking with.

For all the differences between markets, the fundamentals stay the same. "At the end of the day, recruitment is about people. And no matter where you are in the world, trust, honesty and genuine relationships make all the difference."

After several years in IT recruitment, Léa wanted to challenge herself and learn something completely new, and Life Sciences stood out because of the impact it has on people's lives.

Panda gave her the chance to build a market while being surrounded by people who really understand the industry. The biggest difference, she says, has been the learning curve. Moving from IT into Life Sciences meant starting almost from scratch on the technical side, from manufacturing processes to regulations and the challenges companies face.

Contract recruitment has also asked for a different way of thinking. "It's not just about knowing who's hiring today, but understanding what projects are coming, where companies might need additional expertise and how to position yourself as a partner before the need becomes urgent."

"It's definitely pushed me outside my comfort zone, but that's exactly what I was looking for."

Across Belgium and Switzerland in particular, Léa has noticed how much companies are focusing on efficiency, compliance and getting products successfully into commercial manufacturing. There's a lot of attention on tech transfer, process validation, manufacturing readiness and digitalisation, particularly with systems like MES.

Flexibility has become just as important. Companies don't always need to grow their permanent headcount, but they still need experienced people to deliver critical projects, sometimes within very tight timelines.

For Lea, this is where the right contractor makes the difference. "That's where contractors can bring real value, especially when they have the technical expertise to come in, understand the challenges quickly and make an immediate impact."

Ask Léa about the biggest challenge companies face in attracting talent, and she comes back to balance: finding the right mix of technical expertise, availability and flexibility.

"In Life Sciences, companies often need very specific experience, whether that's a particular manufacturing process, validation expertise or knowledge of a regulated environment. Finding someone who ticks every box, is available immediately and fits within the budget isn't always realistic."

The market for highly specialised profiles is also more competitive than it might look. "Strong candidates often have options, and a lengthy interview process or a lack of clarity around the project can mean losing someone who would have been a great fit."

Her advice is simple. "Sometimes it's about being willing to look beyond the perfect CV and focus on what someone can actually bring to the project."

"The best hiring managers I've worked with are the ones who communicate clearly, make decisions and understand that recruitment is a two-way process."

They know what they need, Léa explains, but they're also open to discussing the market and adjusting their expectations when necessary. They give feedback, move quickly when they meet someone strong and, most importantly, they know how to sell the opportunity.

That matters because candidates are weighing up the project as much as the project is weighing up them. "Candidates want to understand what they'll be working on, what challenges they'll be solving and why the project is interesting."

Partnership makes the biggest difference of all. "I also really appreciate hiring managers who treat recruiters as partners rather than simply suppliers. When there's trust and open communication, the whole process becomes much more effective."

Looking back on her career so far, Lea doesn't overcomplicate her biggest lesson. "For me, it's simple: relationships are everything, and trust takes time to build but can be lost very quickly."

Early in a career, she says, it's easy to focus on the next deal, the next placement or hitting targets, and the commercial side does matter. "I love sales, and I've always been competitive."

"But over the years, I've learned that long-term success comes from being genuine, consistent and honest with people, even when the conversation isn't an easy one."

That honesty works in both directions. Sometimes it means telling a client that their expectations aren't realistic, or telling a candidate that an opportunity might not be right for them.

"I think people remember how you treat them much more than they remember a particular placement."

It's a principle she carries into every conversation. "And one thing I always try to keep in mind is that recruitment is a people business. Behind every CV, job description or contract, there's a person making an important decision about their career or their business."

The cities and the industries have changed over the years, but Lea's approach hasn't: listen first, be honest, and never forget the person behind the decision.

Planning a critical project or looking for your next contract in Life Sciences? Get in touch with Léa to start the conversation, or explore how Panda supports Life Sciences businesses across permanent recruitment, contract staffing, executive search and MSP delivery.