Director/Senior Director, Clinical Research Volunteer/Participant Recruitment & Engagement

Job Overview

The Director/Senior Director, Participant Recruitment & Engagement is responsible for the strategic leadership, development, and execution of participant recruitment, engagement, and retention initiatives that support clinical trial enrollment objectives across Clinical Pharmacology Services. This role combines expertise in participant recruitment operations, marketing strategy, communications, analytics, and technology to build scalable and effective participant acquisition and engagement programs.

The position will lead the development of data-driven recruitment and marketing strategies designed to attract, engage, convert, and retain diverse participant populations while enhancing the participant experience. Working closely with Clinical Operations, Site Leadership, Commercial, Technology, Communications, and external partners, this leader will optimize recruitment channels, digital marketing efforts, participant outreach programs, and engagement platforms to support study delivery and business growth.

Summary of Responsibilities

Participant Recruitment & Marketing Strategy

• Develop and execute an integrated participant recruitment and engagement strategy to support enrollment goals across clinical studies.
• Lead the creation and optimization of multi-channel participant acquisition campaigns, including digital marketing, social media, referral programs, community outreach, database re‑engagement, and strategic partnerships.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to develop participant‑centric marketing initiatives that increase awareness, engagement, and conversion.
• Ensure recruitment strategies are tailored to target participant populations and aligned with protocol requirements and site capacity needs.
• Establish best practices for participant communications, brand messaging, and recruitment campaign execution.

Participant Engagement & Experience

• Develop participant engagement and retention strategies that improve conversion rates, participant satisfaction, and study completion rates.
• Drive initiatives focused on enhancing the overall participant journey from initial inquiry through study completion.
• Leverage participant feedback and recruitment analytics to identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Champion participant‑focused approaches that increase engagement, trust, and long‑term participation in clinical research.
• Utilize recruitment technologies, CRM platforms, marketing automation tools, and analytics dashboards to monitor recruitment effectiveness and participant engagement.
• Analyze key performance indicators, including lead generation, conversion rates, enrollment metrics, retention metrics, cost‑per‑enrollment, and campaign ROI.
• Identify trends, gaps, and opportunities to improve participant acquisition and retention performance.
• Evaluate and implement innovative recruitment technologies and marketing solutions to strengthen participant outreach and engagement efforts.

Study Delivery

• Continually scan the environment for best‑in‑class solutions to improve participant recruitment and create novel capabilities and processes to implement these solutions.
• Ensure participant recruitment & retention services, capabilities and solutions are optimally deployed.
• Develop and ensure implementation of best‑in‑class strategies for clients in order to meet or exceed recruitment goals.
• Ensure strategies leverage best in industry capabilities that are tailored to specific study needs.
• Build and oversee staff (as applicable) that are responsible for executing and managing participant recruitment activities for Clinical Studies with a focus on time, budget, quality, and metrics.
• Employ a lessons‑learned philosophy which is supported by analytics, innovative patient strategies to develop future recommendations for this Centre of Excellence.

Relationships

• Partner with service providers and build robust service offerings and mutually beneficial relationships.
• Stakeholder management, vendors, advocacy groups and networks, internal collaborations.
• Support strategic marketing strategies to promote a participant‑centric service offering.
• Act as a spokesperson for the Feasibility, Recruitment and Engagement function.
• Proven ability to provide leadership and strategic direction as a subject‑matter expert in the participant relations environment.

Resource

• Recruit, train, and manage talent by developing goals and objectives aligned with Fortrea's strategic vision and mission ensuring high standards of quality and performance.

People Responsibilities

• Build, lead, and scale a high‑performing team, including leaders of leaders, aligned to Fortrea's strategic priorities.
• Define and execute a talent strategy including workforce planning, succession planning, and leadership pipeline development.
• Model Fortrea leadership behaviors by optimizing enterprise outcomes, fostering cross‑functional collaboration, and developing teams that deliver sustainable results.
• All other duties as needed or assigned.

Qualifications (Minimum Required)

• University/College Degree (preferably post‑graduate and life sciences) or certification in a related allied health profession (e.g., nursing, medical or laboratory technology) from an appropriately accredited institution or equivalent education and experience.
• Fortrea may consider relevant and equivalent experience in lieu of educational requirements.
• Broad knowledge and understanding of global drug development and the clinical trial project management process, with a special emphasis on patient recruitment and retention.
• Thorough and practical working knowledge of ICH‑GCP Guidelines, including relevant international requirements/guidelines for the conduct of global clinical development programs.
• An understanding of aspects surrounding business development (time and cost estimates, bid defense, contracts).
• Proven ability to understand and communicate corporate policies.
• Thorough knowledge of time and cost estimate development and pricing strategies.

Experience (Minimum Required)

• Demonstrated experience in participant recruitment, healthcare marketing, consumer marketing, patient engagement, clinical trial recruitment, or related fields.
• Experience designing and executing digital marketing, demand generation, customer acquisition, or participant engagement campaigns.
• Strong understanding of participant acquisition funnels, conversion metrics, campaign analytics, and audience segmentation.

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