Senior Director, Clinical Project Management – Centre of Excellence

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States, +2 more countries.

📋 Description

• Lead the strategy, operational model, charter, and roadmap for ICON’s federated Project Management Centre of Excellence.

• Establish and govern enterprise project-management standards, methodologies, processes, templates, systems, and certification requirements for clinical trial delivery.

• Design and manage a role-based competency framework, structured onboarding journey, and continuous-learning architecture.

• Build, train, and certify a distributed network of functional champions and subject-matter experts.

• Standardize study intake and outtake processes while enhancing study start-up, site activation, closeout, quality, and cycle-time performance.

• Establish governance, adoption measures, scorecards, and accountability mechanisms across functions, divisions, and geographies.

• Collaborate with Quality and Oversight, Governance & Oversight, Data Analytics, Business Transformation, and Digital and AI teams.

• Engage senior executives and delivery leaders to position project-management capability as a key driver of quality, operational performance, sponsor experience, and business growth.

• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing central team responsible for resource planning, priorities, and stakeholder management.

⛳️ Requirements

• Extensive global clinical trial delivery experience throughout the full study lifecycle, including start-up, conduct, and closeout, with personal accountability for scope, timelines, financials, risk, resources, vendors, sponsors, and quality.

• Significant senior leadership experience within project management, a PMO, or a comparable enterprise capability function in a global, matrixed clinical development or CRO environment.

• Proven experience in designing and managing a role-based competency framework and structured onboarding and continuous-learning pathways for clinical project-leadership roles, demonstrating adoption and measurable impact.

• Demonstrated success in establishing enterprise project-management standards across functions outside direct line authority, including governance, decision rights, and accountability mechanisms.

• Experience in building and leading a distributed capability network, such as certified champions, subject-matter experts, or train-the-trainer communities.

• Strong working knowledge of ICH-GCP, clinical trial regulatory and quality requirements, inspection readiness, and CAPA.

• Experience in establishing a Project Management Centre of Excellence or leading a significant operating-model transformation.

• Proficiency in using learning platforms, analytics, and digital or AI-enabled solutions to scale capability and measure effectiveness.

• Relevant credentials such as PMP, PgMP, Prosci, or continuous-improvement qualifications are advantageous.

• Proven experience applying process-engineering principles to design and implement standardized, scalable project-management processes.

• Reside in the Eastern US or Midwest US, Canada, or Ireland, and able to travel 10% of the time.

• Bachelor’s degree in life sciences, business, project management, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.

• Legal right to work in the country where the role is based.

🏝️ Benefits

• Competitive base salary along with performance-related incentives.

• Health and wellbeing programs, including medical, dental, and vision coverage where applicable.

• Retirement and pension plans.

• Life assurance and disability coverage.

• Employee assistance programs and wellbeing resources.

• Learning and development opportunities through structured training and career pathways.