Associate Director of Clinical Research (IIT & Program Strategy Focus) Radiation Oncology
Forest Park, OH - USA
Job Summary
As our department enters a new phase of strategic growth a primary mandate of this role will be the rapid expansion standardization and oversight of our Investigator-Initiated Trials (IIT) portfolio which includes landmark multi-disciplinary grants (e.g. our ROBIN U54 center) and pioneering global protocols in SBRT and cardiac radioablation. We are seeking a collaborative leader who can navigate scientific complexity translate clinical inputs into strategic program plans and implement enterprise-level systems to elevate overall organizational performance. The successful candidate will bring a systems-oriented approach to process improvement empowering our existing teams while promoting consistency compliance and high-quality execution across all phases of oncology research
Primary Duties & Responsibilities:
IIT Program Expansion & Leadership
- Lead the strategic growth of the departments Investigator-Initiated Trials (IIT) portfolio.
- Support principal investigators through concept development and governance review and oversee the operational execution of complex early-phase and multi-center oncology studies.
Operational Leadership & Mentorship
- Direct the day-to-day operations of the Clinical Trials Office including the direct supervision mentorship and performance evaluation of the Clinical Research Manager.
- Oversee cross-functional teams manage critical paths and ensure staffing strategies align with program-level planning.
- Design and implement career development pathways to improve research staff retention and engagement.
- Partner collaboratively with existing departmental research leadership during the initial onboarding phase to ensure a seamless transfer of historical institutional knowledge and trial continuity.
Systems Integration & Process Optimization
- Lead the implementation and optimization of enterprise research systems including EDC and eRegulatory platforms.
- Assess institutional system capabilities to determine feasibility and drive EHR-to-EDC integration initiatives to reduce manual data entry and improve data integrity.
Program Budget & Financial Forecasting
- Oversee the clinical trials program budget and partner with department finance and research administration on financial forecasting.
- Develop advanced project and financial tracking tools (e.g. Smartsheet dashboards) to enhance leadership visibility into timelines workloads budgets and accrual performance.
Strategic Institutional Collaboration
- Foster strong collaborative relationships with key institutional partners across Washington University and BJC HealthCare (e.g. CTMS offices Biorepositories Research Administration and hospital/laboratory groups) to streamline workflows and overcome institutional bottlenecks.
Regulatory Compliance & Quality Assurance
- Overhaul and maintain program SOPs and guidance documents.
- Ensure all trials maintain strict compliance with FDA ICH/GCP and OHRP regulations.
- Manage site feasibility qualification and oversight for multi-center studies.
Working Conditions:
Job Location/Working Conditions
- Normal office environment
Physical Effort
- Typically sitting at a desk or a table
Equipment
- Office equipment
Education:
Bachelors degree
Certifications/Professional Licenses:
Work Experience:
Skills:
Drivers License:
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelors degree in biological sciences healthcare administration public health nursing business or a related field.
- Eight years of progressive leadership experience in clinical research operations and program management strictly within an academic medical center or complex oncology setting.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Masters degree (MHA MPH MBA or MSN).
- Five years of direct personnel management including experience supervising mid-level managers.
- Exceptional cross-functional leadership skills with the ability to manage complex multi-site investigator consortia.
- Extensive proven expertise in managing scaling and operationalizing Investigator-
- Initiated Trials (IIT) and early-phase oncology portfolios.
- Demonstrated experience leading the rollout of enterprise research platforms (EDC/eReg) and developing advanced project tracking tools/dashboards.
- Expert-level knowledge of FDA ICH/GCP and OHRP regulations.
- Proven track record of building collaborative structures that support innovation and process improvement.
Education:
Masters degree
Certifications/Professional Licenses:
Work Experience:
Skills:
Building High Performance Team Clinical Research Clinical Research Operations Clinical Research Organizations (CRO) Management Clinical Trials Compliance Management Compliance Requirements Data Reporting Diplomacy External Stakeholders Financial Acumen Grants Management Grant Writing Internal Stakeholders Interpersonal Communication Leadership Project Planning Protocol Development Regulatory Submissions Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Development Strategic PlanningFor frequently asked questions about the application process please refer to our External Applicant FAQ.
If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation please emailor call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.
All qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and if requested reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job absent undue hardship.Personal
Up to 22 days of vacation 10 recognized holidays and sick time.
Competitive health insurance packages with priority appointments and lower copays/coinsurance.
Take advantage of our free Metro transit U-Pass for eligible employees.
WashU provides eligible employees with a defined contribution (403(b)) Retirement Savings Plan which combines employee contributions and university contributions starting at 7%.
Wellness
Wellness challenges annual health screenings mental health resources mindfulness programs and courses employee assistance program (EAP) financial resources access to dietitians and more!
Family
We offer 4 weeks of caregiver leave to bond with your new child. Family care resources are also available for your continued childcare needs. Need adult care Weve got you covered.
WashU covers the cost of tuition for you and your family including dependent undergraduate-level college tuition up to 100% at WashU and 40% elsewhere after seven years with us.
For policies detailed benefits and eligibility please visit: StatementWashington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity. It is the Universitys policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race ethnicity color national origin citizenship (where prohibited by federal law) age religion sex sexual orientation gender identity or expression disability protected veteran status or genetic information.
Required Experience:
Director