Vendor Startup Manager IRT – Single Sponsor (home-based)

IQVIA; Reading; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global provider of clinical research services is seeking a Vendor Startup Manager to oversee vendor service delivery during the startup phase of global clinical trials. The ideal candidate will have strong vendor management skills, experience with vendor contracting, and excellent communication abilities. This role offers the opportunity to significantly impact the success of clinical studies from the outset in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• Strong vendor management skills and deep knowledge of clinical trial startup processes.
• Experience with vendor contracting, budgeting, and onboarding.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills across internal and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Ensure vendor input is reflected in final study specs.
• Support vendor selection and bid process.
• Lead meetings and ensure readiness for DB go-live.
• Review quotes and assist with negotiations.
• Proactively identify and mitigate startup risks.
• Monitor vendor delivery and escalate issues as needed.
• Conduct robust testing and design for IRT systems.
• Partner with stakeholders to drive startup success.

Skills

Vendor management skills

Risk assessment and contingency planning

Experience with vendor contracting

Excellent communication skills

Hands-on experience with IRT, UAT, UVP

Job description

Job overview

Are you a Clinical (Project) IRT Manager with a passion for vendor excellence and study startup success?

We’re looking for a Vendor Startup Manager (VSM) to join our Single Sponsor Department, dedicated exclusively to Novartis. In this role, you’ll bring technical expertise to accelerate vendor service delivery during the critical startup phase of global clinical trials.

What We’re Looking For

To thrive in this role, you’ll bring:

• Strong vendor management skills and deep knowledge of clinical trial startup processes
• Strategic thinking and the ability to assess risk and implement contingency plans
• Experience with vendor contracting, budgeting, and onboarding
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills across internal and external stakeholders
• Hands-on experience with tools like IRT, UAT (User Acceptance Testing) and UVP (Unified Vendor Portal)

What You’ll Do

As a Vendor Startup Manager, you’ll be the go-to expert for vendor service categories during study startup. Your key responsibilities include:

• Protocol & Specification Review – Ensure vendor input is reflected in final study specs
• Study Specification Worksheet (SSW) – Support vendor selection and bid process
• Vendor Kick-Off & Onboarding – Lead meetings and ensure readiness for DB go-live
• Budget & Contract Support – Review quotes and assist with negotiations
• Risk Mapping & Contingency Planning – Proactively identify and mitigate startup risks
• Performance Oversight – Monitor vendor delivery and escalate issues as needed
• UAT Execution – Conduct robust testing and design for IRT systems
• Collaboration – Partner with TVMs, VALs, Procurement, and QA to drive startup success

What You’ll Deliver

• Accelerated and high-quality vendor startup
• Vendor risk maps and performance tracking
• Audit-ready documentation and compliance
• Continuous improvement and best practice sharing
• Expertise in key service categories like Central Labs, Imaging, and Diagnostics

This is a high-impact opportunity to shape the success of global clinical trials from day one. If you’re ready to lead vendor startup excellence in a dynamic, sponsor-focused environment—we’d love to hear from you!

This position is not eligible for UK VISA Sponsorship

IQVIA is a leading global provider of clinical research services, commercial insights and healthcare intelligence to the life sciences and healthcare industries. We create intelligent connections to accelerate the development and commercialization of innovative medical treatments to help improve patient outcomes and population health worldwide. Learn more at https://jobs.iqvia.com