Senior Manager, Research, SOM/Pediatrics

Virginia Commonwealth University; Richmond (VA); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangement

Competitive benefits package

Job summary

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine seeks a Research Manager to lead a pediatric genetic therapies clinical research program across multiple departments and locations. You will oversee startup, activation, recruitment, study conduct, and regulatory compliance while ensuring financial sustainability of the portfolio.

The role partners with Principal Investigators and CHRI leadership to optimize workflows, staffing models, and sponsor reporting, with weekend/off-hours

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of experience managing federal, foundation, and industry-sponsored trials.
• 10 years of direct supervisory experience.
• Experience in project management.
• Strong communication and writing skills.
• Budget development / review, maintaining reports for sponsors.
• Proficient with quantitative data management and analyses programs.

Responsibilities

• Program development, including implementation of a complex staffing matrix to cover multiple departments.
• Study procurement and operations.
• Development of a CHRI participant-concierge-service.
• Development of a balanced book of study financials with a high return on investment across the portfolio.
• Expert navigation of all Health System and University processes involved in interventional trial work.
• Integration with multiple clinical services and expansion of research footprint at multiple locations.
• Periodic communication with CHOR executive committee, Pediatrician in Chief, and Chief Pediatric Medical Officer.

Skills

10 years experience managing trials (f

Education

Master’s degree or equivalent in related field

Tools

Microsoft Access

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Advertising Summary

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)School of Medicine is a premier academic medical center located inthe heart of Richmond. Accounting for almost half of VCU'ssponsored research, the School of Medicine is internationallyrecognized for patient care and education.

Unit

School Of Medicine MBU

Department

Pediatrics

Duties & Responsibilities

Position Summary: The Research Manager provides strategic and operational leadership for the development and implementation of an interdepartmentalpediatric genetic therapies clinical research program. Thisposition is responsible for establishing and optimizing researchinfrastructure across multiple pediatric departments and locationsand for ensuring the effective, compliant, and financially sustainable conduct of a complex portfolio of clinicaltrials.

The Research Manager provides leadership and oversight to multidisciplinary clinical research staff, including AdvancedPractice Providers, nurses, Clinical Research Coordinators, andClinical Research Assistants, as applicable. The position isresponsible for developing staffing models, supporting recruitmentand onboarding, establishing operational workflows, and providingsupervision and performance management for assigned researchstaff.

The Research Manager oversees the day-to-day operational managementof clinical trials, including study startup, activation,recruitment, enrollment, study conduct, closeout, sponsorreporting, data quality, and regulatory compliance. The position willsupport international participant recruitment and coordinatepatient and family navigation within the greater Richmond area. Incollaboration with the Executive Director of CHRI, the ResearchManager will develop and implement a patient-family conciergeservice, initially piloted within the genetics program.

The position serves as a key operational partner to PrincipalInvestigators throughout the study lifecycle, providing guidanceand direct support related to study startup, staffing, regulatoryrequirements, operational workflows, financial feasibility, sponsorrequirements, and study performance. The Research Manager willregularly meet with Principal Investigators and study leadership toassess study progress, enrollment, staffing, financial performance,regulatory compliance, and operational needs.

The Research Manager is responsible for overseeing the financialand operational performance of the clinical trial portfolio. Thisincludes developing and monitoring budgets for federal, foundation,and industry-sponsored research; assessing study financialfeasibility; coordinating clinical trial contracting with VCU andthird-party sponsors; monitoring study revenue and expenditures;and collaborating with research administrators to ensure accurateaccount allocation, timely utilization of sponsored funds, andfinancially sustainable study operations.

The position provides expert operational guidance regardingapplicable FDA regulations, including 21 CFR requirements, andsupports compliance with federal and state regulations, VCUpolicies, IRB 2 requirements, sponsor requirements, and applicableresearch standards. Responsibilities include coordinating clinicaltrial startup, supporting initial IRB submissions, preparingsponsor reports, gathering information for complex research grants,and providing oversight of research staff responsible for accurateand timely data entry, sponsor queries, and other studyrequirements.

The Research Manager will work collaboratively with CHRIadministrators, the Pediatric Clinical Research Nursing Unit, VCUHealth System, the School of Medicine, and Pediatrics to evaluate,develop, and improve clinical research systems and processes. Theposition will identify opportunities to improve efficiency, safety,quality, patient and family experience, financial sustainability,and the overall return on institutional investment in clinicalresearch.

This position requires flexibility to provide coordination andoperational support during weekends and other off-hours asnecessary to meet the needs of clinical trials and researchparticipants.

For priority consideration, please submit your application by September 30, 2026.

Core Responsibilities

• Program development, including implementation of a complexstaffing matrix to cover multiple departments
• Study procurement and operations
• Development of a CHRI participant-concierge-service.
• Development of a balanced book of study financials with a highreturn on investment across the portfolio
• Expert and expedient navigation of all Heath System andUniversity processes involved in interventional trial work
• Integration with multiple clinical services and participation inexpanding physical space footprint for research conduct at multiplelocations.
• Periodic communication with CHOR executive committee,Pediatrician in Chief, and Chief Pediatric Medical Officer to avoidany negative impact on hospital operations or finance.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment ofrespect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty,staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or acommitment to do so as a faculty member.
• Strong communication and writing skills
• Strong organizational skills
• Minimum 10 years of experience managing federal, foundation, andindustry-sponsored trials
• 10 years of direct supervisory experience
• Experience in project management
• 10 years of experience with research compliance and IRB,supervising IRB applications and modification
• Budget development / review, maintaining reports forsponsors
• Proficient with quantitative data management and analysesprograms
• Proficient with Microsoft Access, Excel, PowerPoint
• Financial record keeping and budget reconciliation experiencerequired
• 10 years of general experience running clinical research
• Master’s level or equivalent in related field in addition to 10years working experience with patient populations. Higher educationin health sciences preferred, foreign physician trainingacceptable.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to competently speak a second, or even multiplelanguages. This is to ensure applicant can appreciate thecomplexities of recruiting an international patient population whowill be experiencing American culture and communication styles forthe first time while encountering a highly charged health caresituation involving the receipt of a first-in-man gene therapy fortheir children.
• Clinical Research Coordinator Certification
• Experience in an academic clinical and translational researchenvironment
• Experience in a clinical management or direct provider role toensure applicant has an understanding of health systems operations,rules, financial concerns, and the potential for clinical andtranslational research integrations into those systems.

Salary Range

Commensurate with Experience($100,000–$110,000)

Benefits

All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annualand holiday leave, generous tuition benefits, retirement planningand savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs,employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunitiesfor career development and advancement, and more.

FLSA Exemption Status

Exempt

Hours per Week

40

Restricted Position

Yes

ORP Eligible

Yes

Flexible Work Arrangement

Hybrid

University Job Title

Administrator RS (32911) open

Contact Name

Jewel Jefferson

Contact Email

[e-mail]