Therapeutic Area Head (Director) - Clinical Operations

MSD in the UK; London; Hybrid; GBP 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

MSD in the UK is hiring a Therapeutic Area Head (Director) in Clinical Operations to lead a team overseeing clinical trials across multiple therapeutic areas. This role is crucial for ensuring high-quality performance and regulatory compliance while nurturing talent within the organization.

Qualifications

• Significant experience within a pharmaceutical or clinical trial organization in a functional management position.
• CRA, project management and CRM experience is required.
• Line management experience.

Responsibilities

• Oversee clinical trials across multiple therapeutic areas ensuring quality execution.
• Manage Clinical Research Managers to ensure exceptional study performance.
• Collaborate with local and regional stakeholders to enhance clinical research capabilities.

Skills

Adaptability

Decision Making

People Leadership

Clinical Research

Clinical Trial Management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Science or equivalent healthcare experience

Job description

Therapeutic Area Head (Director) - Clinical Operations

Join to apply for the Therapeutic Area Head (Director) - Clinical Operations role at MSD in the UK

Therapeutic Area Head (Director) - Clinical Operations

Join to apply for the Therapeutic Area Head (Director) - Clinical Operations role at MSD in the UK

Job Description

As the Therapy Area Head, you will play a pivotal role in overseeing the performance of our clinical trials across multiple therapeutic areas. This is your opportunity to lead a dynamic team and make a significant impact on our clinical research portfolio.

Job Description

As the Therapy Area Head, you will play a pivotal role in overseeing the performance of our clinical trials across multiple therapeutic areas. This is your opportunity to lead a dynamic team and make a significant impact on our clinical research portfolio.

You’ll have oversight of the clinical trials across multiple therapeutic areas, managing a portfolio of studies from feasibility through to close-out. You will lead a team of Clinical Research Managers to ensure exceptional study performance whilst adhering to local regulations, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and ICH Good Clinical Practice (GCP) guidelines. You will play an integral role in our UK&I Leadership team and be instrumental in nurturing talent, fostering a robust pipeline of future leaders. You’ll collaborate closely with local stakeholders such as Global Medical Affairs (GMA), Global Health and Human Services (GHH), Pharmacovigilance (PV), and regulatory bodies, to drive alignment and enhance the capabilities of our clinical research landscape.

What You Will Do

• Oversee our therapeutic areas within our growing clinical trial portfolio, ensuring successful execution and quality.
• Ensure timelines and key milestones are met while maintaining high standards of quality and compliance with local regulations and ICH GCP.
• Create operational strategies and quality plans for the conduct of all programs and studies in your therapeutic area.
• Provide oversight and line management for the Clinical Research Manager (CRM) team, fostering talent development and retention.
• Work closely with local and regional stakeholders to build relationships with principal investigators and sites.
• Contribute to strategic initiatives across Global Clinical Development and support local strategy development aligned with corporate needs.
• Together with your team, ensure the effective conduct of clinical studies while maintaining regulatory requirements.
• Directly influence the our ability to achieve business targets and foster productive collaborations with internal and external partners.
  
  

What You Will Need

• Significant experience within a pharmaceutical, clinical trial organization in a functional management position.
• CRA, project management and CRM experience
• Line management experience
• Bachelor’s degree in Science or equivalent healthcare experience
  
  

We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing diverse, talented, and committed people together. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when diverse ideas come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively. We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully

Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.

Employee Status

Regular

Relocation

VISA Sponsorship

Travel Requirements

Flexible Work Arrangements

Hybrid

Shift

Valid Driving License

Hazardous Material(s)

Required Skills

Adaptability, Adaptability, Business, Clinical Development, Clinical Research, Clinical Risk Management, Clinical Site Management, Clinical Testing, Clinical Trial Documentation, Clinical Trial Management, Clinical Trial Planning, Clinical Trials Operations, Decision Making, Emotional Intelligence, Ethical Standards, Good Clinical Practice (GCP), ICH GCP Guidelines, Management Process, Medical Affairs, Multiple Therapeutic Areas, People Leadership, Pharmacovigilance, Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M), Process Improvements, Professional Networking {+ 4 more}

Preferred Skills

Job Posting End Date

06/26/2025

• A job posting is effective until 11 59 59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.
  
  

Requisition ID R351781

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Not Applicable

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Research, Science, and Health Care Provider

• Industries

  Biotechnology Research, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, and Veterinary Services

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