Director, Clinical Management Early Phase, rare/specialty disease

Otsuka America Pharmaceutical Inc.; Pierre (SD); On-site; USD 186,000 - 279,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical

Dental

Vision

Tuition reimbursement

401(k) match

Job summary

Otsuka America Pharmaceutical Inc. seeks a Director to lead the operational strategy and management of global clinical programs in collaboration with the Senior Director of Clinical Management.

Responsibilities include planning, executing, and completing programs per GCP/ICH, with cross-functional coordination across ESPs, regulatory, and medical affairs. The role requires strategic leadership, budgeting, and ensuring regulatory readiness and high-quality clinical documentation.

Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of clinical operations and GCP/ICH regulations.
• Experience with CROs, outsourcing, and evaluating vendor SOWs.
• Strong understanding of drug development and trial management.
• Regulatory, biostatistics, data management and medical writing expertise.
• Proven leadership and strategic thinking in cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Oversee operational strategy and management of clinical programs.
• Coordinate with ESPs, other departments, and senior management.
• Develop clinical development plans, timelines, and budgets.
• Ensure SOPs, CRFs, and templates are standardized across studies.
• Lead program-level teams as Co-Chair or lead clinical management rep.
• Prepare regulatory submissions and briefing books; support inspections.

Skills

Clinical operations

GCP/ICH compliance

Vendor management

Drug development

Regulatory knowledge

Biostatistics

Data management

Medical writing

Leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in pharmaceutical/related field

Advanced degree (preferred)

Tools

Microsoft Office

eCRFs

CTMS

IRT

Job description

Job Summary

In collaboration with the Senior Director of Clinical Management, the Director is responsible for the operational strategy and management of Otsuka clinical programs, including coordination with other relevant parties (e.g., other Otsuka departments, external service providers (ESPs), etc.). Responsibilities include the planning, execution, and completion of clinical programs according to applicable regulations and guidance; ICH Guidelines, Good Clinical Practices (GCP), and Otsuka SOPs, within agreed upon timelines and budget.

Job Description

• Provides scientific clinical research and operational expertise in the development of overall strategy and objectives of the Global Clinical Development Plan (GCDP), including performing/overseeing and providing background research.
• May represent Clinical Management in the development of the Clinical Development Plan, timelines, and budget for Business Development opportunities.
• Ensures program specific standards (e.g., CRFs, outsourcing specifications, slides, training, templates) are developed and applied across all studies to ensure consistency of clinical dossier.
• Contributes to final analysis and interpretation including the development of clinical trial reports, publications, and internal/external presentations.
• Develops program level financial estimates and contributes to the MLTP.
• Leads program level teams as Co-Chair and/or serves as lead clinical management representative for various meetings including, CRT/GBT/PDC/JDC/Alliance.
• Contributes to the preparation and defense of clinical program documents (investigator brochure (IB)/IMPD, IND/CTA annual reports, Health Authority briefing books and submissions (NDA, MA, NDS etc.), including ongoing maintenance of filings and support of labeling teams.
• Leads development of clinical sections of regulatory documents (i.e., Investigators’ Brochures, briefing books, submission dossier, and responses to Health Authorities questions) and inspection readiness programs, where appropriate.
• Develops strong scientific partnership with key advisors in assigned therapy area to optimize scientific quality/innovation of clinical study design, execution, reporting and publication. Leads program-related advisory boards/committees and meetings.
• Supports the design & implementation of a program level HEOR strategy, including endpoint development where necessary.
• Serves as contact for Medical Affairs/PBS related to medical information requests, public disclosure of information (e.g., clinicaltrials.gov) and publications strategies.
• Represents assigned programs to senior management and OPCJ and disseminates information and tasks to team members.
• Participates in External Service Provider (ESP) partnership governance and alliance management activities as assigned.
• Assists Senior Director with portfolio level resource planning.
• Gives direction, training, and support to Clinical Management personnel within program/compound team.
• Participates in ongoing review of clinical trial data focusing on data integrity, trending, and consistency.
• Ensures inspection readiness activities are planned and conducted appropriately across program.
• Participate in program-level risk mitigation activities.
• Represent Clinical Management in departmental and cross-functional initiatives, as assigned.
• Leads and/or contributes to assigned departmental, ESP and corporate standardization and continuous improvement efforts.
• May have supervisory responsibilities including:
  • Coordinating the training and onboarding of new employee(s) on corporate culture, corporate goals/vision and departmental policies and processes.
  • Assuring compliance with departmental, SOP, compliance, and corporate training
  • Ensuring assigned staff have access to all required materials, systems, and training to complete job responsibilities.
  • Setting clear performance expectations and individual development plans and providing specific and frequent feedback to the employee on his/her performance.
  • Performs other duties, as assigned.
• Perform other duties, as assigned.

