CDC Trial Manager

Novo Nordisk; Madrid; On-site; EUR 69,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Novo Nordisk in Madrid is seeking a CDC Trial Manager to lead assigned clinical trials from planning to close-out, ensuring quality and timely delivery across the CDC and Adjacent Affiliates.

You will coordinate cross-functional teams, manage budgets and timelines, oversee trial start-up and regulatory submissions, and coach trial staff in ICH-GCP and SOPs within a matrixed environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in life sciences or related field.
• Experience in clinical trial project management in pharma or CRO.
• Strategic thinking with country perspective and ability to translate local insights into decisions.
• Leadership to align stakeholders across functions, levels, and priorities.
• Stakeholder management with colleagues, Novo Nordisk leaders, investigators, hospitals, and regulators.
• Ability to work in a matrixed environment and lead without direct authority.
• Strong proficiency in digital tools and data analysis.
• Clear communication and relationship-building with internal and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Plan and manage assigned clinical trials end to end, including timelines, budgets, resources and recruitment plans.
• Oversee trial start-up, feasibility, setup, management and close-out of trial systems (eTMF checks).
• Monitor trial performance using metrics and address risks with CAPAs.
• Lead cross-functional stakeholder management and represent the CDC and Adjacent Affiliates in meetings.
• Define submission strategy for Regulatory Authorities and Ethics Committees.
• Maintain quality through a proportionate, risk-based approach and trial inspections readiness.
• Coach and mentor the clinical trial team on study protocols and ICH-GCP.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional collaboration

Data analysis

Communication

Digital tools

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in life sciences

Tools

eTMF systems

Regulatory submission tools

Job description

Department: Diabetes Obesity Clinical Operations

Location: Madrid, Spain

Your impact begins here

As CDC Trial Manager, you will lead assigned clinical trials from first plan to close-out across the CDC and Adjacent Affiliates. You will play a critical role in translating strategy into action, driving cross-functional collaboration, and ensuring that we continue to be a trusted partner for patients, investigators, and stakeholders.

While end-to-end trial planning and execution remain at its core, CDC TMs will also be expected to lead or co-lead strategic cross-trial initiatives that contribute to the advancement of clinical research and Novo’s ambitions.

What You’ll Bring

• A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in life sciences or a related field.
• Previous experience in clinical trial project management in a pharmaceutical company or a CRO.
• Strategic thinking and country perspective: ability to understand the broader context, anticipate trends, and translate local insights into decisions and opportunities.
• Leadership ability to align and mobilize stakeholders across functions, levels, and competing priorities.
• Stakeholder management: ability to engage effectively with colleagues from other departments, Novo Nordisk leaders, investigators, hospital directors and managers, and regional healthcare or policy decision-makers, adapting communication to each audience.
• The ability to work in a matrixed environment and lead without direct authority, building alignment across teams.
• Strong proficiency in digital tools and data analysis, and curiosity about new ways of working.
• Clear communication and the ability to build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels.

What You’ll Do

You will own the delivery of your assigned trials, from planning and start-up through to close-out. You will do this by keeping the plan clear, the risks visible and the quality high.

• Plan and manage assigned clinical trials end to end, including timelines, budgets, resources and the recruitment and retention plan.
• Oversee trial start-up, feasibility and the set-up, management and close-out of trial systems, including eTMF compliance checks.
• Monitor trial performance using metrics such as enrolment rates, site performance and budget adherence, and act early on risks with corrective and preventive actions.
• Lead cross-functional stakeholder management and represent the CDC and Adjacent Affiliates in trial meetings, including Investigator Meetings and LIM meetings or calls.
• Work with study start-up to define the submission strategy for Regulatory Authorities and Ethics Committees.
• Uphold a proportionate, risk-based approach to quality, including quality site visits where needed, and keep your trials inspection-ready at every stage.
• Coach and mentor the clinical trial team and train them on study protocols, operational procedures and ICH-GCP.

Who You’ll Work With

You will join CDC Trials Operations team in Spain where colleagues explore scientific ideas and advance them towards clinical testing.

Day to day, you will work with trial squads and the Global Project Team, regional, IO and HQ clinical teams and management, clinical operations management teams, and cross-functional colleagues in the Affiliate in Spain. Externally, you will partner with site staff such as investigators and study nurses or coordinators, Key Opinion Leaders, local health authorities, ethics committees and vendors.

Your scope covers the CDC and Adjacent Affiliates, with global or IO support as required. You will bring operational insight, therapeutic expertise and local intelligence to local and global colleagues, so decisions are made with clarity and trials keep moving.

What You Can Expect Here

You will be trusted to own your trials and make your voice heard, while being supported to perform at your best. You will work in a matrixed environment where curiosity, honest feedback and a drive to raise the bar are part of daily work. You will have room to suggest better processes, tools and SOPs, and to coach colleagues as you build your own skills across the clinical trial value chain.

Salary

For this role, the Annual Base Salary ranges from 69,080.00 to 115,360.00 EUR, corresponding to the level of the position. The placement within the salary range will be assessed during the recruitment process based on the candidate’s skills, competencies, knowledge, and relevant experience.

Incentives and Benefits

The salary package may include short-term and/or long-term incentives as well as other employee benefits based on position level, location, functional area and relevant market benchmarks. Learn more about our Reward Philosophy here.

Start now

Your impact begins today. If you are ready to bring trials to the finish line with clarity, quality and pace, apply for the CDC Trial Manager role by 4 November 2026.

We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants.