Director of Operations - Clinical Research Site Network

Overview

We are seeking an experienced Director of Operations to lead and scale operations across our growing Clinical Research Site Network
. This role is responsible for ensuring operational excellence, consistency, compliance, and financial performance across all research sites while supporting sustainable growth and high-quality trial execution.

The Director of Operations plays a critical leadership role in bridging strategy, site-level execution, and sponsor/CRO expectations
. This individual will partner closely with executive leadership, business development, and site teams to optimize workflows, improve performance metrics, and position the network as a reliable, high-performing clinical research partner.

This role requires a strong background in clinical research operations
, multi-site management, and regulatory compliance, with the ability to lead teams through growth and change.

• Develop and execute operational strategies that support network growth, efficiency, and profitability
• Oversee day-to-day operations across all clinical research sites, ensuring consistency in processes and performance
• Partner with executive leadership to align operational goals with organizational strategy and business development initiatives
• Establish, monitor, and improve key performance indicators (KPIs) related to enrollment, startup timelines, quality, and financial performance

• Provide direct leadership and oversight to site directors, managers, and operational staff
• Build scalable operational infrastructure to support new site launches and acquisitions
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement across the network
• Support hiring, onboarding, training, and development of site leadership and operations teams

• Ensure sites are equipped to execute trials efficiently from startup through close-out
• Standardize workflows for study startup, budgeting, contracting support, enrollment, and study conduct
• Identify operational bottlenecks and implement solutions to improve cycle times and study performance
• Collaborate with Business Development to ensure operational feasibility and readiness for new studies

• Ensure full compliance with FDA regulations, ICH-GCP, sponsor/CRO requirements, and internal SOPs
• Oversee quality assurance initiatives, audit readiness, and corrective/preventive action plans
• Proactively identify operational and compliance risks and implement mitigation strategies
• Promote a culture of quality, patient safety, and regulatory excellence

• Support site-level budgeting, resource allocation, and cost control initiatives
• Monitor operational expenses and productivity to ensure financial sustainability
• Partner with finance and leadership to support forecasting and operational planning

• Serve as a senior operational point of contact for sponsors, CROs, and internal stakeholders as needed
• Support sponsor satisfaction by ensuring consistent, high-quality site performance
• Represent the organization in operational discussions, meetings, and industry engagements when appropriate

• Bachelor s degree in Healthcare Administration, Life Sciences, Business, or a related field required
• Master s degree (MBA, MHA, or similar) preferred

• Proven experience in clinical research operations, with multi-site or network-level leadership strongly preferred
• Demonstrated success managing site operations, teams, and performance metrics
• Strong understanding of clinical trial workflows, site startup, enrollment, and study execution
• Experience scaling operations in a growing clinical research organization preferred

• In-depth knowledge of clinical research regulations, ICH-GCP, and FDA requirements
• Strong leadership, coaching, and change-management skills
• Ability to balance strategic planning with hands-on operational execution
• Excellent organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities
• Strong communication skills with the ability to influence across all levels of the organization
• Financial acumen related to site operations and resource management
• Ability to travel as needed to support site operations and growth initiatives

As part of our team, all employees are expected to:

• Uphold the highest standards of professionalism, ethics, and confidentiality
• Ensure compliance with FDA regulations and all applicable local, state, and federal guidelines
• Maintain respect, trust, and collaboration across all internal and external interactions
• Protect patient privacy and safeguard sensitive information at all times

• Hands-on training and real-world experience (no "figure it out alone" energy)
• Supportive team that wants you to succeed
• Clear opportunities to grow and take on more responsibility over time
• Competitive pay: $48,000-$60,000 base +…