Job Description

Associate Director, Global Trial Manager / Associate Principal Scientist

Please note that this role requires working during US business hours and residence in the area of Madrid.

An amazing opportunity has arisen for an Associate Director, Global Trial Manager / Associate Principal Scientist to join our Global Program and Trial Management team within Global Clinical Trial Operations. This position will be responsible for leading the operational planning, strategy, and execution of one or more clinical trials, or significant aspects of clinical trials, with limited supervision.

In this position, you will have the opportunity to demonstrate your advanced leadership and technical skills as part of a global, cross-functional team. Reporting to a manager (to be determined), you will build and coach your team in project management, communication, and collaboration skills in support of our clinical trials.

What you will do:

Bring energy, knowledge, innovation, and leadership to carry out the following:

• Lead Trial Operations: Manage the operational planning, feasibility, execution, and conduct of complex or multiple clinical trials, ensuring overall trial-level operational readiness and clinical delivery.
• Direct Trial Execution: Serve as the Clinical Trial Team lead, owning trial-level timelines, budget, and quality while coordinating across cross-functional team members and specialty functions.
• Facilitate Strategic Alignment: Lead efficient Clinical Trial Team meetings, driving communication focused on Critical-to-Quality (CTQ) factors, risk mitigation, and proactive issue resolution.
• Govern Site & Country Strategy: Partner with Global Trial Operations on enrollment strategy, feasibility assessments, site validation, and country/site selection.
• Oversee Partners & Vendors: Manage trial-specific service providers and vendors, tracking and resolving operational issues and representing the team in service provider oversight meetings.
• Develop Talent: Build capabilities and professional development within the team by proactively coaching, mentoring, and guiding junior team members.

What skills you will need:

In order to excel in this role, you will more than likely have:

• Relevant Experience: A Bachelor's degree with 9+ years, or an Advanced degree with 6+ years of experience in pharmaceuticals, clinical drug development, or clinical trial management (Degree in life sciences preferred).
• Regulatory Expertise: Advanced knowledge of clinical research regulatory requirements, including GCP and ICH guidelines.
• Project Management Skills: Proven ability to drive trial deliverables and meet business needs (Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is preferred).
• Leadership & Influence: Strong team management skills and the ability to lead through influence, navigate high-stakes conflicts, and collaborate across global study teams.
• Analytical Capability: Advanced analytical skills to interpret operational trial performance data and translate findings into risk mitigation strategies.
• Technical & Platform Proficiency: Advanced knowledge of clinical database platforms, central monitoring/RBQM platforms, and data review tools.
• Digital & AI Champion: Experience promoting digital or AI-enabled tools, reviewing AI output, and understanding technological constraints to optimize workflow.
• Communication Excellence: Strong written and verbal communication skills to clearly convey clinical evidence and status reports to internal and external stakeholders.
• Problem Solving: Demonstrated critical thinking and proactive problem-solving abilities to resolve issues like temperature excursions or investigational product anomalies.

Why Join Us?

As a company, we are committed to keep the patient at the very heart of all that we do and strive to find solutions and treatments for some of the world’s most challenging healthcare needs. We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing diverse, talented, and committed people together. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when diverse ideas come together in an inclusive environment. So, if you are ready to… please apply today.

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Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company.  No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails. 

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