Patient Engagement Lead - Global Clinical Trial Recruitment and Retention

Patient Engagement Lead – Global Clinical Trial Recruitment and Retention

Syneos Health® is a leading fully-integrated life sciences services organization built to accelerate customer success. We partner with innovators at every point across the drug development and commercialization continuum, helping them navigate complexity, anticipate change and accelerate progress.

Our Clinical Solutions team members act with a drug development mindset, applying their years of experience and deep expertise to truly understand customer needs and represent those in the solutions we shape.

Whether you join us in a Functional Service Provider partnership or a Full-Service environment, you’ll collaborate with passionate problem solvers, innovating as a team to help our customers achieve their goals. We are agile and driven to deliver – for one another, our customers, and, most importantly, for those in need.

Discover what your 25,000 future colleagues already know:

Why Syneos Health
• We are passionate about developing our people, through career development and progression; supportive and engaged line management; technical and therapeutic area training; peer recognition and total rewards program.
• We are committed to building an inclusive culture – where you can authentically be yourself. Central to this is our purpose – Driven to Deliver – which captures the passion of our colleagues to show up each day and shape solutions that have the ability to dramatically impact someone’s life. 
• We are continuously building the company we all want to work for and our customers want to work with. Why? Because we know that when we bring together smart colleagues from across the world, we can shape the future of healthcare, driving impact for customers and defining the pace of patient progress. 

Job Responsibilities

Patient Engagement Lead – Global Clinical Trial Recruitment and Retention

Location: Remote, U.S.

Salary Range: $79,800 – $139,600

Overview

The Patient Engagement Lead is a senior-level role responsible for the end-to-end ownership of global patient recruitment and retention (R&R) strategy and execution across clinical trials. This is not a support function—this role is accountable for defining, operationalizing, and delivering recruitment strategy in partnership with sponsors.

You will lead the day-to-day execution of global enrollment strategies, ensuring performance against timelines, budgets, and quality expectations. This role requires a candidate who can step in immediately, operate autonomously, and drive results across complex, global studies.

Key Responsibilities

Full Ownership of Global Recruitment Strategy

• Own and lead the global patient recruitment and retention strategy across assigned studies from start-up through closeout

• Translate strategy into execution by driving day-to-day delivery, performance tracking, and continuous optimization

• Serve as the accountable lead for enrollment outcomes, proactively identifying risks and implementing mitigation plans

Global Program Leadership

• Lead global, multi-region recruitment programs, ensuring alignment across geographies, study teams, and solution partners

• Operate as the central point of coordination across stakeholders to ensure seamless execution and delivery

• Drive consistency and quality in strategy implementation across all regions and phases of the study

Sponsor-Facing Leadership

• Act as a primary point of contact for sponsors on all recruitment-related activities

• Provide strategic guidance, performance insights, and clear recommendations to optimize enrollment outcomes

• Lead discussions on strategy performance, risks, and innovative approaches to accelerate recruitment

Vendor & Partner Oversight

• Identify and lead selection of recruitment solution partners aligned to study needs and indication

• Oversee vendor performance, ensuring accountability to scope, timelines, and quality standards

• Resolve vendor-related challenges independently, maintaining momentum and delivery

Operational Execution & Delivery

• Own the development and lifecycle management of the Participant Engagement Plan (PEP)

• Oversee execution of patient-facing tactics, including material development, translation, distribution, and inventory management

• Ensure all deliverables meet sponsor expectations, regulatory requirements, and internal quality standards

Financial & Project Accountability

• Manage recruitment-related budgets, forecasts, and scope changes

• Ensure financial discipline and proactively address out-of-scope activities through appropriate change processes

• Provide accurate reporting, projections, and updates to support overall study success

Leadership & Continuous Improvement

• Mentor junior team members and provide oversight where needed

• Contribute to process improvements, innovation, and departmental growth initiatives

• Support business development activities, including pre-award strategy and consultation

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences, Healthcare, or a related field

• 5+ years of experience with full ownership of global patient recruitment and retention strategy and execution within clinical research

• Demonstrated experience serving as the accountable lead for day-to-day delivery of recruitment strategy for sponsors

• Proven track record managing global, multi-phase clinical trials (Phase I–IV) across a variety of therapeutic areas

• Experience leading global programs across regions, with accountability for overall management, execution, and results

• Ability to operate independently and “hit the ground running” in a fast-paced, sponsor-facing environment

• Strong expertise in data-driven enrollment strategies, including performance tracking and mitigation planning

• Advanced vendor management experience, including selection, oversight, and performance optimization

• Demonstrated experience managing budgets, forecasting, and scope changes

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at all levels

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting pre-award strategy and feasibility

• Background in patient advocacy and community engagement initiatives

• Experience contributing to innovation in patient recruitment approaches

Why Join Us

You’ll join a highly collaborative, supportive, and growth-oriented team that values ownership, innovation, and continuous development. This is an opportunity to take full accountability for global recruitment strategy while working alongside experienced leaders committed to your success and career progression!

Get to know Syneos Health

Over the past 5 years, we have worked with 94% of all Novel FDA Approved Drugs, 95% of EMA Authorized Products and over 200 Studies across 73,000 Sites and 675,000+ Trial patients.

No matter what your role is, you’ll take the initiative and challenge the status quo with us in a highly competitive and ever-changing environment. Learn more about Syneos Health.

Additional Information

Tasks, duties, and responsibilities as listed in this job description are not exhaustive.  The Company, at its sole discretion and with no prior notice, may assign other tasks, duties, and job responsibilities. Equivalent experience, skills, and/or education will also be considered so qualifications of incumbents may differ from those listed in the Job Description.  The Company, at its sole discretion, will determine what constitutes as equivalent to the qualifications described above.   Further, nothing contained herein should be construed to create an employment contract.  Occasionally, required skills/experiences for jobs are expressed in brief terms.  Any language contained herein is intended to fully comply with all obligations imposed by the legislation of each country in which it operates, including the implementation of the EU Equality Directive, in relation to the recruitment and employment of its employees.  The Company is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, including the provision of reasonable accommodations, when appropriate, to assist employees or applicants to perform the essential functions of the job.