Clinical Trial Manager (Contract)

Regulatory Toolkit; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 124,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical plans

Dental and vision coverage after 30+?0

401(k)

Wellness programs

Other discounts

Job summary

Centessa Pharmaceuticals seeks a Contract to Hire Clinical Trial Manager to lead mid‑ to late‑stage global CNS studies from study start‑up through close‑out. This remote US‑based role involves day‑to‑day trial management, coordinating cross‑functional teams, and overseeing CROs to ensure studies are delivered on time, within budget and in compliance with regulatory standards.

You will monitor study progress with dashboards, manage risks, and contribute to study documentation for health

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a scientific or health-related field is required.
• 5+ years of clinical trial management experience in industry sponsor environments.
• Experience managing CNS trials and global studies.
• Knowledge of ICH/GCP and global regulatory requirements.
• Strong project management skills including timelines, budgets, and risk.
• Excellent communication and collaboration across teams.

Responsibilities

• Plan and lead mid-to-late-stage CNS trials from start-up to close-out.
• Coordinate cross-functional partners to ensure efficient trial execution.
• Oversee CROs and vendors, monitor scope, timelines, and quality.
• Drive milestones like site activation, enrollment, data cleaning, and database lock.
• Review CRO/vendor plans for protocol alignment and quality.
• Maintain dashboards and financial tracking; provide status updates.
• Identify and mitigate operational risks affecting timelines or budgets.
• Ensure TMF setup, maintenance, and audit readiness for CNS studies.
• Support regulatory deliverables and process improvements.

Skills

Communication skills

Collaboration

Problem solving

Project management

Cross-functional leadership

Timeline management

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a scientific or health-related discipline

CNS experience

PMP or similar training

Job description

Centessa Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company, is a clinical‑stage company developing orexin receptor 2 (OX2R) agonists as a new class of medicines for the treatment of narcolepsy and potentially other sleep‑wake disorders. Centessa’s lead investigational candidate – cleminorexton (formerly ORX750) – is being developed for narcolepsy type 1, narcolepsy type 2, and idiopathic hypersomnia. Centessa's OX2R agonist portfolio includes additional clinical and preclinical‑stage assets with potential utility across a broader range of neurological, neurodegenerative, and neuropsychiatric conditions.

Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Centessa was recognized as a Great Place to Work® in 2026.

Description of Role

Centessa is seeking a (contract to hire) Clinical Trial Manager to lead the execution of mid‑to‑late‑stage global clinical studies from study start‑up through close‑out and clinical study report. This role is a temporary position with the potential to convert to a permanent role, responsible for day‑to‑day trial management, coordinating internal cross‑functional teams and overseeing CROs and external vendors to ensure studies are delivered on time, within budget, and in compliance with quality and regulatory standards. This role requires hands‑on involvement in clinical trial execution, proactive identification and resolution of operational issues, and accountability for study performance metrics and deliverable quality. The CTM also contributes to operational planning, risk assessment, and continuous process improvement in collaboration with study team leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan and execute mid‑to‑late‑stage CNS clinical trials from study start‑up through close‑out, ensuring operational excellence, high data quality, and compliance with protocol, GCP, and global regulatory requirements.
• Lead day‑to‑day clinical trial operations, coordinating cross‑functional partners (Clinical Development, Data Management, Biostatistics, Regulatory, Safety) to ensure efficient trial execution and alignment to program objectives.
• Oversee CROs and external vendors supporting CNS clinical trials, including co‑monitoring activities, to ensure delivery against scope of work, timelines, budget, and quality expectations.
• Drive critical study milestones, including site activation, enrollment progress, patient retention, data cleaning, and database lock, proactively addressing operational challenges common to CNS trials.
• Review and approve CRO‑and‑vendor‑generated plans and study documentation, ensuring alignment with protocol, regulatory expectations, and Centessa quality standards.
• Monitor study progress and performance using operational metrics and tools, maintaining dashboards, timelines, and financial tracking, and providing clear, timely status updates to study teams and management.
• Identify, assess, and manage operational risks, proposing practical mitigation strategies and supporting informed decision‑making to minimize impact to timelines, quality, and patient safety.
• Ensure inspection and audit readiness, including oversight of Trial Master File (TMF) set‑up, ongoing maintenance, and close‑out for CNS studies.
• Contribute to operational planning and regulatory deliverables, supporting preparation of study‑level documentation for Health Authority interactions and continuous improvement of clinical operations processes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a scientific or health‑related discipline.
• 5+ years clinical trial management experience within an industry sponsor environment, supporting drug development programs.
• Experience managing clinical trials in CNS therapeutic development strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to manage global clinical studies, including coordination with investigators, CROs, and functional vendors.
• Strong working knowledge of ICH guidelines, GCP, and global regulatory requirements applicable to clinical trials.
• Solid understanding of project management principles, including planning and managing timelines, resources, budgets, and risk–benefit trade‑offs; PMP or similar training is a plus.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence without formal authority and drive cross‑functional team performance.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment, meeting aggressive timelines while maintaining quality.
• Proactive problem‑solving mindset with the ability to anticipate issues, identify creative solutions, and take initiative to address risks impacting timelines or budgets.

Compensation

The hourly range for this position is $65.00 to $90.00 per hour. Individual compensation within this range will bedeterminedbased on a variety of factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and job knowledge.

Contractors engaged throughCentessaare employed through a third‑party agency that serves as the employer of record and provides access to a comprehensive benefits package.

• medical plans, including PPO and EPO options
• dental and vision coverage after30 days
• 401(k)
• wellness programs
• other discounts

Work Location

The (contract-to-hire) Clinical Trial Manager role is a remote role based in the US.

POSITION:

Temporary, non-exempt

EEOC Statement:

Centessa Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subdisary of Eli Lilly and Company believes in a diverse environment and is committed to equal employment opportunity for all its employees and qualified applicants. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, or any other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. We will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.

Please note: We will not assign referral rights for any unsolicited resumes from recruitment agencies.