Director, Clinical Research Operations Transformation

Vitalief; New Jersey; Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

20 PTO days

9 paid holidays

Company-paid life insurance

401(k) retirement plan

Robust healthcare options

Flexible work location

Job summary

Vitalief is actively seeking a Director of Clinical Research Operations Transformation to enhance research capabilities at a multi-location community hospital system. This full-time role focuses on building a scalable clinical research operation, particularly targeting cardiovascular trials.

The successful candidate will demonstrate leadership, quality systems development, and experience in complex clinical settings, ensuring impactful research that improves patient lives. The position also offers competitive compensation and a people-first culture that emphasizes professional growth.

Qualifications

• 7 to 10 years of progressive clinical research operations experience.
• 3 to 5 years in leadership or management roles.
• Experience building and launching multi-location clinical research operations.

Responsibilities

• Design, launch, and stabilize a cardiovascular research pilot.
• Establish standardized workflows and performance metrics.
• Manage cross-functional initiatives in a complex environment.

Skills

Clinical research operations

Leadership

Cardiovascular clinical research

Regulatory compliance

Study start-up optimization

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master’s degree in Clinical Research Administration, Public Health, Nursing

Tools

CTMS platforms (e.g., OnCore)

Epic research integration

Job description

Director, Clinical Research Operations Transformation

ABOUT VITALIEF Vitalief is a trusted partner to Sponsors, CROs, and Sites across the research and clinical trials landscape. By blending deep subject matter expertise with strong business acumen, we deliver Consulting and Functional Service Provider (FSP) solutions that empower organizations to do more with less, streamlining operations, reducing costs, and accelerating breakthroughs that ultimately benefit patients.

POSITION OVERVIEW We are seeking a highly experienced, strategic yet hands‑on Clinical Research Operations Leader to join our delivery team as a full‑time, fully benefited employee. In this role, you will partner with a multi‑location community hospital system to transform its research enterprise into a scalable, high‑performing, world‑class clinical research operation. As the primary subject matter expert (SME), you will collaborate closely with the Vitalief delivery team to design and implement enterprise‑level operational initiatives, focusing on Non‑Oncology programs and enhancing cross‑system communication and coordination. A central focus will be leading the operational build‑out and execution of a cardiovascular clinical trials pilot, including infrastructure development, staffing strategy, workflow optimization, and technology deployment.

WHY VITALIEF?

• Professional Growth: Join a team of experienced practitioners who bring both business acumen and domain expertise.
• Impactful Work: Contribute to scientific advancements that directly improve patient lives.
• People‑First Culture: Thrive in an environment that fosters growth, innovation, and collaboration.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Enjoy 20 PTO days, 9 paid holidays, company‑paid life insurance, short‑ and long‑term disability, a 401(k) retirement plan, and robust healthcare options.
• Flexible Work Location: Hybrid role with 2‑3 days per week onsite in the Orange, NJ area.
• Competitive Compensation: Base salary, performance bonus, and equity incentives.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES – What Success Looks Like

• Successful design, launch and operational stabilization of a scalable cardiovascular research pilot across multiple hospital campuses and ambulatory sites.
• Align research strategy with institutional priorities through close partnership with executive, clinical, and administrative leadership.
• Establish standardized workflows, SOPs and enterprise‑wide performance metrics for research operations.
• Strengthen investigator engagement and increase research participation across service lines.
• Establish scalable infrastructure and service line activation frameworks, in collaboration with investigators and sponsors, to reduce study activation timelines, enhance start‑up predictability, and support sustainable research growth.
• Manage cross‑functional initiatives within matrixed reporting environments and complex academic‑clinical governance structures.
• Transition from opportunistic research conduct to a deliberate, strategic, and scalable clinical research enterprise.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree in Clinical Research Administration, Public Health, Nursing, or related field strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 7 to 10 years of progressive clinical research operations experience, including 3 to 5 years in leadership or management roles.
• Experience building and launching a clinical research multi‑location operation from scratch, enabling timely initiation of multiple studies across diverse therapeutic areas.
• Demonstrated experience leading and supporting complex multi‑site clinical research settings, including academic medical centers, affiliated and non‑academic health systems, and disparate research locations.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex drug, device, adaptive, or multi‑arm trials.
• Cardiovascular clinical research experience strongly preferred.
• Expertise in study start‑up optimization, IRB processes, and regulatory compliance.
• Experience with CTMS platforms (e.g., OnCore) and Epic research integration.
• Strong knowledge of research billing compliance and Medicare clinical trial requirements.
• Proven ability to develop SOPs, quality systems, and performance dashboards.
• Experience building strong relationships with sponsors and CRO partners to enhance site reputation and repeat business opportunities.
• Strong executive presence with the ability to influence across matrixed environments.
• Demonstrated success leading operational transformation or research program development initiatives.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Standing, sitting, walking, visual perception, talking and hearing. Lifting up to 20 lbs.

Vitalief partners with clients such as major medical centers and academic institutions that often require all on‑site resources such as prospective Vitalief consultants to be inoculated annually for Influenza and to successfully pass a Mantoux Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) for Mycobacterium Tuberculosis.