Associate Director, Patient Recruitment and Retention Execution Manager

TalentAlly; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 194,000 - 267,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Fitness reimbursement

Disability insurance

Paid vacation (minimum 15 days) and Eo

End-of-year shutdown

Holidays

Sick time (80 hours/year)

Maternity & Parental Leave

401(k) with company match

Employee stock purchase plan

Tuition reimbursement up to $10,000

Employee Resource Groups

Job summary

Biogen is seeking an experienced Patient Recruitment and Retention Execution Manager to lead a dedicated team across multiple clinical trial programs. You will optimize recruitment, retention, and site engagement while partnering with Clinical Development and cross-functional teams to ensure on‑time trial delivery.

You will drive process improvements, manage resources and vendors, and influence without direct authority in a fast-paced, matrixed environment.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in patient recruitment/retention in CRO, recruitment vendor, or pharma/biopharma.
• 5+ years of people management experience.
• Strong vendor oversight including KPI monitoring, budget awareness, risk management, issue resolution, and escalation.
• Experience leading recruitment and retention across studies/programs.
• Strong project management, communication, stakeholder management, presentation, and business acumen.
• Ability to influence without authority and drive decisions in a matrixed environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop Recruitment & Retention Delivery Leads.
• Set team priorities, goals, performance expectations, and operating standards.
• Manage resource planning, onboarding, performance feedback, and development.
• Build team capability through best practices and consistent execution standards.
• Oversee delivery of recruitment, retention, and site engagement tactics across studies.
• Translate strategies into actionable plans, timelines, milestones, and risk mitigation.
• Monitor progress, identify risks, and provide leadership with recommendations.
• Act as senior operational liaison for recruitment/retention with stakeholders.

Skills

Leadership & people management

Patient recruitment/retention

Vendor oversight

Project management

Stakeholder management

Communication & presentation

Influence without authority

Ambiguity navigation

Global clinical trial experience

Neurology / rare disease experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a scientific field

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

KPI monitoring

Budget awareness

Risk management

Vendor oversight tools

Job description

About This Role

The Patient Recruitment and Retention Execution Manager leads a team responsible for delivering patient recruitment, retention, and site engagement solutions across Biogen's clinical trial portfolio. The role manages team performance, resource planning, and execution to ensure patient engagement strategies are implemented effectively and consistently. Key objectives include optimizing recruitment and retention outcomes, supporting study timelines, mitigating risks, and driving continuous process improvement. Reporting to the Director of Patient Recruitment and Retention Execution, this position is a key leadership role within the Patient Insights and Recruitment organization, partnering closely with Clinical Development and cross‑functional stakeholders to support successful trial delivery.

What You'll Do

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Recruitment & Retention Delivery Leads supporting study‑level execution.
• Set team priorities, goals, performance expectations, and operating standards.
• Manage resource planning, workload allocation, onboarding, performance feedback, and employee development.
• Build team capability through best practice sharing, talent development, and consistent execution standards.
• Oversee delivery of patient recruitment, retention, and site engagement tactics across studies and programs.
• Ensure recruitment and retention strategies are translated into actionable plans, timelines, milestones, and risk mitigation activities.
• Monitor execution progress, identify delivery risks, optimize outcomes, and provide recommendations to study teams.
• Serve as the senior operational liaison for recruitment and retention activities, communicating status, insights, risks, and mitigation plans to leadership and cross‑functional stakeholders.
• Influence stakeholders and drive alignment, decision‑making, and timely action without direct authority.
• Drive continuous improvement of processes, tools, governance, reporting, vendor oversight, and functional initiatives while demonstrating strong business acumen, accountability, and ownership of deliverables.

Who You Are

You are a proven people leader with deep expertise in patient recruitment and retention, and a track record of successfully executing strategies across complex clinical trials within biotech, pharma, CRO, or patient recruitment organizations. You are a strategic and operationally focused professional who excels at influencing stakeholders, leading teams and vendors, navigating ambiguity, and driving measurable results in a fast‑paced, matrixed environment.

Required Skills

• B.A. or B.Sc. in a scientific discipline; advanced degree preferred.
• 8+ years of relevant experience in patient recruitment/retention within either CRO, patient recruitment vendor, or related pharma/biopharma environment.
• 5+ years of people management experience required, including experience coaching, developing, and managing performance of employees or equivalent leadership of a functional delivery team.
• Strong vendor oversight experience, including KPI monitoring, budget awareness, risk management, issue resolution, and escalation management.
• Demonstrated experience leading patient recruitment and retention execution across studies, programs, or disease areas, including complex or high-priority clinical trials.
• Scientifically and clinically astute, with strong project management, communication, stakeholder management, presentation, and business acumen.
• Demonstrated ability to influence without authority, lead through ambiguity, balance competing priorities, and drive decisions in a matrixed clinical development environment.

Preferred Skills

• Rare disease experience
• Neurology experience
• Global clinical trial experience

Job Level: Management

Additional Information

The base compensation range for this role is: $194,000.00-$266,750.00

Base salary offered is determined through an analytical approach utilizing a combination of factors including, but not limited to, relevant skills & experience, job location, and internal equity.

Regular employees are eligible to receive both short term and long-term incentives, including cash bonus and equity incentive opportunities, designed to reward recent achievements and recognize your future potential based on individual, business unit and company performance.

• Medical, Dental, Vision, & Life insurances
• Fitness & Wellness programs including a fitness reimbursement
• Short- and Long‑Term Disability insurance
• A minimum of 15 days of paid vacation and an additional end‑of‑year shutdown time off (Dec 26-Dec 31)
• Up to 12 company paid holidays + 3 paid days off for Personal Significance
• 80 hours of sick time per calendar year
• Paid Maternity and Parental Leave benefit
• 401(k) program participation with company matched contributions
• Employee stock purchase plan
• Tuition reimbursement of up to $10,000 per calendar year
• Employee Resource Groups participation

Why Biogen?

We are a global team with a commitment to excellence, and a pioneering spirit. As a mid‑sized biotechnology company, we provide the stability and resources of a well‑established business while fostering an environment where individual contributions make a significant impact. Our team encompasses some of the most talented and passionate achievers who have unparalleled opportunities for learning, growth, and expanding their skills. Above all, we work together to deliver life‑changing medicines, with every role playing a vital part in our mission. Caring Deeply. Achieving Excellence. Changing Lives.

At Biogen, we are committed to building on our culture of inclusion and belonging that reflects the communities where we operate and the patients we serve. We know that diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives make us a stronger and more innovative company, and we are focused on building teams where every employee feels empowered and inspired.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, race, color, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law.

Biogen is an E-Verify Employer in the United States.

VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

We request Priority Protected Veteran & Disabled Referrals for all of our locations within the state.

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