Sr. Director, Clinical Research

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Job Number #173817 - Piscataway, New Jersey, United States

Who We Are

Colgate-Palmolive Company is a global consumer products company operating in over 200 countries specializing in Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care, Skin Care, and Pet Nutrition. Our products are trusted in more households than any other brand in the world, making us a household name!

Join Colgate-Palmolive, a caring, innovative growth company reimagining a healthier future for people, their pets, and our planet. Guided by our core values—Caring, Inclusive, and Courageous—we foster a culture that inspires our people to achieve common goals. Together, let's build a brighter, healthier future for all.

Job Title

Senior Director, Global Oral Care Claims Support and Clinical Research Innovation

Position Summary

The Senior Director will lead Colgate-Palmolive’s global clinical research strategy and execution in oral health. Leading a team with a strong emphasis on innovation, executing clinical studies with scientific rigor, building strategic partnerships, and driving cross-functional and external collaboration. This role will oversee global clinical programs that support key business priorities across major markets (including China). This candidate will represent Colgate-Palmolive in select international forums, influencing industry standards and aligning the company’s clinical research initiatives with the future of dentistry. The ideal candidate is an internationally renowned expert in oral health and dental clinical research, with substantial industry and/or academic experience, a proven track record of leading clinical programs, and demonstrated strength in people leadership and collaborative partnerships.

Key Responsibilities

Scientific and Clinical Leadership

• Lead the design, execution, and interpretation of global clinical oral health studies, including large, complex, multi-center programs to support claims and public health initiatives.

• Provide oversight and leadership direction to internal clinical operations and Dental Health Units in LATAM, Europe and India

• Provide strategic scientific guidance to support oral care product innovation, development of new clinical indications, claims development, and regulatory submissions.

• Explore novel clinical measurements (e.g., digital biomarkers, advanced imaging, or molecular diagnostics) to differentiate Colgate-Palmolive’s portfolio of oral health products and devices.

• Build and maintain high-value partnerships with global clinical research organizations (CROs), academic institutions, industrial partners, and tech innovators to expand clinical research capabilities

• Maintain and enhance the organization’s scientific leadership and reputation in dental, oral, and craniofacial research.

• Ensure that all clinical research adheres to the highest standards of scientific rigor, ethics, quality, and compliance.

• Develop new clinical indices and biochemical assessments and apply a broad range of established dental assessment indices (e.g., caries, plaque, gingivitis, periodontology, sensitivity, whitening, calculus, oral malodor, anti-bacterial or others) to design, evaluate, and differentiate clinical programs and product performance that are superior to, existing products.

Innovation and Publications

• Support innovation in oral care product development, by clinically validating the performance of new technologies and formulations.

• Contribute to Colgate’s intellectual property portfolio (e.g., patents, scientific disclosures) and support patent strategy in collaboration with Legal and other functions.

• Publish research findings in high impact, peer reviewed journals.

• Represent Colgate-Palmolive at major international dental and scientific meetings (e.g., IADR, AADOCR, ADA or FDI) and at academic institutions worldwide through invited lectures and keynote presentations.

Cross-Functional and Global Collaboration

• Collaborate closely with Marketing, Legal, Regulatory, Safety, Research and Development, and regional research centers to align clinical strategy with business objectives.

• Provide scientific and clinical input to support global and regional oral care business strategies, including programs for major markets including China.

• Build and maintain strong external collaborations with leading universities, dental schools, research institutes, professional organizations, and foundations globally.

• Work closely with the North America Division, U.S. Marketing teams, and the American Dental Association (ADA) to obtain ADA Seal endorsements for new oral care products and to maintain existing ADA Seals for current products (including the Colgate, Tom’s of Maine, and hello brands), thereby enhancing product differentiation and credibility through dental professional endorsement in the U.S. market.

Team and Organizational Leadership

• Lead, develop, and mentor a team of dental clinical researchers, fostering a high performing, inclusive, and collaborative culture.

• Oversee relationships with external collaborators, start-ups, clinical research and non-profit organizations, as well as industrial and academic partners.

• Serve on internal and external advisory boards, committees, or boards of trustees related to dentistry, oral health research and education.

Required Qualifications

• DDS or DMD

• At least 10 years of experience in oral health research, with a strong emphasis on clinical dental and oral research.

• Extensive experience in industry and/or academia, with a demonstrated record of impact in these settings.

• Demonstrated experience in designing and executing clinical studies utilizing standardized dental assessment indices (e.g., caries, plaque, gingivitis, periodontology, sensitivity, whitening, calculus, oral malodor), devices, questionnaires, and collection of biosamples for future analysis.

• Direct experience working with the American Dental Association (ADA) on ADA Seal applications, renewals, and associated clinical documentation for oral care products.

• Proven track record of leading and managing teams, including mentoring junior staff.

• Extensive experience collaborating internally and externally, with cross functional teams and academic or clinical partners.

Scientific Standing and Achievements:

• Internationally recognized leader in oral health research, with a strong scientific reputation and visibility in the global dental, oral, and craniofacial research community.

• Record of high impact scientific contributions and innovations, including:

• Peer reviewed publications, and/or

• Books or book chapters or invited reviews, and/or

• Patents related to oral care product innovation (e.g., inventor or co-inventor on multiple patents)

• Recognized by major professional organizations (e.g., IADR, AADOCR, ADA, FDI or equivalents) through awards, honors, or recognitions.

Leadership and Communication Skills:

• Demonstrated ability to lead complex global clinical research programs from concept through completion.

• Strong strategic thinking and decision-making skills; able to connect scientific strategy with business needs.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with experience presenting to scientific, clinical, regulatory, and business audiences.

• Ability to build and sustain high level relationships with KOLs, professional societies, and academic leaders worldwide.

Preferred Qualifications:

• MS and/or PhD in a relevant field (e.g., dental research, oral biology, clinical research, or a related discipline)

Compensation and Benefits

Salary Range $250,000.00 - $275,000.00 USD

Pay is determined based on experience, qualifications, and location. Salaried employees may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses, profit-sharing, and long-term incentives for Executive-level roles.

Benefits: Salaried employees enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, basic life insurance, paid parental leave, disability coverage, and participation in the 401(k) retirement plan with company matching contributions subject to eligibility requirements. Additional benefits include a minimum of 15 vacation/PTO days (hourly employees receive a minimum of 120 hours) and 13 paid holidays (vacation days are prorated based on the employee's hire date within the calendar year). Paid sick leave is adjusted based on role and location in accordance with local laws. Detailed information regarding paid sick leave entitlements will be provided to employees upon hiring and may be subject to adjustments based on changes in legislation or company policies.

Our Commitment to Inclusion

Our journey begins with our people—developing strong talent with diverse backgrounds and perspectives to best serve our consumers around the world and fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels a true sense of belonging. We are dedicated to ensuring that each individual can be their authentic self, is treated with respect, and is empowered by leadership to contribute meaningfully to our business.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Colgate is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, veteran status (United States positions), or any other characteristic protected by law.

Reasonable accommodation during the application process is available for persons with disabilities. Please complete this request form ( should you require accommodation.

For additional Colgate terms and conditions, please click here ( .

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