Trial Activation Manager - Oncology Clinical Trials

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At Ochsner, whether you work with patients every day or support those who do, you are making a difference and that matters. Come make a difference at Ochsner Health and discover your future today!

The Trial Activation Manager - Oncology Clinical Trials provides direct operational leadership for the startup and activation of oncology clinical trials across industry-sponsored, cooperative group, investigator-initiated, translational, and federally funded research.

This role manages the end-to-end activation process including clinical trial submissions, protocol navigation, milestone tracking, regulatory readiness coordination, budget/contract workflow alignment, and stakeholder communication.

The Trial Activation Manager is accountable for driving timely study activation, reducing startup delays, ensuring adherence to organizational deadlines, and maintaining a high-performing activation pipeline that supports accrual and revenue growth.
Primary Responsibilities

Clinical Trial Activation Oversight

• Direct and lead the management of oncology clinical trial submissions, protocol navigation, and study activations.
• Coordinate startup activities from feasibility handoff through activation readiness.
• Ensure timely progression through internal approvals, committee reviews, regulatory submission milestones, contract execution, budget finalization, and system readiness.
• Maintain readiness for first patient enrollment upon activation.

Startup Timeline Management

• Identify delays impacting study activation and proactively engage responsible teams to resolve barriers.
• Develop and maintain activation dashboards, milestone trackers, and aging reports.
• Monitor cycle times from intake to activation and escalate at-risk studies.
• Drive accountability to deadlines across departments.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Serve as central operational liaison among investigators, research staff, regulatory teams, finance, contracts, pharmacy, imaging, lab, IT, and executive stakeholders.
• Support communication of study updates to sponsors, investigators, research staff, and applicable committees and boards.
• Coordinate startup meetings and status reviews.

Operational Standards & Compliance

• Ensure adherence to institutional startup processes, SOPs, and quality standards.
• Confirm required documentation, training, delegation readiness, and operational resources are in place prior to activation.
• Maintain accurate startup records and audit-ready documentation.

Team Leadership

• Supervise trial activation coordinators or startup staff as assigned.
• Provide coaching, workload management, performance oversight, and development.
• Standardize workflows and cross-train team members.

Executive Reporting

• Prepare regular startup pipeline reports for leadership.
• Provide visibility into projected activations, barriers, sponsor delays, and internal performance metrics.
• Support strategic forecasting for accrual readiness and staffing needs.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree
• 5+ years clinical research experience to include 2 years of supervisory/management experience (or) 3 years clinical research experience to include two years of supervisory/management with Master's degree.
• 2+ years' experience managing clinical trial startup, activation, or research operations.
• Experience with CTMS systems (OnCore preferred).

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's Degree
• CCRP, CCRC, PMP, or equivalent certification
• Academic medical center or cancer center experience
• Knowledge of IRB, PRMC, contracts, coverage analysis, and sponsor startup workflows.
• Experience with oncology protocol activation strongly preferred
• Experience managing multiple complex oncology activations simultaneously

Within 12 months, this role is expected to create a disciplined startup engine that consistently converts approved opportunities into enrolling oncology trials with speed, visibility, and accountability.

• Reduction in startup cycle time
• Increase in studies activated
• Reduction in aged startup backlog
• On-time milestone completion rate
• Stakeholder satisfaction with activation process

Are you ready to make a difference? Apply Today!

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Ochsner is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any legally protected class, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.