Associate Director, Project Management

Med Learning Group•Cranford, NJ

10h•$85,000 - $95,000•Remote

About The Position

The Associate Director, Qualitative Research is responsible for leading a team of Project Managers and Coordinators, ensuring consistent, high-quality execution and excellent client experience across all projects. This role owns team performance, day-to-day delivery, project staffing, and the development of team capabilities. The Associate Director, Qualitative Research will report to the Senior Director of Project Management. The Associate Director, Qualitative Research serves as the critical link between strategy and execution—translating expectations from senior leadership into clear direction for the team, while bringing forward frontline insights, risks, and opportunities. This role requires strong people leadership, operational rigor, and the ability to proactively manage performance, staffing, capacity, and client outcomes. We expect this role to management between four and six Project Managers and additional Project Coordinators. This amount may fluctuate depending on TriVoca Health’s business needs. The Associate Director, Qualitative Research must be effective in managing up, down, and across—coaching teams, partnering cross-functionally, coordinating with Sales on new project assignments, and stepping into escalations to drive resolution and clarity. Success in this role requires serving as a true leader across the project management & project coordination teams, proactively identifying challenges, seeking solutions, and taking ownership of implementation rather than waiting for direction. The Associate Director, Qualitative Research must effectively balance strategic thinking and continuous improvement with hands-on tactical project delivery and consistent execution. This is a remote position, offering the opportunity to lead a dynamic team and collaborate with colleagues around the globe.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience preferred
3–5 years of people management experience, ideally leading Project Managers or similar roles
5+ years of qualitative project management or related experience
Demonstrated ability to manage team performance, multiple projects, and competing priorities
Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills
Experience working in fast-paced, high-volume environments
Proficiency with project management and digital platforms; strong Excel skills preferred

Responsibilities

Own the performance of Project Managers and Coordinators, including coaching, development, and performance management
Set clear expectations for communication, quality, and project execution; reinforce accountability across the team
Provide consistent, direct feedback and take timely action to address performance gaps
Build a team culture rooted in ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement
Responsible for assigning new projects within their portfolio of accounts owned
Own the timely placement (less than 24 hours) of newly won projects with Project Managers, considering capacity, experience, client alignment, development opportunities, and overall workload balance
During periods where other Associate Directors, Qualitative Research are out of office, proactively plan for coverage to ensure continuous management of project assignments
Serve as the primary project delivery liaison to Sales, maintaining clear communication regarding staffing status, timing, constraints, and any risks that could affect project launch
Maintain accurate and current visibility into team capacity, upcoming availability, out-of-office coverage, and account-specific staffing considerations
Escalate staffing constraints or competing priorities promptly and work with leadership and peers to identify practical solutions
Continuously review the project management and project coordinator team out of office calendar to ensure team members are able to use their earned time off while also guaranteeing the team has enough capacity to execute project loads
Oversee day-to-day project execution to ensure consistency, quality, and adherence to timelines
Proactively monitor project health, identifying risks related to sample, communication, or delivery and intervening early
Step into escalations as needed, driving resolution while maintaining client confidence and internal alignment
Directly manage approximately 3–4 active projects at any given time to help balance team workloads, stay connected to day-to-day workflows, and identify opportunities for improvement
Reinforce and uphold SOPs, best practices, and communication standards across the team
Identify recurring issues or inefficiencies and partner with leadership to implement improvements
Conduct quality reviews and audits to ensure consistent execution and identify development opportunities
Ensure accurate use of systems, trackers, and tools to support visibility and operational effectiveness
Working in combination with the Senior Directors of Project Management & other business partners, identify gaps in current business processes and find proactive solutions to solve those business problems
Partner closely with Recruiting, Sales, and other stakeholders to ensure alignment from feasibility through project execution
Serve as the primary point of contact for project-related escalations, balancing client needs with operational realities
Foster strong working relationships across teams, reinforcing clear roles, responsibilities, and communication expectations
Proactively identify performance, skill, or execution gaps within the assigned Project Management team; raise material concerns to leadership and take ownership of appropriate corrective support
Serve as the primary trainer and coach when new team members join the company
Provide timely, in-the-moment coaching when issues arise, clearly reinforcing expectations and documenting follow-up actions when appropriate
Develop and facilitate more structured coaching or training sessions when recurring or broader capability gaps are identified
Partner with leadership on formal performance management when coaching and development efforts do not result in sustained improvement
Actively manage disciplinary system for each team member and owning the implementation of improvement plans or more significant disciplinary actions
Support career development and growth of Project Managers and Coordinators
Reinforce expectations that team improvement and process improvement are core responsibilities of the role