Associate Director, Therapeutic Development
About the role
Provide scientific leadership and operational oversight for early-phase Therapeutic Development programs. This role manages Clinical Program Scientists and is responsible for driving program execution, ensuring scientific rigor, and supporting the development and advancement of research strategies aligned to SCRI research priorities.
Responsibilities
- Program & Scientific Leadership
- Provide oversight and direction for Therapeutic Development programs, with a focus on early-phase (Phase I/Ib) clinical research initiatives
- Guide scientific strategy in partnership with Physician Leaders, ensuring programs align with disease strategy and pipeline priorities
- Review and provide input on: Clinical development plans (CDPs), Study feasibility and evaluation, Protocol-related scientific considerations
- Lead program-level discussions and contribute to decision-making across study prioritization, pipeline gaps, and research opportunities
- Team Leadership
- Directly manage and develop a team of Clinical Program Scientists (CPS)
- Prioritize coaching, workload distribution, and performance management
- Partner with leadership on hiring, onboarding, and ongoing development of CPS team members
- Serve as the primary escalation point for scientific/program-related challenges
- Program Execution & Oversight
- Oversee execution of key program activities led by CPS team, including: Study evaluation workflows and tracking, Scientific materials (slide decks, summaries, literature reviews)
- Ensure consistency, accuracy, and quality across all scientific deliverables
- Identify gaps in processes and implement improvements to optimize efficiency and program outcomes
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner with: Clinical Operations Lead, Management/Study Activation, Business Development / Sponsors, Physician Program Leaders
- Develop innovations and facilitate communication across stakeholders to ensure alignment on program goals and study priorities
- Represent Therapeutic Development in internal and external discussions as needed
- Strategic & Operational Contributions
- Support development of early-phase pipeline strategy and trial positioning
- Contribute to internal planning discussions related to: Site capabilities, Study gaps and opportunities, Competitive landscape
- Provide updates to leadership on program progress, risks, and performance
Qualifications
- Master's Degree required; PhD preferred
- 7+ years of experience working in a scientific capacity within clinical research
- People leadership and team development experience required
- Strong understanding of oncology drug development, particularly early-phase trials
- Knowledge of clinical research processes (Phase I–III), with emphasis on study design and feasibility
- Ability to interpret and apply scientific literature to program strategy
- Strategic thinking with operational follow-through
- Strong communication and stakeholder management
- Ability to manage multiple programs in a fast-paced environment
- Balance scientific rigor with execution needs
- Influence without direct authority across functions
- Adapt quickly to evolving program priorities
Benefits
This is a remote position based in the United States. Preference will be given to candidates located in the Nashville, TN area or those able to commute to our Nashville home office one day per week.
Relocation and visa sponsorship are not available.
Interested candidates should submit their application through https://www.scri.com/careers/. Applications will be accepted through July 6th, 2026. Please ensure all required materials are included as outlined in the posting.