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Director for Clinical Research

How to Apply

A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.

Job Summary

The Medical School Office of Research is seeking an experienced, visionary leader to join the team as the Director for Clinical Research. This position leads Office of Research units in developing and providing best-in-class support and infrastructure for the conduct of clinical research at Michigan Medicine and throughout the U-M community. The Director reports to the Senior Director for Research and functionally reports to the Associate Dean for Clinical & Translational Research and, where relevant, the Assistant Dean for Clinical Research. Together, they are responsible for promoting the vision for the clinical trial enterprise and providing strategic and operational leadership of clinical trials at the Medical School.

As a senior administrative leader, the Director for Clinical Research leads a cross-functional team of experienced unit directors who oversee operations of the Clinical Trials Support Office (CTSO), the Michigan Clinical Research Unit (MCRU), Calendar Review & Analysis Office (CRAO), and Institutional Review Boards for the Medical School (IRBMED). Additionally, they will partner closely with multiple units across the University and Michigan Medicine that impact clinical research, such as Investigational Drug Service and Revenue Cycle Research Billing.

The Director sets the overall team and unit objectives consistent with the vision of the Medical School and Michigan Medicine. As a member of the Office of Research staff leadership team, the Director promotes the broader Medical School research agenda and guides strategic planning and implementation of a range of initiatives.

What You'll Do

We are looking for a dynamic leader and forward-looking administrator with a passion for clinical research, customer service, and operational excellence. An ideal candidate is energized by cultivating, developing, and leading a team of professional staff and supporting a work climate that elicits a high level of team engagement. A skilled communicator, the candidate builds trusting relationships and a strong team culture based on mutual respect, where s/he fosters learning from different perspectives and roles. As an expert in the management of clinical research, with astute business and operational acumen, the candidate advises on organizational, technical, and policy-oriented issues. The candidate is both data and people driven, able to analyze, compare, and evaluate various courses of action and drive decisions while taking into consideration the impact on people. The candidate is driven to promote research discoveries that improve health for patients at U-M and across the state.

Leadership Competencies:

+ Collaborates to create a shared vision, effectively communicates the vision, and inspires stakeholders to build consensus

+ Collaborates and builds relationships with appropriate stakeholders and models respect, recognition, and collaboration

+ Creates value for a multifaceted community, fosters a climate of service excellence, supports a work environment that is welcoming to all, and elicits a high level of team engagement.

+ Leads innovation and change through the application of lean thinking philosophy, tools, and techniques to increase operational efficiencies

+ Coaches and develops others and provides professional development support. Develops talent with both the individual and organizational needs in mind

+ Develops and role models accountability, responsibility, and engagement. Provides the team with strategic direction, prioritization, and support to achieve results

+ Adapts oneself in a complex environment, adjusts as required, and always engages in self-reflection, continual learning, and growth

+ Acts with courage and confidence to encourage creative thinking, seize opportunities, demonstrate personal conviction, and convey an optimistic outlook

Who We Are

As a premier, research-intensive academic medical center, the University of Michigan Medical School is world renowned with more than $800 million in external research funding. The Medical School Office of Research proudly supports our internationally recognized investigators in their pursuit of innovative science to improve the health of our patients, the wellbeing of Michiganders, and the direct impact our teams have on many fields that rely on clinical research.

The ultimate objective of Michigan Medicine's research strategic plan,Great Minds, Greater Discoveries, is to increase faculty competitiveness and ability to pursue major scientific questions in a rich and expansive environment that leads to discoveries of new preventions, treatments, and cures. Advancing clinical research is one of the five key strategies to achieve this objective. Michigan Medicine has made substantial investments in the last decade to grow clinical research infrastructure, supporting over 1,800 clinical trials and 6,000 IRB-approved studies.

Responsibilities*

+ Partner with Medical School Research Deans and directors to create and communicate a shared vision and shape strategic plans that ensure overall institutional research support and alignment with customer needs. Execute on institutional goals through a clear understanding of the vision, budgets, timelines, metrics, and deliverables.

+ Oversee the activities and directly manage the CTSO, CRAO, and IRBMED unit directors, including overall accountability for the fiscal, personnel, operational, and administrative activities of the units and programs that roll up to this role. Develops and implements short and long-range goals and objectives.

+ Build relationships and work with others at all levels of the organization to resolve complex issues, facilitate continuous improvement, and drive change management across clinical research workstreams and structures. This includes proactive collaborations within the Office of Research, with partners across campus, and with statewide clinical affiliates in the U-M Health network to advance clinical research goals.

+ Monitor and analyze the clinical research landscape and industry trends to maintain Michigan Medicine and faculty competitiveness.

+ Represent the institution externally, working with peer institutions and others at the national level to stay abreast of the ever-changing clinical research landscape.

+ Represent and respond to matters, including interactions with senior Michigan Medicine officials, faculty members, research teams, departmental leaders and staff, and outside agencies that impact our clinical research operations.

+ Serve on university-wide committees and task forces, as needed, to advance the clinical research mission.

+ Participate in the executive leadership, oversight, and management of the Clinical Research Coordinator Career Ladder and policies that apply.

+ Prepare executive level reports, proposals, presentations, briefings, and responses on institutional and strategic issues.

+ Promote a positive working environment for all members of our community.

Required Qualifications*

+ Bachelor's degree in business, healthcare administration, science, research, or a related field.

+ A minimum of seven years of experience in clinical research and supporting clinical research administration and operations

+ Significant senior management experience with increasing responsibility.

+ Applied experience implementing change management and continual improvement of operations at an enterprise or large-scale level.

+ Experience leading in a complex organization, building cross-unit partnerships, and gaining support and commitment.

+ Experience making and communicating strategic decisions, exercising independent judgment, handling complex situations, balancing competing priorities, and successfully driving a strategic vision.

+ Experience serving a client base and application of a customer-oriented mindset.

+ Passion for supporting a positive and collaborative workplace environment.

Desired Qualifications*

+ Experience promoting a culture of accountability, providing teams with strategic direction, prioritization, and support to achieve results.

+ Experience in project management and developing and implementing policies and procedures.

+ Expert knowledge of federal, state, and local regulations, policies, and guidance and their direct application to the clinical research environment

+ Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about thework modes (https://hr.umich.edu/working-u-m/my-employment/ways-we-work-resource-center/ways-we-work-implementation-group/modes-work) .

Background Screening

Michigan Medicine conducts background screening and pre-employment drug testing on job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent job offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background screenings. Background screenings are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Report Act. Pre-employment drug testing applies to all selected candidates, including new or additional faculty and staff appointments, as well as transfers from other U-M campuses.

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.

Job Detail

Job Opening ID

272892

Working Title

Director for Clinical Research

Job Title

Clinical Research Director

Work Location

Ann Arbor Campus

Ann Arbor, MI

Modes of Work

Hybrid

Full/Part Time

Full-Time

Regular/Temporary

Regular

FLSA Status

Exempt

Organizational Group

Medical School

Department

MM Office of Research

Posting Begin/End Date

1/15/2026 - 2/19/2026

Career Interest

Research