CSL's R&D organization is accelerating innovation to deliver greater impact for patients. With a project-led structure and a focus on collaboration, we’re building a future-ready team that thrives in dynamic biotech ecosystems. Joining CSL now means being part of an agile team committed to developing therapies that make a meaningful difference worldwide.
The Associate Director, Site Engagement Lead is responsible for developing and executing the strategic vision for site engagement across the clinical portfolio. Reporting to the Director or Head of Site Partnerships, this role leads the development of robust relationships with key clinical trial sites and institutions, positioning the organization as a sponsor of choice. The Associate Director partners with cross-functional teams to support site feasibility, selection, and patient recruitment strategies, ensuring alignment with global clinical development objectives. This leader provides regional and/or global oversight, mentors site engagement teams, and leverages insights to continuously improve site satisfaction and trial performance.
Main Responsibilities and Accountabilities
Strategic Leadership & Oversight
- Lead the design and implementation of global and regional site engagement strategies in collaboration with Patient Engagement Leads to support the clinical portfolio.
- Serve as the primary point of escalation for complex site-related issues, ensuring timely resolution and continuous improvement.
- Represent the organization in external forums, building the company’s reputation as a preferred clinical trial sponsor.
Relationship Management
- Cultivate and maintain high-level partnerships with key institutions, strategic sites, and site networks across all therapeutic areas.
Stakeholder Collaboration
- Partner with Patient Engagement leads and across clinical operations, medical, regulatory, and other cross-functional teams to ensure seamless trial execution.
- Advocate for the site perspective in global engagement strategies and operational planning
Continuous Improvement & Analytics
- Oversee the collection, analysis, and dissemination of site relationship data to internal stakeholders.
- Assess site satisfaction, identify trends, and drive initiatives to enhance site experience and operational efficiency.
Compliance & Best Practices
- Ensure all site engagement activities comply with ICH GCP, FDA, EU, and local regulations.
In addition
- Act as the primary point of contact both internally and externally (e.g., vendors) as applicable for anything study related.
- Maintain up to date knowledge of the therapeutic area/product candidate(s), clinical practice, competitors, and regulatory considerations.
- Support audits/inspections and resolutions of findings.
- Support in the development of new SOPs, guidelines etc and/ or participate in working groups about new processes.
- Functional leadership and mentorship of junior staff required; Act in advisory capacity to other clinops colleagues within and across TAs.
- When accountable to a set of studies and/or program (s) provides oversight and direction, ensuring appropriate delegation and delivery, inter-program efficiencies and applied learnings.
Job Qualifications and Experience Requirements
Education
At minimum, bachelor’s degree or equivalent in life science, nursing, pharmacy, medical laboratory technology, or other health/medical related area preferred.
Other degrees and certifications considered if commensurate with related clinical research experience (e.g., diploma or associate degree RN, certified medical technologist).
Essential Experience
- As a guide, a minimum of 10 years’ relevant clinical research (or related) experience within the pharmaceutical industry.
- Previous experience in leading and managing a team of professional staff.
- A solid understanding of the drug development process, and specifically, each step within the clinical trial process.
- Experience in overseeing large and/or complex global clinical trials.
- Robust budget forecasting and management experience.
- Thorough knowledge of ICH guidelines/GCP and its applicability to all stages of the clinical development process
Competencies
- Demonstrated ability to lead teams and work in a fast-paced team environment.
- Experienced in working within a Matrix Environment and ability to work through interpersonal difficulties and resolve conflicts with a Matrix Environment
- Successfully demonstrated the ability to mentor and coach others through peer-to-peer interactions and to develop reporting personnel to grow in complex clinical project management capabilities.
- Ability to evaluate, judge and make decisions regarding staff. Ability to teach/coaching and setting an example of ‘best practice’.
- Excellent interpersonal and decision-making skills.
- Demonstrates innovation. Possesses drive, energy, and enthusiasm to deliver the program objectives.
- Skilled at independently navigating new or novel indications, study/program approaches, and unique challenges.
- Excellent understanding of all tasks involved in a clinical development program(s) from developing a protocol through to finalizing a clinical study report.
- Ability to plan and ensure execution and completion of clinical program(s) to the highest ethical and scientific standards.
- Extensive and comprehensive knowledge of ICH guidelines/ GCP, Maintains current medical/scientific/regulatory knowledge.
- Demonstrated project management skills including simultaneous management of multiple projects. Possesses excellent planning, time management & coordination skills.
- Demonstrated ability to problem solve and use clear judgment in relation to interactions with external parties, timelines, and complex clinical programs.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills and maintains computer literacy in appropriate software.
Our Benefits
We encourage you to make your well-being a priority. It’s important and so are you. Learn more about how we care at CSL.
About CSL Behring
CSL Behring is a global biotherapeutics leader driven by our promise to save lives. Focused on serving patients’ needs by using the latest technologies, we discover, develop and deliver innovative therapies for people living with conditions in the immunology, hematology, cardiovascular and metabolic, respiratory, and transplant therapeutic areas. We use three strategic scientific platforms of plasma fractionation, recombinant protein technology, and cell and gene therapy to support continued innovation and continually refine ways in which products can address unmet medical needs and help patients lead full lives.
CSL Behring operates one of the world’s largest plasma collection networks, CSL Plasma. Our parent company, CSL, headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, employs 32,000 people, and delivers its lifesaving therapies to people in more than 100 countries.
We want CSL to reflect the world around us
At CSL, Inclusion and Belonging is at the core of our mission and who we are. It fuels our innovation day in and day out. By celebrating our differences and creating a culture of curiosity and empathy, we are able to better understand and connect with our patients and donors, foster strong relationships with our stakeholders, and sustain a diverse workforce that will move our company and industry into the future. Learn more Inclusion and Belonging | CSL
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