Associate Director - Clinical Delivery Capabilities

Eli Lilly and Company; Cork; On-site; EUR 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Eli Lilly and Company in Ireland is seeking an Associate Director - Clinical Delivery (CD) & Clinical Delivery Capabilities (CDC) to lead and supervise EMP associates and managers, delivering high-quality clinical trial portfolios with cross-functional collaboration.

The role focuses on strategic input, results, and governance, ensuring inspection readiness, effective resourcing, and continuous improvement while promoting GCP, SOP adherence and training programs across TAs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a science or health-related field or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years experience in the pharmaceutical industry with direct experience managing clinical studies.
• Strong knowledge of regulations and guidelines for clinical trials.
• Ability to work effectively cross-culturally and in virtual environments.
• Ability to influence internal and external environments and build relationships.
• Strong problem-solving and organizational skills; leadership experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide supervision, leadership and technical expertise for EMP associates and managers.
• Lead cross-TA strategic projects and ensure quality delivery of the clinical trial portfolio.
• Maintain planning databases and ensure inspection readiness of study teams.
• Lead portfolio-related issue escalation and allocate personnel involvement as needed.
• Promote GCP, SOP adherence and training programs across training curricula.
• Drive process improvements and efficiency gains in study start-up and development activities.
• Develop and mentor staff; support succession planning and performance development.
• Collaborate across levels to influence strategy, communicate effectively, and foster learning.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Project management

GCP knowledge

Training & development

Stakeholder management

Problem solving

Communication skills

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

MS Project

Microsoft Office

Job description

This is a 12-month fixed-term contract.

Purpose

The Associate Director - Clinical Delivery (CD) & Clinical Delivery Capabilities (CDC) within Exploratory Medicine and Pharmacology (EMP) provides supervision, leadership and technical/process expertise for the associates and managers they supervise within EMP, alongside leading cross therapeutic area (TA) strategic projects. This role brings strategic input, focuses on results, and emphasizes cross-functional collaboration, ensuring quality delivery of the clinical trial portfolio.

Portfolio Delivery and Therapeutic Area Expertise

• Leverages technical expertise to coach study start‑up associate team members and ensures plans are delivered ahead of/to plan and on budget
• Works with EMP leadership to keep planning databases accurate and up to date
• Ensures inspection readiness of team members’ study teams and leads teams in preparation for mock/real inspections
• Oversees appropriate escalation of portfolio‑related issues through TA pillars
• Provides direction in obtaining appropriate personnel involvement when compliance issues arise
• Manages resource needs and trade‑offs across areas based on priority to meet or exceed portfolio milestones
• Facilitates discussions within clinical functions to manage team priorities and address unplanned demands
• Maintains curriculum maps and training programs to enable team members to fulfill job responsibilities, and consults on new training programs
• Promotes consistent use of GCP global SOPs and best practices to ensure quality in clinical research activities
• Leads and develops training in study‑start‑up processes, identifies areas for process improvements and efficiency gains to aid acceleration and simplification
• Stays up‑to‑date with relevant disease states/targets, competitors, and industry trends and best practices
• Actively leads cross‑TA standardization and efficiency projects for EMP

Process Improvements

• Generates ideas, leads and/or provides input into new processes and process improvements within the clinical organization to enhance productivity, quality and site/participant experience
• Actively supports team members to share new learning opportunities or technologies within or across clinical functions
• Encourages use of metrics data to assess current status of the portfolio, monitor progress and seek improvement opportunities
• Applies innovation and lessons learned in real time, enabling a culture of continuous improvement through process improvement, technology, and automation
• Participates in process improvement activities within and outside of EMP
• Partners with other supervisors to improve processes and clarify steps or handoffs

People Management and Development

• Recruit, develop, and retain a diverse and highly capable workforce
• Ensures robust individual training plans and timely completion of required training for direct reports
• Supports talent identification and career development that reflects an end‑to‑end mindset and demonstrates judgement‑based decision making
• Contributes to succession planning, talent assessment and performance/promotion processes; ensures high talent staff are appropriately rewarded and developed
• Models behaviors and establishes an environment where performance and results are valued, and individuals are learning and growing
• Seeks opportunities to reward and recognize individuals and teams
• Manages team workload based on portfolio prioritization, regional requirements, and individual expertise; addresses implications to overall resource management and strategies
• Encourages a culture of innovation and learning from new or novel approaches to clinical development, ensuring diverse voices and ideas are heard and considered
• Coaches and mentors department personnel and cross‑functional members to foster development and growth

Leadership

• Collaborates effectively with colleagues at all levels and delivers through others
• Works through ambiguity with effective problem‑solving and solution‑oriented skills to evaluate strategies from lead to legacy
• Exhibits successful persuasion, influence, and negotiation skills in a matrix environment
• Fosters learning agility, strategic thinking, and embraces new learning
• Contributes to the development of others by providing constructive coaching and feedback

Minimum Qualification Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
• 5+ years experience in the pharmaceutical industry with direct experience managing clinical studies, ideally in exploratory and biopharmaceutics clinical development
• Strong knowledge of regulations and guidelines that apply to the conduct of clinical trials
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively cross‑culturally and in a virtual work environment
• Ability to influence both internal and external environments appropriately and forge strong working relationships
• Strong problem‑solving skills; able to anticipate and recognize systemic problems, diagnose root causes, and take corrective actions to prevent recurrence within the team
• Strong self‑management, organizational, and interpersonal skills with flexibility across varying environments and multiple customer groups; strong leadership, networking skills; demonstrated people manager experience
• Excellent oral and written communication skills; able to communicate clearly with team members and leadership
• Strong computer skills; proficient with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Microsoft Project
• Ability to travel (up to 10% expected)

Other Information / Additional Preferences

• Bachelor’s degree in a science or health‑related field from an accredited college or university
• Advanced or Post‑graduate degree
• Exploratory and biopharmaceutics clinical development experience preferred
• Demonstrated high‑level, end‑user computer skills (e.g., word processing, tables and graphics, spreadsheets, presentations, and templates)

Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form at https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.

Lilly does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.