Associate Principal - R&D Advisory

Syneos Health, Inc•Bridgeton, NJ

35d•$158,000 - $186,000

About The Position

As an Associate Principal Consultant in R&D Advisory, you will lead as a strategic thought leader and subject matter expert across life sciences R&D domains-including clinical development, regulatory affairs, quality, and pharmacovigilance. You will lead high-impact consulting engagements, drive innovation in methodology and delivery, and cultivate trusted client relationships.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in life sciences, business, or related field.
10+ years of experience in R&D consulting or industry roles.
Proven leadership in enterprise implementations and transformation initiatives.
Effective communication, presentation, and client management skills.
Experience developing SOPs, Work Instructions, and controlled records.
Driven and/or key contributor to multiple enterprise implementations for technologies (e.g. Veeva Vault, Medidata), operating models (functional, R&D level), business process and document optimization.
At least 10 years' experience in R&D-focused programs and methodologies (Clinical Operations, CDMS, RIM, Quality).
Expert in industry standards and their application across people, process, technology & data (e.g. TMF Standard Model, Regulatory submissions, CDISC data standards).
Experience in implementation execution, leading workstreams, and high-quality project delivery.
Experience in performance management, monitoring team progress, and supporting development plans.
Experience in defining and executing program contracts, change orders, resource, and budget management.
At least 10 years' experience in designing and facilitating workshops, business process modelling, capability assessments, and future state definition.
At least 8 years' experience in project management and/or change management.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
Excellent organizational and critical thinking skills.
A collaborative mindset and commitment to fostering a supportive team environment.

Nice To Haves

Professional/Life Sciences certifications (e.g. PROSCI, PMI/PMP).
Consulting skill sets such as Six Sigma, Agile & Waterfall methodologies.
Experience with record/data migration strategies and execution.
Data strategy development and assessments.

Responsibilities

Serve as executive sponsor for R&D implementation programs.
Define and implement implementation methodologies aligned with industry regulations and best practices.
Lead workshops, capability assessments, and business process design.
Develop organizational change management (OCM) and training strategies.
Deliver client roadmaps and transformation plans.
Own client relationships and engagement strategy.
Present findings and recommendations to senior stakeholders.
Guide proposal development and contribute to business development efforts.
Maintain forward-looking offerings and contribute to internal knowledge development.
Mentor junior consultants and foster a culture of excellence.
Contribute to R&D internal offerings, process improvement, and operational efficiencies.
Identify and implement opportunities for optimization.
Support R&D business development and account activities.
Support RFP responses and proposals.
Support staffing for ongoing and upcoming projects.