Associate Director, Research Operations

Stoke Therapeutics•Bedford, MA

10d•$192,000 - $218,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Director / Director, Research Operations will serve as a strategic and operational partner to Research leadership, enabling efficient execution of the Research portfolio through strong governance support, portfolio and resource management, and effective vendor oversight. This role will drive rigor, transparency, and operational excellence across Research programs while allowing scientific teams to focus on discovery and innovation. This position will report into the SVP and Head of Research.

Requirements

6–10+ years of experience in Research Operations, Project Management, or scientific program management within biotech or pharma
Strong project management skills, including timeline development, risk management, and resource planning
Experience working with external vendors, CROs, and research service providers
Ability to translate complex scientific plans into clear operational frameworks and execution plans
Exceptional organizational, communication, and stakeholder management skills
High degree of judgment, discretion, and comfort operating in a fast-paced, evolving research environment
Proficiency with project management and collaboration tools (e.g., MS Project, Smartsheet, PowerPoint, Teams/SharePoint)

Responsibilities

Serve as the operational lead for Research team forums, including agenda development, coordination of meeting materials, minutes, and action tracking
Plan, coordinate, and execute Scientific & Technical Review Committee (STRC) and other Research governance meetings
Partner with Research leadership to ensure effective decision-making, clear documentation, and follow-through on priorities
Own Research calendaring, cadence planning, and cross-functional coordination related to governance activities
Provide project and portfolio management support across the Research portfolio
In partnership with Research Leads, support the development and maintenance of integrated timelines, milestones, and dependencies across Research programs
Support resource planning and capacity assessments in collaboration with Research leadership
Identify risks, opportunities for acceleration, and scenario-based tradeoffs across the portfolio
Prepare portfolio views and summaries to support leadership decision-making
Support vendor strategy, selection, and oversight for Research-related outsourced activities
Coordinate CRO selection processes, including RFP development, evaluation, and onboarding
Identify and support sourcing of external capabilities (e.g., NHP sourcing, specialized assays, academic collaborations)
Partner with Procurement, Legal, and Finance to support contracting, budgeting, and vendor performance tracking
Monitor vendor deliverables, timelines, and issue resolution in collaboration with scientific leads