Associate Director for Clinical Trial Operations and Workforce Development

About the role

The Associate Director for Clinical Trial Operations and Workforce Development provides strategic and operational leadership for clinical trial activities within the Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW). This position oversees the CTSI Clinical Trials Office and the Adult Translational Research Unit (A-TRU), ensuring excellence in clinical research operations, compliance, and staff development. The incumbent will build and lead systems that promote transparency, accountability, and efficiency in clinical research conduct. They will collaborate with institutional and national partners to advance MCW’s clinical research enterprise by reducing trial activation times, enhancing operational quality, and ensuring alignment with NIH and MCW policies.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic direction and operational leadership for the CTSI Clinical Trials Office and Adult Translational Research Unit.
• Supervise clinical trial operations staff, ensuring alignment with MCW’s mission, policies, and NIH guidelines.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, and accountability in clinical trial operations.
• Ensure high-quality, compliant, and efficient conduct of clinical trials across MCW research sites.
• Oversee adherence to institutional, NIH, FDA, and other regulatory requirements related to human subjects research.
• Develop and implement SOPs, quality metrics, and monitoring processes to promote compliance and operational integrity.
• Lead the design and implementation of CTSI training and credentialing programs for clinical research staff across the consortium.
• Career development and advancement of clinical research staff.
• Develop and disseminate educational materials and resources to support staff competency and professional growth.
• Establish systems for continuous learning, best practice sharing, and workforce development across clinical research teams.
• Design and maintain systems to measure, report, and optimize clinical trial performance.
• Develop dashboards and analytical tools to track trial activation, enrollment, and compliance metrics.
• Implement transparent reporting mechanisms to inform leadership decision-making and resource allocation.
• Provide financial oversight for the CTSI Clinical Trials Office and A-TRU.
• Ensure efficient resource utilization, budget management, and cost recovery across operational areas.
• Collaborate with institutional finance partners to support sustainable growth and operational efficiency.
• Persistently engage with key institutional stakeholders—including investigators, department leaders, and compliance offices—to strengthen clinical trial infrastructure.
• Represent MCW and the CTSI in local and national discussions on clinical trial management and translational research best practices.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in clinical research operations, with leadership responsibility in a complex academic or health system environment.
• Appropriate experience may be substituted on an equivalent basis.
• Master’s degree in a related field preferred (e.g., Health Administration, Clinical Research, or equivalent).

Benefits

• Outstanding Healthcare Coverage, including but not limited to Health, Vision, and Dental.
• Flexible Spending options
• 403B Retirement Package
• Competitive Vacation and Paid Holidays offered
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Paid Parental Leave
• Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP)
• Pet Insurance
• On campus Fitness Facility, offering onsite classes
• Additional discounted rates on items such as: Select cell phone plans, local fitness facilities, Milwaukee recreation and entertainment etc.