DIRECTOR, CLINICAL TRIALS OPERATIONS, DCRI

School of Medicine Established in 1930, Duke University School of Medicine is the youngest of the nation's top medical schools. Ranked sixth among medical schools in the nation, the School takes pride in being an inclusive community of outstanding learners, investigators, clinicians, and staff where interdisciplinary collaboration is embraced and great ideas accelerate translation of fundamental scientific discoveries to improve human health locally and around the globe. Composed of more than 2,500 faculty physicians and researchers, more than 1,300 students, and more than 6,000 staff, the Duke University School of Medicine along with the Duke University School of Nursing, Duke University Health System and the Private Diagnostic Clinic (PDC) comprise Duke Health. a world-class academic medical center. The Health System encompasses Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, Duke Raleigh Hospital, Duke Primary Care, Duke Home and Hospice, Duke Health and Wellness, and multiple affiliations.

 

Position Summary

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Director, Project Delivery serves as the senior leader responsible for the strategic oversight, operational excellence, and successful execution of a designated industry-sponsored clinical trial portfolio. This role provides executive-level project governance, ensures delivery to key performance metrics, and partners across the organization to optimize project outcomes, client satisfaction, and institutional growth.  The Director serves as a key escalation point and governance lead for high-profile sponsors, while mentoring Project Leads and embedding best-in-class operational practices that strengthen DCRI’s reputation as a premier academic research partner.

 

** NOTE: This position may have an opportunity to work remotely.  All Duke University and Duke Health remote workers must reside in one of the following states or districts:  Arizona; California; Florida; Georgia; Hawaii; Illinois; Maryland; Massachusetts; Montana; New Jersey; New York; North Carolina; Pennsylvania; South Carolina; Tennessee; Texas; Virginia or Washington, DC., Washington (State), Connecticut, Indiana, Michigan, Maine, Ohio, New Hampshire, Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Oregon, Iowa, Missouri, Delaware, and Connecticut

 

Primary Responsibilities and Task

Strategic & Portfolio Governance

• Own sponsor-facing governance and portfolio-level accountability for assigned industry sponsors, including delivery performance, executive engagement, and proactive risk management.
• Provide executive-level oversight and governance of designated project portfolios for large industry sponsors, ensuring on-time, on-budget, and high-quality delivery
• Provide portfolio-level governance and relationship management for large industry sponsors, ensuring strategic alignment and proactive risk management
• Lead internal and external project governance activities (steering committee meetings, executive business reviews, portfolio performance discussions)
• Partner with Clinical Operations leadership to align portfolio delivery priorities and sponsor expectations with functional execution.
• Partner closely with Clinical Operations leadership to align resource planning, operational execution, and governance frameworks, ensuring seamless integration between project oversight and clinical delivery.
• Partner with COO and leadership to design and implement a therapeutically aligned Project Delivery structure as a proof-of-concept model for future scaling.

 

Stakeholder Engagement & Relationship Management

• Maintain strong client and internal relationships
• Serve as key escalation point and relationship manager for large, high-profile industry sponsors
• Represent DCRI in professional and sponsor-facing forums to enhance visibility of DCRI’s expertise and operational excellence

 

Business Development & Strategic Alignment

• Collaborate with Business Development to support proposal strategy, bid defense participation, and pricing alignment
• Work closely with Business Development and Research Proposal Development teams to shape proposal strategy, validate operational feasibility, and