Site Manager/Director - Clinical Research

Headlands Research, Inc.; Bellingham (WA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

HSA/FSA

401(k) plan with company match

PTO and holidays

Job summary

Headlands Research, Inc. in Bellingham, WA, seeks a Site Director to lead our new clinical research site, drive enrollment, financial targets, and KPIs while ensuring GCP/ICH compliance.

The role requires a Bachelor’s in a scientific/health field or related experience, 3+ years as a Primary Clinical Research Coordinator, and strong leadership and problem‑solving abilities. Regular full‑time, onsite schedule.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a scientific, health-related, or business field or equivalent experience.
• 3+ years experience designated as a Primary Clinical Research Coordinator.
• Ability to motivate teams and lead planning/organization efforts.
• Strong ethical standards and professionalism.

Responsibilities

• Operational leadership and study management for the site.
• Manage site facilities, CTMS workflow, and sponsor interactions.
• Ensure audit readiness and regulatory compliance for inspections.
• Oversee regulatory documentation lifecycle and staff training.
• Lead or support budget, P&L, and financial targets.
• Drive recruitment strategies to meet enrollment targets.
• Foster a collaborative, compliant, and high-performance team culture.

Skills

Team leadership

Motivate teams

Planning & organization

Strong critical thinking

Proactive problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in a scientific/health-related or business administration field

Tools

Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS)

Job description

Site Manager/Director - Clinical Research

Bellingham, Washington

At Headlands Research, we are dedicated to enhancing clinical trial delivery within our communities. As a leading network of advanced clinical trial sites, we leverage cutting-edge technology and exceptional support services to broaden outreach and participation. Founded in 2018, our rapidly growing company currently operates 20+ sites across the US and Canada, with plans for further expansion.

Are you an experienced clinical research professional with a passion for advancing medicine? Join a leading, integrated clinical research network dedicated to high-quality data, patient-centered care, and innovation in clinical trials.

We’re seeking a Site Director to help us build our newest clinical research site located in Bellingham, Washington. This role drives financial targets, enrollment goals, and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) while ensuring strict adherence to Good Clinical Practice (GCP), International Council of Harmonization (ICH), and regulatory requirements.

Type: Regular Full-time Employee
Schedule: Mondays through Fridays, 8:00am - 5:00pm
Location: Onsite in Bellingham, WA (no capabilities for remote or hybrid work)
Reports to: Senior Director of Regional Operations
Benefits: Our benefits package for full-time employees includes health insurance (medical, dental, and vision), Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), Paid Time Off (PTO), a variety of disability, accident, and life insurance options, as well as many more.

What We Offer

• Competitive pay + annual performance incentives
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) plan with company match
• Paid time off (PTO) and company holidays
• A mission-driven culture focused on advancing medicine and improving patient outcomes

You’ll be part of a growing, mission-driven organization that values its people. At our core, we’re committed to bringing innovative medical treatments to patients faster—while creating an environment where employees thrive. If you’re passionate about clinical research and ready to make a difference, we’d love to hear from you.

Responsibilities:

• Operational leadership and study management
  • Manage site facilities, workflow, and Clinical Trial Management Systems (CTMS) to ensure premium experience for subjects, staff, and sponsors
  • Monitor clinical study progress, review monitor reports, and create risk management/mitigation strategies during study start-up
  • Lead a site-level quality review program; ensure the site remains in a constant state of audit-readiness for CRO, sponsor, or regulatory inspections
  • Manage the lifecycle of all site regulatory documentation, from initial start-up through ongoing maintenance
  • Act as the primary resource for protocol-related questions and ensure all staff are trained on study-specific requirements
  • Oversee external site partners, including onboarding, training, and performance monitoring
  • Ensure proper storage and handling of study specimens and investigational products
  • Lead or assist with various job duties and projects as assigned
• People and team management (once site is fully operational and staffed)
  • Provide coaching, mentoring, and development plans for all direct reports (Clinical Research Coordinators and support staff) to maintain high morale, retention, and an engaged workforce
  • Manage the full employee lifecycle, including interviewing, hiring, onboarding, performance reviews, and disciplinary actions in partnership with HR
  • Proactively assess staffing needs and manage coverage to ensure research subject safety and data integrity
  • Foster a collaborative and productive work environment that encourages continuous improvement
  • Lead regular team meetings to discuss status of current projects, plan for future projects, provide updates on new company initiatives, seek feedback regarding team barriers
  • Manage local team to meet/exceed quality and performance metrics, report key performance indicators to leadership team
  • Serve as a Culture Champion to support our mission and values, ensure team is compliant with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and all industry standards
• Manage site expenses, assess Profit & Loss (P&L) reports, and redirect resources to ensure performance and financial targets are met
• Support the creation of and managing to an accurate budget and forecast
• Business development and relationship management
  • Drive recruitment strategies to meet or exceed monthly screening, randomization, and patient retention targets
  • Serve as the primary point of contact between the clinical team, Sponsors, CROs, and community advocates
  • Participate in study feasibility processes, providing accurate site-specific data to secure future trials
  • Drive the growth and development of the site by identifying areas for improvement and innovation while staying informed of industry advancements

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in a scientific, health-related, or business administration field or equivalent experience
• Previous experience managing or leading others highly preferred
• 3+ years of experience designated as a Primary Clinical Research Coordinator required
• Demonstrated ability to motivate teams and lead planning/organization efforts
• Strong critical thinking and proactive problem-solving abilitiesStrong ethical standards and professionalism

Headlands Research will never ask a candidate for personal identifiable information (date of birth, social security number, driver’s license information, etc) via email or messenger tools, or for a financial deposit of any kind.

Headlands Research is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Need Assistance?

Headlands Research is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact [e-mail] for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in Headlands Research’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.