Canning Thoracic Institute Program Director-Translational Research Unit (TRU)

About the role

The Program Director of the Translational Research Unit (TRU) at the Canning Thoracic Institute (CTI) is a pivotal leadership role responsible for overseeing clinical trial strategy, research infrastructure, quality, and financial management of clinical and translational studies. This role involves managing a diverse team, ensuring regulatory compliance, fostering stakeholder relationships, and leading clinical technology development and innovations. The Director will also oversee sponsored projects, manage industry partnerships, and collaborate with the Northwestern Medicine Ventures and Innovations team. Key responsibilities include strategic planning, financial management, operational logistics, stakeholder engagement, data coordination, and cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership to an assigned portfolio of projects/initiatives through active engagement of NM Executives and all stakeholders
• Lead activities including project proposal/charter definition, budget development, resource allocation, management, information distribution, and meeting facilitation
• Provide proactive, clear, concise, and timely communications regarding status of all initiatives and overall performance reporting among team members, NM Executives, and vendor partners
• Facilitate continuous exchange of ideas, information, and developments
• Demonstrate knowledge of operational, program, and project goals: recommend solutions that add value, strengthen project or operational outcomes, exhibit understanding of Sponsor or user needs
• Achieve results: accountable for delivering projects and operational initiatives on-time and on-budget including successful execution/activation, closeout, and stabilization that meet stated Sponsor and stakeholder outcomes
• Lead in organizational development and enhancement of management competence
• Develop educational, coaching, and mentoring programs necessary to support the evolution as an execution-centered organization
• Set explicit priorities, establish effective action plans, and anticipate obstacles and alternatives for challenging but realistic work goals
• Demonstrate ability to direct and mobilize an organization by strategic thinking, decisiveness, enthusiasm, competence, and integrity
• Demonstrate ability to deal with changing environment and to lead/facilitate and manage change efficiently and effectively where appropriate
• Maintain unquestionable integrity, credibility, and character with demonstrated high moral, ethical behavior

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree and minimum 8–10 years industry experience, or Master's degree and minimum 3 years experience
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project
• Demonstrated project management and organizational skills
• Demonstrated analysis and problem-solving skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to effectively establish and maintain working relationships with peers and constituents at all levels of the organization
• Excellent capability to lead projects with budgets in excess of $1,000,000
• Demonstrated strong leadership capabilities
• Strong skills in working with and negotiating with external vendors

Preferred

• Master's degree in related field

Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Detailed benefits information is available at https://jobs.nm.org/benefits. Please refer to the Benefits Eligibility by Employment Classification to determine benefits eligibility for job postings.