Associate Director – Clinical Research Lead, Oncology

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Florida.

📋 Description

• The Clinical Research Lead (CRL) serves as a strategic, field-based scientific leader tasked with enhancing the execution of Lilly clinical trials through outstanding investigator engagement and effective site performance management.

• Responsible for the entire investigator engagement spectrum, from identification and qualification to enrollment, as well as supporting database lock and study closeout.

• Act as a scientific ambassador for clinical trials, ensuring that investigators have a thorough understanding of the protocol intent, scientific rationale, and patient eligibility criteria.

• Establish and maintain strategic, trust-based relationships with investigators across various trials and therapeutic areas.

• Drive enrollment efforts by co-developing customized recruitment strategies that align with site capabilities, patient demographics, and study goals.

• Actively seek opportunities to reach new patients, expedite enrollment, and enhance impact at key sites, including innovative site models and community-based research initiatives.

• Gather and elevate essential insights from sites to improve feasibility, protocol design, and the overall conduct of studies.

• Lead site-level strategy and risk management to ensure robust and predictable enrollment and data delivery.

• Utilize performance metrics to foresee issues, intervene effectively, and maintain progress toward clinical milestones.

• Promote continuous inspection readiness across sites as a standard practice.

• Collaborate with various functions and vendor partners to address operational challenges, ensuring timely and quality delivery.

• Maintain a thorough understanding of local treatment paradigms and standard care practices to influence strategic country/site selection and protocol localization.

• Oversee vendor monitoring and quality assurance, proactively escalating risks when necessary.

• Develop a portfolio of strategically aligned, impactful investigators who consistently prioritize Lilly trials.

• Foster an exceptional investigator experience by being a responsive, knowledgeable, and valued scientific partner.

• Work cross-functionally (e.g., Medical, Clinical, Study Delivery) to align on trial and site priorities, addressing challenges with urgency and creativity.

• Conduct data-informed site prospecting and prioritization to enhance trial competitiveness and regional strategic execution.

• Maintain scientific fluency and therapeutic expertise to engage in meaningful, solutions-focused discussions with site personnel.

• Serve as a vital liaison among field teams, vendors, and investigators, ensuring alignment, shared goals, and continuous knowledge transfer.

• Collaborate closely with field team colleagues to enhance the investigator and site experience, ensuring seamless cooperation and improved enrollment outcomes and relationships.

• Represent Investigator Engagement to regulatory agencies, ethics committees, and national research organizations in relevant countries/territories.

• Influence the clinical trial landscape to enhance regulatory agility and operational feasibility.

• Ensure that local requirements are effectively translated into compliant, efficient trial execution, and that Lilly’s internal processes reflect the evolving country contexts.

• Work alongside leadership to identify and align regional initiatives, contributing to the overall success of enterprise-wide clinical development.

⛳️ Requirements

• A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent; a strong preference for degrees in scientific, clinical, or health-related fields.

• At least 5 years of experience in clinical research or the pharmaceutical industry, with direct interaction or collaboration with HCPs and clinical sites.

• Minimum of 2 years of relevant clinical or therapeutic area experience in Oncology.

• Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Lilly does not foresee providing sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H-1B or TN status) for this position.

• Reside in or be willing to relocate to our designated region (Florida).

• An advanced degree in a scientific or clinical field (PharmD, PhD, MD, or MSc preferred).

• Strong understanding of GCP, clinical development and operations, and the trial lifecycle.

• Demonstrated knowledge of the therapeutic landscape and standards of care, with the ability to apply this knowledge in decision-making processes.

• Proven capability to build credibility and influence the HCP community through scientific expertise and relationship-building.

• A strategic mindset with a record of achieving results in complex, fast-paced environments.

• Data-driven decision-making skills; adept at interpreting and acting on performance and operational metrics.

• Excellent communication, negotiation, and organizational abilities.

• Deep therapeutic area knowledge and familiarity with local clinical research ecosystems.

• Experience in directly influencing clinical site performance and driving enrollment success.

• A history of meeting or exceeding performance targets in a collaborative matrix environment.

• Experience working with regulators or national bodies to support clinical trial delivery.

• Proficiency in English and local language(s) as required.

🏝️ Benefits

• Eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k).

• Pension benefits.

• Vacation benefits.

• Eligibility for medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug benefits.

• Flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts).

• Life insurance and death benefits.

• Certain time off and leave of absence benefits.

• Well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities).