Clinical Research Engagement Lead (CREL) - Central Region (Chicago, IL)

Role Overview As a Clinical Research Engagement Lead (CREL) at Roche, you will act as the ultimate strategic partner and primary face of Roche Clinical Operations within your market. This role champions a "ONE Roche" approach, using clinical operational expertise and deep disease area knowledge to build elite, high‑trust partnerships with clinical trial sites across the full trial lifecycle from early development to late‑stage delivery. Key Responsibilities Strategic Planning & Alignment : Develop and execute country‑level site engagement strategies aligned with internal priorities, make strategic investment decisions regarding principal investigators and clinical sites, and manage site budget negotiation, grant payments, and resource forecasting. Early Feasibility & Study Set‑Up : Conduct early strategic landscaping and site engagement during protocol concept and study set‑up phases to identify optimal sites, evaluate country feasibility, and accelerate recruitment; drive study start‑up metrics, optimize cycle times, and use enrollment forecasting tools to ensure milestones are met on schedule. Relationship Management & Site Support : Build deep, multi‑stakeholder relationships at strategic sites (investigators, pharmacists, and administration), act as a site champion and primary point of contact, and address site needs while maintaining exceptional communication skills. Issue Escalation & Performance Oversight : Serve as the local escalation point for study challenges, monitor investigator performance, support motivational site visits, and manage sensitive communications during premature site closures. Cross‑Functional Collaboration & Reporting : Partner seamlessly with internal teams (Medical Affairs, Study Start‑Up) and CROs to ensure unified site communication, and maintain meticulous documentation of site visits and interactions in central systems such as Veeva. Portfolio Oversight & Compliance : Manage assigned local/global clinical studies by overseeing CRO performance, mitigating timeline or operational risks, ensuring eTMF completeness, and maintaining continuous inspection readiness. Digital Clinical Trial Focus : Drive adoption of digital solutions (eConsent, eSource, Remote Data Entry) at sites, actively pursue and review digital tools, and provide solutions to challenges. Qualifications Degree (MD, PhD, MA/MS, BA/BS) in life sciences or equivalent. Minimum 5+ years of relevant clinical research or clinical operations experience in pharmaceutical, biotech or related industry, with sponsor experience preferred. Expert understanding of ICH/GCP and end‑to‑end clinical trial processes, including monitoring and regulatory guidelines. Proven track record managing site relationships and overseeing complex clinical trials. Exceptional interpersonal, cross‑functional, negotiation, and influencing skills, including building high‑trust relationships with internal stakeholders, CROs, and site personnel. Willingness to travel domestically 30‑50% of the time, dependent on business or site needs. Preferred Qualifications Postgraduate or master’s degree (valued but not required). Strong existing network within the regional healthcare ecosystem and prior direct experience with local trial sites. Highly experienced in early and late‑phase oncology. Highly experienced across multiple disciplines/treatment areas in non‑oncology. Location & Travel This regional role requires that applicants reside within 30 miles of a major airport and within 50 miles of the primary location in Chicago, IL. Relocation benefits are not available for this posting. Salary & Benefits The expected salary range based on the primary location of Chicago, IL is $108,000 – $202,000. Actual pay will be determined by experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other job‑related factors. A discretionary annual bonus may be available based on individual and company performance. Benefits are detailed at the provided link. EEO Statement Genentech, a member of the Roche group, is an equal‑opportunity employer. The company’s policy prohibits unlawful discrimination and is consistent with all federal, state, or local laws. Individuals with disabilities who need accommodations for the online application process may contact the company via the provided accommodations form. #J-18808-Ljbffr F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG