Incentives Coordinator

About M3: A Japanese global leader in the provision of ground-breaking and innovative technological and research solutions to the healthcare industry. The M3 Group operates in the US, Asia, and Europe with over 5.8 million physician members globally via its physician websites which include mdlinx.com, m3.com, research.m3.com, Doctors.net.uk, medigate.net, and medlive.cn. M3 Inc. is a publicly traded company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (jp:2413, NIKKEI 225) with subsidiaries in major markets including the US, UK, Japan, South Korea, and China, and in 2020 was ranked in Forbes’ Global 2000 list. The M3 Group provides services to healthcare and the life science industry. In addition to market research, these services include medical education, ethical drug promotion, clinical development, job recruitment, and clinic appointment services. M3 has offices in Japan, UK, France, Germany, Brazil, Sweden, China, USA, and South Korea, as well as India.

M3 Global Research, part of M3 Inc., provides the most comprehensive and highest quality market research recruitment and support services available to the industry with relationships reaching respondents in more than 70 countries worldwide.

The Incentives Coordinator will provide accurate, timely, and compliant operational support for incentive processes involving members and research participants, ensuring full alignment with M3 standards, policies, and applicable local regulations. The role requires close coordination with internal teams and external partners, systematic validation of data across multiple systems, and efficient post-payment support to maintain data integrity and deliver a positive respondent experience.

Key Responsibilities:

Incentives Processing and Operations

• Comply with company standards, training procedures, and guidelines across all incentive operations
• Process standard and non-standard incentive payments accurately and promptly in accordance with approved procedures
• Prepare payment orders in line with vendor and payment partner requirements
• Maintain organised and secure server folders consistent with M3 data protection and sharing policies
• Coordinate with Client Service Teams on non-standard incentive arrangements and exceptions
• Audit incentive projects to verify the accuracy of cost allocation and ensure timely disbursement
• Maintain and update systems and trackers to reflect current payment status for internal and external stakeholders
• Validate information and coordinate with support teams and respondents to resolve failed or on-hold payments
• Execute system corrections in the MR System and M3 Wallet following authorised procedures
• Review and resolve on-hold transactions to reduce payment failures
• Support other teams (Finance, CST Operations, Support) as required within the defined scope
• Perform periodic internal control checks and maintain clear audit trails to ensure compliance
• Monitor key performance indicators (e.g., payment turnaround times, error rates) to drive continuous improvement
• Identify process inefficiencies and collaborate with operations and finance teams to implement improvements
• Prepare periodic management and performance reports as required
• Maintain awareness of fraud prevention and risk-mitigation measures related to incentive payments
• Serve as a point of contact for training or guidance on incentive processes
• Develop proficiency in relevant payment systems, vendor portals, reconciliation tools, and data-management software (e.g., advanced Excel functions such as pivot tables and lookups)
• Undertake additional ad-hoc tasks within the scope of the role
• Incentive Support Queries
• Monitor the Incentives inbox to meet the 24-hour response and resolution SLA
• Manage and resolve internal and external incentive-related queries in a professional and timely manner
• Prepare and issue incentive statements to respondents for tax or reporting purposes
• Coordinate communications and follow-ups across departments to ensure complete issue resolution
• Provide regular updates to Panel Support and Client Service Teams on payment-related matters

Payment Coverage and Scope

• The Incentives Coordinator will process and support payment operations for delegated entities and methods within the M3 Group

Non-Standard Processes and Special Requirements

• Track and process studies with special incentive arrangements (e.g., invoice payments, payroll, restricted payment channels)
• Verify documentation and ensure all required information is accurate before processing
• Coordinate with internal teams and external vendors to complete payments under special conditions
• Communicate clearly and promptly with respondents participating in non-standard payment processes

Education

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience required.

Experience

• Experience in Operations, Finance, Payments, or Market Research is preferred but not essential.
• Experience in data validation or administrative coordination is advantageous.
• Experience supporting or participating in operational system implementations: Experience working with or helping to implement operational ecosystems (e.g., NetSuite, SAP, Sage, Power BI, QuickBooks, etc). This may include supporting testing cycles, documenting requirements, validating data flows, or collaborating with engineering and finance teams.
• Ability to automate or optimise recurring tasks: Ability to streamline processes through task automation, including the use of AI tools, advanced Excel functions, or workflow-optimisation methods.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities: The ability to navigate complex operational scenarios and propose data-driven solutions.
• Understanding of system integrations and operational compliance: Familiarity with system integrations, data-consistency checks, and compliance standards.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong analytical and numerical accuracy with high attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with Coordinators and cross-functional teams.
• Skilled in managing multiple systems and priorities under tight deadlines.
• Strong organisational and problem-solving abilities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and Outlook.

Must be available to work UK shift hours