Senior Director - Clinical Research _ Office of Associate Vice Chancellor for Research

Job Summary

Leads and oversees the clinical trials operations at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC). This role is responsible for providing strategic direction, operational leadership, and centralized oversight of clinical research activities. Serves as a key resource for faculty, staff, and institutional leadership, promoting and supporting clinical research efforts while ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and institutional priorities. Works collaboratively across departments to enhance efficiency, strengthen research capabilities, and facilitate high-quality clinical trial execution.

Educational & Experience Requirements

• Bachelor's degree and seven (7) years of work experience in clinical research operations, regulatory compliance, or clinical trials management, including two (2) years of experience in a supervisory role.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• Society of Clinical Research Associates (SoCRA) Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP) preferred.
• Professional level clinical research experience in an academic medical center preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree.
• Society of Clinical Research Associates (SoCRA) Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP).
• Professional level clinical research experience in an academic medical center.

Responsibilities

• Evaluates current clinical trials practices, sets a vision based on findings, and communicates vision to relevant stakeholders.
• Works with Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor (OAVCR) Directors to ensure compliance with applicable regulations; provides leadership in identifying and implementing corrective actions/processes.
• Plans and implements program operations, identifies and develops centralized governance, processes and/or guidelines, coordinates program activities and timelines.
• Affords communication and training needs, develops and implements any applicable communication, education, training, on-boarding and/or mentorship needs.
• Provides Clinical Trials updates, including trial status/metrics, budget, accomplishments and risks to research leadership and other relevant stakeholders.
• Collaborates with internal and external key collaborators including departments, leaders across the organization, representatives from external agencies/organizations to provide mentorship, resolve issues, grow clinical trials, and/or implement processes and/or solutions.
• Identifies growth opportunities and further efficiencies that impact the program and/or departments success and aids in development of strategic plans to achieve objectives.
• Ability to run meetings, set agendas, create action items and set priorities for clinical trials stakeholders in order to move overall research mission forward.
• In conjunction with leadership, responsible for planning, monitoring, and leading program fiscal budgets and financials, and resolves or advances issues.

Physical & Environmental Demands

• Occasional handling or working with potentially dangerous equipment.
• Exposure to biohazardous conditions such as risk of radiation exposure, blood borne pathogens, fumes or airborne particles, and/or toxic or caustic chemicals which mandate attention to safety considerations.
• Frequent travelling to offsite locations.
• Occasional activities subject to significant volume changes of a seasonal/clinical nature.
• Constant work produced subject to precise measures of quantity and quality.
• Occasional bending.
• Occasional lifting and carrying up to 10 pounds.
• Occasional crouching/stooping.
• Occasional driving.
• Occasional kneeling.
• Occasional pushing/pulling.
• Occasional reaching.
• Constant sitting.
• Frequent standing.
• Occasional twisting.
• Frequent walking.