Donna Wilson, TENA training and brand manager

In her 15 years at SCA, Donna has had a number of roles, but her current position as training and brand manager is her favourite as it provides the perfect split between marketing and training

What’s a typical day for you?

My office is at Manchester Airport, so generally on a Tuesday morning (nice and early), I drive the 155 miles up north from where I live with my husband Will and our cat Bonnie in a small village just outside of Milton Keynes, and arrive in the office at around 8.30am. From a brand perspective, I’m responsible for TENA Men and all aspects of pharmacy and training, so I’m always kept very busy.

What do you enjoy most about your role?

I’m very fortunate that I get a really nice mix in my role. Not only do I get to work with agencies on national marketing campaigns and trade marketing activity, but I also get to work face-to-face with customers – which I love. I feel very privileged to be able to have such varied responsibilities. I’ve had a number of roles during my 15 years at SCA, but I think my current role is my favourite – thankfully!

How does TENA work with pharmacy?

Pharmacy is very important to TENA. We continue to provide pharmacy teams with information on the category as well as POS and samples, and that will continue to be a big focus for the brand going forward.

Is training important for pharmacy teams?

We know that training is very important to both pharmacists and pharmacy staff, and because of the stigma surrounding the topic of bladder weakness, training in this area is all the more vital. To set customers at ease, it is important that staff feel comfortable talking about bladder weakness and TENA, as this will encourage customers to open up and talk more about their situation.

What are some of the challenges facing pharmacy?

It is important that pharmacies are selling the correct products. Customers rarely purchase shampoo, bubble bath and make-up in pharmacies these days, so pharmacies should only stock key lines and advice-led products. It would be great to see pharmacies go back to their heritage.

How can pharmacy help people with bladder weakness?

There is still a stigma around bladder weakness, so it’s very important that staff feel comfortable, firstly talking about it themselves, but also knowing enough about the TENA range to recommend an appropriate product.

What do you think pharmacy assistants will be doing in 10 years’ time?

I hope it is the same great job that they are doing now.

What does the future look like for TENA, its products and its relationship with pharmacy?

Exciting. Being the number one bladder weakness brand in the UK, we never take that position for granted and continue to improve our products and services, and pharmacy will continue to be a focus for us.

And finally, what would you be doing if you weren’t training and brand manager for TENA?

Honestly, I can’t imagine not doing my current role. It’s now my fifth year as TENA training and brand manager and my fifteenth year at SCA, and I love it. However, we all have a dream and if I wasn’t doing what I’m doing, I’d own a nice little tea shop. I love to bake and I know the guys in the SCA office would have me making my speciality brownies every week if they could!