Clinical Research Manager

Department Overview:

The UCSF Edward and Pearl Fein Memory and Aging Center (MAC) is an internationally renowned clinical research center with over 200 full time employees with offices and clinical research space located in the Sandler Neurosciences Building and multiple other buildings on the UCSF Mission Bay Campus. The MAC provides clinical care for patients suffering from neurodegenerative disease processes; from this clinical population, external referrals, and direct recruitment efforts we enroll patients into more than 50 structured research protocols and/or treatment trials.

The Boxer Lab at the MAC has a mission to find effective, scientifically based treatments that lead to a cure for neurodegenerative brain diseases. This is accomplished through clinical trials that emphasize patient and family benefits and public health impact, and observational studies that deepen our understanding of the biological mechanisms of neurodegenerative disease.

Job Summary:

The Research Program Manager serves as the central operational authority for projects within the Boxer Lab’s clinical research portfolio, leading coordination of internal and external teams across a large multi-institutional research network to support efficient execution of three concurrent NIH-funded clinical research studies (observational and multi-site clinical trials) focused on neurodegenerative diseases. This role operates with a high degree of autonomy and is responsible for directing complex study operations across 50+ clinical sites, overseeing multidisciplinary teams spanning multiple institutions, and ensuring alignment with broader program objectives. Key functions include, but are not limited to:

• Study Operations Management: Lead day-to-day operations of multiple clinical studies, ensuring adherence with study goals, timelines, and regulatory requirements.
• Team Leadership and Supervision: Directly supervise project management and administrative staff; provide guidance and operational support to research coordinators; manage coordination with external project managers and functional teams to support aligned and effective study execution.
• Resource and Workflow Coordination: Allocate resources across projects, establish priorities, and implement processes to support efficient and effective study execution.
• Financial Oversight: Partner with finance teams to develop and maintain budget tracking tools, monitor study expenditures, and support financial planning activities for three mutli-million dollar NIH studies.
HR and Administrative Functions: Support recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and training of study and lab personnel, and contribute to maintaining a productive team environment.

In addition to supervising two direct reports within the Boxer Lab, the Research Program Manager oversees coordination and collaboration across multidisciplinary teams spanning multiple institutions and functional areas, including the following:

• BEYONDD (Observational Study; seven clinical sites):
  • USC-ATRI Team: Project management, data management, and regulatory staff supporting study operations and compliance
  • UCSF Study Team: Site investigators, research coordinators, and study staff supporting remote and on-site participant recruitment and data collection; finance analysts managing invoice processing, site and vendor payments, and overall study budget tracking
  • Mount Sinai Team: Site investigators, research coordinators, and study staff conducting remote and on-site participant recruitment and data collection
  • Clinical Site Teams: Site investigators, research coordinators, and study staff conducting on-site participant data collection
  • Vendors: Mobile phlebotomy services on a national scale and laboratory services supporting sample processing and analysis; biobanking and sample distribution; biomarker assay and data coordination; online study portal development, participant recruitment, and engagement support
• ATP (Clinical Trial; 78 sites across the US):
  • USC-ATRI Team: Central coordination of multi-site trial operations, including project management, data management, regulatory oversight, clinical and medical monitoring, site support, vendor management, financial oversight, and biomarker analysis
  • UCSF Study Team: Site investigators, research coordinators, and study staff conducting participant recruitment, study visits, and data collection; finance analysts managing invoice processing, site and vendor payments, and overall study budget tracking
  • Clinical Site Teams: Site investigators, research coordinators, and study staff executing protocol implementation and on-site participant data collection across participating sites
  • Industry Partners: External partners providing study drug and supporting study coordination, protocol development, and other aspects of overall trial operations
  • Vendors: Imaging services (MRI and PET), central laboratory services, ECG systems, interactive response technology (IRT), central pharmacy, and electronic trial master file (eTMF) systems
• PTP (Clinical Trial; 50 sites across North America):
  • USC-ATRI Team: Central coordination of multi-site trial operations, including project management, data management, regulatory oversight, clinical and medical monitoring, site support, vendor management, financial oversight, and biomarker analysis
  • UCSF Study Team: Site investigators, research coordinators, and study staff conducting participant recruitment, study visits, and data collection; finance analysts managing invoice processing, site and vendor payments, and overall study budget tracking
  • Clinical Site Teams: Site investigators, research coordinators, and study staff executing protocol implementation and on-site participant data collection across participating sites
  • Industry Partners: External partners providing study drug and supporting study coordination, protocol development, and other aspects of overall trial operations
  Vendors: Imaging services (MRI), central laboratory services, ECG systems, IRT, central pharmacy, and eTMF systems
  

This role involves providing both direct supervision and functional oversight across a broad network of clinical research professionals and cross-functional teams spanning multiple studies, institutions, and externally funded programs. The Research Program Manager ensures alignment across internal and external partners, maintains efficient and compliant study operations, and supports financial oversight in coordination with finance teams to ensure responsible management of study budgets. This role also upholds regulatory and ethical standards for research involving human subjects. Effective leadership in this role is critical to supporting high-quality data generation, operational consistency, and the successful execution of complex, multi-site NIH-funded studies.

Minimum Requirements:

• Broad academic knowledge and applied background in clinical research philosophy. Applies knowledge of theoretical concepts and business best practices in a clinical research setting. Proven ability to translate clinical research philosophy into direct and indirect clinical input to design, planning, initiation, execution and reporting of clinical trials.
• Broad knowledge of clinical research concepts, federal, state and local laws and regulations, and industry requirements regarding the proper conduct of clinical trials. Broad theoretical and operational knowledge of clinical and patient safety standards and regulations relating to clinical research.
• Broad knowledge of all phases of clinical research, from study startup through closeout and primary publication and presentation. Knowledgeable about clinical studies involving complex trial design issues.
• Demonstrated management skills supervising, maintaining and developing clinical staff within the study team, and acting as a mentor for professional staff and conducting reviews and performance evaluations. Effectively manages multiple important priorities. Minimum five years lead/supervisory experience
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with other cross-functional teams and people with a wide range of educational backgrounds. Demonstrated ability to interface with commercial, regulatory, federal and other members of an extended study team. Ability to influence / persuade.
• Demonstrates excellent problem-solving and analytical skills. Creatively addresses complex or new problems. Proven skills to quickly evaluate complex issues and identify multiple options for resolution.
• Strong communicator; includes verbal and written, active listening, critical thinking, persuasiveness, advising and counseling skills. Skill in analyzing and presenting data and strategy to relevant team, governance, external consultant, and regulatory / oversight meetings.
Demonstrated ability to organize research work functions in an efficient and effective manner. Great organizational skills applied to personal work and improving organization of assigned staff and trial.

Preferred Qualifications :

• Expert user of the campus' clinical information and documentation application programs. Technical proficiency in project management software.