Associate Director – Clinical Research Lead, Oncology

Job Description:

• The Clinical Research Lead (CRL) is a strategic, field-based scientific leader responsible for driving the execution of Lilly clinical trials through exceptional investigator engagement and site performance management.
• Accountable for the full spectrum of investigator engagement from identification and qualification through enrollment, and support database lock, and study closeout
• Serve as a clinical trial scientific ambassador, ensuring investigators deeply understand protocol intent, scientific rationale, and patient eligibility requirements
• Develop and sustain strategic, high-trust relationships with investigators that span trials and therapeutic areas
• Influence enrollment by co-creating tailored recruitment strategies aligned with site capabilities, patient population realities, and study objectives
• Proactively find opportunities to reach new patients, accelerate enrollment and increase impact at priority sites, including novel site models, community-based research initiatives etc
• Capture and elevate critical insights from sites to optimize feasibility, protocol design, and study conduct
• Lead site-level strategy and risk planning to ensure strong and predictable enrollment and data delivery
• Leverage performance metrics to anticipate issues, intervene decisively, and maintain momentum toward clinical milestones
• Drive inspection readiness as a continuous discipline across sites
• Collaborate across functions and with vendor partners to resolve operational barriers, ensuring delivery with speed and quality
• Maintain advanced understanding of local treatment paradigms and standard of care to influence strategic country/site selection and protocol localization
• Provide oversight and quality assurance for vendor monitoring, escalating risks proactively
• Cultivate a portfolio of strategically aligned, high-impact investigators who consistently prioritize Lilly trials
• Enable an exceptional investigator experience by being a responsive, knowledgeable, and valued scientific partner
• Collaborate cross-functionally (e.g., Medical, Clinical, Study Delivery) to align on trial and site priorities, troubleshooting challenges with urgency and creativity
• Conduct data-informed site prospecting and prioritization, contributing to trial competitiveness and regional strategic execution
• Maintain scientific fluency and therapeutic expertise to lead meaningful, solutions-focused discussions with site personnel
• Act as a key liaison between field teams, vendors, and investigators, ensuring alignment, shared purpose, and continuous knowledge transfer
• Partner closely with field team colleagues to elevate the investigator and site experience, ensuring seamless collaboration and improving enrollment outcomes and Investigator relationships
• Represent Investigator Engagement with regulatory agencies, ethics committees, and national research organizations in countries/territory
• Influence the clinical trial ecosystem to improve regulatory agility and operational feasibility
• Ensure that local requirements are translated into compliant, efficient trial execution and that Lilly’s internal processes reflect evolving country landscapes
• Partner with leadership to identify and align regional initiatives and contribute to enterprise-wide clinical development success

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent; strong preference for scientific, clinical, or health-related fields
• Minimum 5 years of experience in clinical research or pharmaceutical industry with experience directly interacting with or working with HCPs and clinical sites
• Minimum 2 years of relevant clinical or therapeutic area experience in Oncology
• Qualified candidates must be legally authorized to be employed in the United States. Lilly does not anticipate providing sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g. H-1B or TN status) for this employment position
• Currently reside in or be willing to relocate to our designated region (Florida)
• Advanced degree in a scientific or clinical field (PharmD, PhD, MD, or MSc preferred)
• Excellent understanding of GCP, clinical development and operations, and trial lifecycle
• Demonstrated understanding of the therapeutic landscape and standards of care, with the ability to apply this knowledge to decision making
• Proven ability to build credibility and influence HCP community through scientific acumen and relationship strength
• Strategic approach with demonstrated success in delivering results in complex, fast-paced environments
• Data-driven decision-making skills; ability to interpret and act on performance and operational metrics
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and organizational skills
• Deep therapeutic area knowledge and familiarity with local clinical research ecosystems
• Experience directly influencing clinical site performance and driving enrollment success
• Track record of delivering or exceeding performance targets in a collaborative matrix environment
• Experience working with regulators or national bodies in support of clinical trial delivery
• English fluency and proficiency in local language(s) as needed.

Benefits:

• eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k)
• pension
• 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)

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