Senior Director, Clinical Operations - Innovative Pharmaceutical Company - Fully Remote in the UK
About the Role
Planet Pharma are seeking an experienced and strategic Senior Director of Clinical Operations to provide leadership and oversight across a global portfolio of complex clinical studies within Neurology and related therapeutic areas. This is a high-impact leadership position with responsibility for driving operational excellence, overseeing study execution, and partnering closely with cross-functional teams to support the development of innovative therapies based on cutting-edge scientific research.
Reporting into senior clinical leadership, this role will play a key part in shaping and leading clinical operations activities across Europe while contributing to the successful delivery of global development programs.
Key Responsibilities
* Provide strategic and operational leadership for global clinical development programs, ensuring studies are delivered on time, within budget, and in compliance with regulatory requirements and quality standards.
* Lead the operational execution of complex, multinational clinical trials across multiple regions, including Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America.
* Oversee and manage Clinical Project Managers, study leaders, and external contractors responsible for day-to-day study delivery.
* Drive performance and accountability of Contract Research Organizations (CROs) and external vendors through effective oversight, governance, and partnership management.
* Collaborate closely with Clinical Development, Medical, Regulatory, Biostatistics, Data Management, and other cross-functional stakeholders throughout the study lifecycle.
* Contribute to study design and operational planning, including protocol development, feasibility assessments, risk management, and execution strategies.
* Establish and implement operational best practices, processes, and governance frameworks to enhance study performance and quality.
* Monitor study progress through key performance indicators and proactively identify and mitigate operational risks.
* Support inspection readiness and ensure adherence to ICH-GCP, regulatory requirements, and company SOPs.
* Provide leadership, mentoring, and development support to internal teams and external study leadership resources.
Required Experience
* Significant clinical operations leadership experience within the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry.
* Demonstrated experience leading global, complex clinical development programs, ideally within Neurology or other highly specialized therapeutic areas.
* Strong understanding of all phases of clinical development, with experience managing multinational studies across multiple regions.
* Proven track record of overseeing CROs and external service providers while driving high levels of performance and accountability.
* Experience working closely with Clinical Development and Medical teams on study design, protocol development, and operational strategy.
* Extensive experience managing Clinical Project Managers, study leaders, contractors, and cross-functional teams.
* Strong leadership and people management skills, including direct line management, coaching, and team development.
* Deep knowledge of ICH-GCP guidelines, regulatory requirements, and clinical trial governance.
* Ability to operate effectively within a fast-paced, global environment and manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
Preferred Background
* Neurology clinical development experience, including oversight of complex global studies.
* Experience leading programs across multiple geographies, including Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America.
* Track record of managing large-scale vendor and outsourcing models.
* Experience contributing to organizational growth, operational transformation, and strategic planning initiatives.
What You'll Bring
* Strategic mindset combined with strong operational execution capabilities.
* Ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive decision-making across global teams.
* Passion for advancing innovative therapies and improving patient outcomes.
* Collaborative leadership style with a focus on excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Location
United Kingdom (remote-based), with international travel as required. The successful candidate will work closely with global stakeholders and clinical teams across multiple regions.
Ready to join a high-impact team driving digital transformation?
About Planet Pharma:
Planet Pharma is an American parented Employment Business/Agency that provides global staffing services with its head-quarters in Chicago and our EMEA regional office located in Central London. We have invested significantly in creating a robust international platform that enables us to work compliantly in 30+ countries with a current network of 2500+ active contractors globally as well as a very strong permanent / direct hire recruitment offering.
Our specialist knowledge and close relationships with our clients and the wider industry really makes us unique in our field. Just recently we were recognised by FORBES as the 17th best professional staffing firm, and have won multiple awards from industry accredited bodies for our commitment to excellence and service delivery. We have extensive functional expertise including: Regulatory Affairs, Pharmacovigilance, QA, QC, Submissions experts, Clinical development, Quality, Biostatistics, and Medical Affairs / Writing.
We are an equal opportunities Recruitment Business and Agency. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.
www.planet-pharma.com
Please click ‘apply’ or contact Augustus Chukwuma (Recruitment Team Manager) at Planet Pharma for more information:
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