Senior Director, Investigator Grants

Job Summary:

The Senior Director, Global Investigator Grants is the senior leader accountable for the strategy, governance, and performance of Precision's global investigator grants and site payment organization. Reporting directly to the VP, Operational Finance, this role leads the Global Investigator Grants team across all regions, ensuring investigator payments, prepaid fund management, forecasting, accruals, and reconciliations are delivered accurately, on time, and in compliance with Clinical Trial Agreements (CTAs), sponsor contracts, and applicable regulations.

The Senior Director leads the integration of acquired and partner site networks into Precision's investigator grants operating model and is accountable for the overall integration of the site payment process within the Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS). As a partner to Clinical Operations, Project Management, Site Contracts, Finance, Information Technology, and sponsors, the role builds scalable processes, strong financial controls, and a sponsor experience grounded in transparency, predictability, and audit readiness.

Main Responsibilities:

• Lead the Global Investigator Grants organization across all regions, setting the strategic vision, operating model, and multi-year roadmap in alignment with Operational Finance and Clinical Solutions objectives.
• Lead, develop, and retain a global team of an Associate Director, managers, financial analysts – grants and investigator grants associates, including workforce planning and resource allocation to support portfolio growth.
• Lead the integration of acquired and partner site networks into Precision's investigator grants model, including assessment of existing site payment practices, harmonization of processes, systems, and controls, transition of open site payment obligations and prepaid balances, and post-integration performance monitoring.
• Serve as the accountable owner for the overall integration of the site payment process within the CTMS, including requirements definition, configuration, data migration, validation, user acceptance testing, go-live readiness, user adoption, and ongoing optimization in partnership with Information Technology, Business Systems, Clinical Operations, and Finance.
• Establish global governance, policies, SOPs, and financial controls for investigator payments, prepaid fund management, accruals, reconciliations, aggregate spend and transparency reporting (e.g., Sunshine Act), and study closeout to ensure audit and inspection readiness.
• Provide oversight of investigator grant budgets, forecasting, and accruals across the portfolio, including grant budget impacts within change orders, and report on performance, risks, and prepaid fund positions to the VP, Operational Finance and senior leadership.
• Serve as the senior escalation point and trusted advisor to sponsors, site networks, and internal leadership on complex grant administration, site payment, contractual, and compliance matters, and participate in executive sponsor meetings and Quarterly Business Reviews.
• Partner with Business Development, Proposals, and Contracts to shape investigator grant and site payment strategy within proposals, bid defenses, and contract terms, including advance and prepaid funding structures and fair market value approach.
• Define and monitor global KPIs, service levels, and executive dashboards (e.g., payment cycle times, prepaid fund coverage, forecast accuracy, site satisfaction), and drive continuous improvement, automation, and organizational change management.

Qualifications:

Minimum Education & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of 18 years of progressive experience in investigator grants, site payments, or clinical trial finance within a CRO, pharmaceutical, or biotechnology environment, including at least 10 years leading global teams through managers and directors.
• Demonstrated experience leading a clinical systems implementation (CTMS or site payment platform) and/or the integration of acquired operations.

Preferred Education & Experience (optional):

• MBA, PMP, or equivalent advanced degree or professional certification preferred.
• Experience integrating site networks or acquired businesses into a global operating model required.
• Hands-on experience with Veeva Vault Clinical (CTMS and Clinical Finance), Medidata Rave Grants Manager, and ERP/PSA platforms.

Knowledge, Skills and Competencies: 

• Executive Leadership and Vision – Sets strategy and leads a global function through managers and directors, aligning investigator grants operations with Operational Finance, Clinical Solutions, and corporate growth objectives.
• Integration Leadership – Proven ability to assess, plan, and execute the integration of site networks or acquired operations, harmonizing processes, systems, data, and controls with minimal disruption to sites and sponsors.
• Clinical Systems Transformation – Deep expertise leading CTMS and site payment system implementations, including requirements, configuration, data migration, validation, and adoption.
• Global Investigator Grants Expertise – Expert knowledge of CTAs, site budgets, fair market value, payment triggers, prepaid funds, multi-currency payments, and country-specific tax and regulatory requirements.
• Financial Acumen – Strong command of forecasting, accruals, pass-through cost management, change order impacts, and cash management across a global portfolio.
• Governance, Compliance and Risk Management – Builds and sustains robust financial controls, SOPs, and audit-ready processes, including aggregate spend and transparency reporting obligations.
• People Leadership and Talent Development – Develops leaders, builds succession, and fosters a culture of accountability, collaboration, and operational excellence across geographies.
• Sponsor and Stakeholder Influence – Establishes trusted executive relationships with sponsors, site networks, and cross-functional leaders, and influences outcomes without direct authority.
• Change Management and Continuous Improvement – Leads organizational change, process standardization, and automation initiatives that deliver measurable gains in quality, efficiency, and scalability.
• Advanced Communication Skills – Listens for understanding, asking clarifying questions and confirming perspectives before responding, to fully grasp sponsor, site, and stakeholder needs. Communicates clearly and concisely with executive leadership, sponsors, and global teams, translating complex financial and operational information into decision-ready insights.
• High Emotional Intelligence (EQ) – Demonstrates strong self-awareness, empathy, and composure, building trust across cultures and functions, navigating sensitive sponsor and site conversations with diplomacy, and leading teams through change with resilience and sound judgment.

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