Qualifications/ Required

Knowledge/ Experience and Skills:

• Comprehensive knowledge of clinical operations, drug development process, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and GCP/ICH regulations.
• Thorough knowledge of contract research organizations (CROs), outsourcing, and evaluation of work performed against vendor Statement of Work (SOW).
• Advanced understanding of drug development principles and clinical trial implementation and management.
• Strong knowledge of global regulatory requirements and compliance, biostatistics, data management, and medical writing.
• Strong communication, organization, planning, analytical, problem solving, and people management skills.
• Strong computer skills with demonstrated experience in working with the Microsoft suite of programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook). Good understanding of clinical trial related software (e.g., eCRFs, IRT, CTMS, etc.).
• Ability to travel up to 25%.

Educational Qualification Required:

• Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum of 14 years of applicable pharmaceutical industry experience including 10 years clinical trial management experience. Previous supervisory experience.

Preferred:

• Advanced Degree

Competencies

• Accountability for Results - Stay focused on key strategic objectives, be accountable for high standards of performance, and take an active role in leading change.
• Strategic Thinking & Problem Solving - Make decisions considering the long-term impact to customers, patients, employees, and the business.
• Patient & Customer Centricity - Maintain an ongoing focus on the needs of our customers and/or key stakeholders.
• Impactful Communication - Communicate with logic, clarity, and respect. Influence at all levels to achieve the best results for Otsuka.
• Respectful Collaboration - Seek and value others’ perspectives and strive for diverse partnerships to enhance work toward common goals.
• Empowered Development - Play an active role in professional development as a business imperative.

Minimum $186,489.00 - Maximum $278,875.00, plus incentive opportunity: The range shown represents a typical pay range or starting pay for individuals who are hired in the role to perform in the United States. Other elements may be used to determine actual pay such as the candidate’s job experience, specific skills, and comparison to internal incumbents currently in role. Typically, actual pay will be positioned within the established range, rather than at its minimum or maximum. This information is provided to applicants in accordance with states and local laws.

Application Deadline

This will be posted for a minimum of 5 business days.

Company benefits:

• Comprehensive medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Prescription drug coverage
• Company provided basic life
• Accidental death & dismemberment
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Tuition reimbursement
• Student loan assistance
• A generous 401(k) match
• Flexible time off
• Paid holidays
• Paid leave programs
• Other company provided benefits

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Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. is a global healthcare company with the corporate philosophy: “Otsuka–people creating new products for better health worldwide.” In the U.S., Otsuka is comprised of two companies, Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc., and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc., that share a deep commitment to the development and commercialization of innovative products in the spaces of neuroscience, nephrology, and digital medicine.

Driven by our purpose to defy limitation, so that others can too, we have an unwavering belief in doing more and transcending expectations. In going above and beyond—under any circumstances—for patients, families, providers, and for each other. It’s this deep-rooted dedication that drives us to uncover answers to complex, underserved medical needs, so that patients can push past the limitations of their disease and achieve more than they thought was possible each and every day.

OPDC and OAPI are indirect subsidiaries of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company, Ltd., which is a subsidiary of Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd. headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The Otsuka group of companies employed 34,400 people worldwide and had consolidated sales of approximately USD 14.2 billion in 2023.

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