Program Manager, Multi-Center Clinical Trials job at Columbia University in Fort Lee, NJ
Title: Program Manager, Multi-Center Clinical Trials Location: Parker Plaza, Fort Lee, NJ 555781 Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center Full Time Grade 105 Job Type: Officer of Administration Bargaining Unit: Regular/Temporary: Regular End Date if Temporary: Hours Per Week: 35 Standard Work Schedule: Building: Salary Range: $125,000 - $129,000 The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting. Position Summary The Program Manager, Multi-Center Clinical Trials is a senior leadership role within the Clinical Protocol & Data Management (CPDM) Office of the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC). This position provides strategic, operational, and financial oversight for the institution’s portfolio of Multi-Center Trials (MCT) Core. The Program Manager is responsible for program-level leadership, long-term planning, performance oversight, and integration of multicenter trial operations across disease teams, affiliates, and external collaborators. This role ensures that multicenter trials are executed efficiently, compliantly, and in alignment with institutional priorities, sponsor expectations, and regulatory requirements. In addition to overseeing the day-to-day operations of the MCT Core through direct management, the Program Manager drives process improvement, workforce planning, financial sustainability, and cross-functional collaboration. This role serves as a key liaison between CPDM leadership, investigators, sponsors, regulatory bodies, finance, contracts, and external sites, and represents CPDM in institutional and external strategic discussions related to multicenter research. This position reports to the Assistant Director, Clinical Research Operations and is primarily based out of 400 Kelby Street, Fort Lee, NJ. Subject to business needs, we may support flexible and hybrid work arrangements. Options will be discussed during the interview process.
Responsibilities
Provides strategic leadership and oversight of the Multi-Center Trials Program, including portfolio planning, prioritization, and performance management across all CUIMC-sponsored multicenter trials. Establishes programmatic goals, metrics, and operational benchmarks to ensure regulatory compliance, fiscal responsibility, and high-quality trial execution. Directly manages and mentors Multi-Center Clinical Trials Managers, providing leadership, direction, performance oversight, and professional development. Oversee staffing models, workload distribution, succession planning, and escalation pathways to ensure operational continuity and excellence. Oversees the operational, regulatory, and data management lifecycle of multicenter trials, including protocol development, site activation, regulatory submissions oversight, monitoring/auditing readiness, IND oversight, specimen management, data analysis, and publication support. Leads financial oversight and sustainability efforts for the multicenter trials program, including high-level budget development, sub-site payment strategies, invoicing workflows, and collaboration with finance leadership to ensure accurate fund tracking and timely reconciliation. Partners with CPDM leadership to design, implement, and continuously improve SOPs, workflows, and governance structures that support multicenter research. Drives standardization, risk mitigation, and operational efficiencies across the program. Leads talent management activities, including justification and approval of new positions, recruitment strategy, onboarding, training frameworks, salary recommendations, performance evaluations, and goal setting for leadership-level staff. Provides expert guidance on complex regulatory and compliance matters, ensuring adherence to ICH-GCP, CFR, institutional policies, and sponsor requirements across the multicenter portfolio. Represents the Multicenter Trials Program in institutional committees, collaborative research meetings, audits, and external forums, contributing to the strategic growth and reputation of HICCC’s clinical research enterprise. Collaborates closely with CPDM leadership, disease-based teams, biostatistics, research pharmacy, contracts, finance, and other stakeholders to ensure seamless integration of multicenter trials within the broader research ecosystem. Performs other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent plus four years of related experience.
Preferred Qualifications
Minimum of three years of supervisory or management experience, including oversight of senior-level staff. Demonstrated experience in a clinical research setting with advanced knowledge of ICH-GCP and CFR guidelines. Two years of oncology clinical trials management experience, preferably with multicenter and/or Sponsor-Investigator trials. Excellent leadership, interpersonal, organizational, and problem-solving skills. Strong financial and operational acumen. Advanced computer skills with proficiency in MS Office products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). Master’s degree in a related field. Certification as a Clinical Research Professional through a national accrediting body such as ACRP and/or SOCRA. Experience leading complex multicenter or network-based clinical trial programs. Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents. Apply tot his job Apply To this Job