Director of Site Performance

Job Description

Job Description

Summary: The Director, Site Performance is responsible for improving operational performance across Alliance Clinical Network's portfolio of research sites. This role serves as a strategic partner to the Vice President of Operations, identifying performance gaps, leading site assessments, and developing action plans that improve enrollment, quality, staffing effectiveness, patient recruitment, and financial performance. The Director will work closely with Site Leaders, Investigators, Patient Recruitment, Clinical Operations, and Corporate Leadership to drive accountability and operational excellence throughout the network.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conduct regular operational reviews of all sites using established performance scorecards and KPIs.
• Identify performance trends, operational risks, staffing challenges, quality concerns, and enrollment barriers.
• Develop and execute site-specific 30/60/90-day improvement plans in partnership with the site leaders.
• Partner with Site Leaders to improve study execution, enrollment, patient retention, startup timelines, and financial performance.
• Monitor action plan execution and provide ongoing coaching and accountability.
• Serve as the organization's operational "troubleshooter" for underperforming or high-risk sites.
• Perform on-site assessments to identify root causes impacting performance.
• Lead recovery efforts for sites experiencing turnover, enrollment challenges, quality concerns, or leadership transitions.
• Recommend organizational, process, staffing, and workflow improvements.
• Support the operational integration of acquired research sites into the ACN operating model.
• Assist with implementation of reporting structures, performance management processes, and operating cadences.
• Ensure newly integrated sites achieve operational consistency while maintaining sponsor and patient satisfaction.
• Coach and mentor Site Leaders and emerging operational leaders.
• Promote a culture of accountability, ownership, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Analyze performance metrics related to enrollment, randomizations, startup timelines, patient recruitment, staffing, quality, and profitability.
• Partner with Clinical Operations, Recruitment, Finance, and Quality to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Establish and share best practices across the network.
• Support implementation of new tools, systems, and operational initiatives.
• Provide regular updates to the Vice President of Operations regarding site performance trends, risks, and recovery plans.
• Prepare executive summaries and recommendations for senior leadership.
• Escalate critical operational issues requiring leadership intervention.

Qualifications:

• 7+ years of progressive leadership experience within clinical research operations.
• Experience managing clinical research sites or multi-site research operations.
• Strong understanding of site operations, patient recruitment, enrollment management, startup activities.
• Demonstrated success improving operational performance and leading change initiatives.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Ability to influence without direct authority.
• Experience managing turnaround or recovery situations.

Travel Required: This position requires extensive travel (50-75%) to support sites in person and provide hands-on leadership during periods of growth, integration, turnaround, or operational challenge.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, walk, talk, and hear. The employee is regularly required to work on a keyboard, computer, and phone, with significant interaction with others (employees, patients, sponsors and others) in-person and online. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

The employee may be required to lift and/or move up to 15 pounds.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of this position. The noise level is generally moderate and consistent with a standard office setting.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

• Site enrollment performance versus budget.
• Improvement in site profitability and contribution margin.
• Reduction in staff turnover.
• Development and retention of Site Leaders.
• Improvement in network-wide operational consistency.

While every attempt has been made to outline the basic job responsibilities, job duties may be modified or expanded as business needs change. Employees may also be assigned additional responsibilities at the discretion of Executive Leadership.