Associate Director, Clinical Operations

Associate Director, Clinical Operations

BD is one of the largest global medical technology companies in the world. Advancing the world of health™ is our Purpose, and it's no small feat. It takes the imagination and passion of all of us—from design and engineering to the manufacturing and marketing of our billions of MedTech products per year—to look at the impossible and find transformative solutions that turn dreams into possibilities.

The Associate Director, Clinical Operations is responsible for supporting BD's business objectives by overseeing the delivery of high quality and compliant clinical operations activities for all clinical studies sponsored by the BD Peripheral Intervention Business Unit. The Associate Director, Clinical Operations is also responsible for direct and/or indirect management and development of the Clinical Operations Team, including Site Management & Monitoring, Clinical Safety Management and Clinical Field staff. In partnership with the team managers for Site Management & Monitoring, Clinical Safety Management and Clinical Field, the Associate Director, Clinical Operations will oversee organizational planning, resource allocation and team development. The Associate Director, Clinical Operations will also act as a subject matter expert and team resource for BD global clinical procedures, templates and systems and will leverage this expertise to lead and/or support process improvement initiatives where needed.

This job description is intended as a summary of the primary responsibilities of and qualifications for this position. The job description is not intended as inclusive of all duties an individual in this position might be asked to perform or of all qualifications that may be required either now or in the future.

Job Responsibilities:

• Perform direct functional line management for the Site Management & Monitoring team manager(s), Clinical Safety Management team manager(s), Clinical Field team manager(s) and other Clinical Operations staff (as needed), including but not limited to, hiring, training/mentoring, resource allocation/assignments, performance and compliance assessments/reviews, recommending salaries and promotions, and implementing performance improvement plans and remedial actions, as needed.
• Plan and coordinate departmental resources for clinical operations activities.
• Oversee the allocation of clinical operations resources to ensure proper workload distribution and resources for ongoing projects and initiatives.
• Oversee the procurement and management of external clinical operations resources (e.g., consultants, CROs, etc.), as necessary, in support of business needs.
• Develop and oversee metrics reporting as needed for clinical operations activities to ensure that clinical operations staff meet or exceed project and functional timelines and deliverables. Provide regular and ad hoc reporting of metrics to Clinical Affairs leadership.
• Provide guidance, manage training assignments, identify training opportunities and work with managers to determine readiness of clinical operations staff to complete functional responsibilities.
• Conduct, attend, or support training and observational visits, as needed, to evaluate internal & external clinical operations staff.
• Oversee the quality and consistency of clinical operations team activities for all business unit projects ensuring that they meet the highest standards for scientific quality, integrity and ethics and are conducted in accordance with BD global clinical procedures, study protocols, GCP and all applicable regulations.
• Review study-specific clinical operations team documents & deliverables, as needed, to ensure operational excellence and consistency.
• Provide feedback on other clinical study documents, as needed, and serve as a resource for the department to facilitate a deeper understanding of clinical operations related procedures.
• Provide critical thinking and leadership support for issue escalation related to clinical operations activities. Interact with investigational sites, vendors, and other functional areas for issues, as needed. Proactively identify issues and create mitigation strategies in collaboration with clinical operations team managers and leadership.
• Coach and ensure successful relationships between clinical operations staff, investigational site staff and cross-functional study teams.
• Effectively communicate status updates for clinical operations activities to business unit, Global Clinical Affairs and Global Medical Affairs leadership teams.
• Provide strategic direction as a subject matter expert in the assessment of relevant new technologies and global clinical procedures, as applicable.
• Support continuous improvement activities/initiatives and sharing of best practices, including development of tools and resources for clinical operations activities.
• Provide support and allocate resources for internal or external audits/inspections and ensure resolution of audit/inspection findings related to clinical operations activities and staff.
• Review/approve expenses for clinical operations staff, as needed, and ensure compliance with company policies.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree (BS/BA) in life sciences (MA/MS preferred)
• 7+ years of experience in clinical research (medical device, pharmaceutical and/or biotechnology)
• 5+ years of experience in managing clinical projects and/or clinical operational activities involving site management & monitoring, clinical safety and clinical field support
• 3+ years of experience with direct people management (10-15 people)

Required Qualifications:

• Excellent working knowledge of domestic and international clinical research regulations and guidelines, Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and current industry practices related to the conduct of clinical studies
• Proficiency with Microsoft Suite tools (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, To-Do, SharePoint, etc.)
• Advanced knowledge of clinical study processes and systems (eTMF, CTMS and CDMS)
• Excellent interpersonal and communication (oral and written) skills
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, critical thinking and analytical skills
• Able to manage and delegate multiple tasks and prioritize importance of tasks/projects
• Ability to lead teams to translate issues into actions, make decisions and influence outcomes
• Ability to travel up to 25% (or more during peak times)

Preferred Qualifications:

• MA/MS preferred in life sciences
• Experience with medical device studies (strongly preferred)
• Prior experience with clinical studies related to peripheral vascular diseases, end-stage kidney disease and/or oncology
• Proficiency with Veeva Vault Clinical Suite (CTMS, CDMS and eTMF)
• Professional certification through one or more relevant associations (e.g., ACRP, SOCRA, etc.)

Why Join Us?

To find purpose in the possibilities, we need people who can see the bigger picture, who understand the human story that underpins everything we do. We welcome people with the imagination and drive to help us reinvent the future of healthcare. At BD, you'll discover a culture in which you can learn, grow and thrive.

We believe that when people connect in person, we learn faster, collaborate more deeply, and build a stronger culture. Join us and enjoy a culture where face-to-face collaboration supports your learning, your progress, and your success.

To learn more about BD visit

Becton, Dickinson, and Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, marital or domestic or civil union status, familial status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, disability, military eligibility or veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.

Primary Work Location

USA AZ - Tempe Headquarters

Additional Locations

Work Shift