AVP, Clinical Trials Strategy & Delivery Optimization

Sarah Cannon Research Institute

9d•Remote

About The Position

It’s More Than a Career, It’s a Mission. Our people are the foundation of our success. By joining our growing team at Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI), a subsidiary of McKesson, you will have the opportunity to become part of one of the largest community-based cancer programs to advance oncology treatments and improve outcomes for cancer patients across the globe. We look for mission-driven candidates who have a desire to advance the fight against cancer and make a difference in the lives of patients diagnosed with cancer every day. Our Mission People who live with cancer – those who work to prevent it, fight it, and survive it – are at the heart of every decision we make. Bringing the most innovative medical minds together with the most passionate caregivers in their communities, we are transforming care and personalizing treatment. Through clinical excellence and cutting-edge research, SCRI is redefining cancer care around the world. The Associate Vice President (AVP) is a senior leader responsible for directing enterprise level transformation initiatives and advancing strategic priorities within a regulated clinical research environment. The AVP provides oversight and governance for initiatives impacting clinical operations, quality, compliance, operational efficiency, and organizational effectiveness with the intention of advancing our internal Accelero strategy. This role partners with executive leadership and key stakeholders across business lines to translate strategic objectives into executable plans, applying structured change management, data driven decision making, and cross functional coordination to optimize Accelero delivery. The AVP operates within complex organizational and regulatory landscapes, ensuring alignment with Sarah Cannon’s mission, values, and applicable regulatory requirements while driving innovation, standardization, and sustainable performance improvement across departments and functions to meet our key stakeholders needs.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree required
At least 10 years of experience in clinical trials is required
Knowledge of scientific, medical, and regulatory terms
Knowledge of ICH Guidelines, GCP, and CFR Title 21
Clinical research process knowledge with an understanding of medical terminology
Highly effective leadership skills; considers the needs of the team above their own
Organization - proactively prioritizes needs and effectively manages resources
Excellent communication skills; persuasive, encouraging, motivating, and inspiring; the ability to listen and understand; the ability to communicate the complex in simple terms
Excellent interpersonal skills and an ability to establish relationships – develop strategic relationships within and outside of direct organization
Advanced Facilitation and communication skills – able to drive plans, decisions, and resolve issues through facilitation of groups or individuals
Process improvement skills and techniques
Change management skills and techniques
Excellent active listening skills
Experience working in a matrix environment and with virtual team members / stakeholders
Ability to influence and guide senior leaders in their change sponsorship role
Strong coaching, influencing, collaboration and communication skills are critical across all levels of the organization including the Executive Team
Effectively organize and manage multiple assignments
Ability to facilitate and motivate groups of people to improve at any level of the organization
Detail-oriented with an ability to plan, coordinate, and execute on projects and programs
Mission-driven with a strong understanding of Sarah Cannon strategic initiatives
Proven application of Lean/Six Sigma principles, methodologies, and best practices
Proven competence in driving change at an enterprise level and with customers
High customer orientation and relationship building competencies, with demonstrated expertise in selecting and applying improvement methods to meet and exceed customer needs
Demonstrated passion around customer and employee experience
Adapt and adjust to changing priorities
Think strategically
Motivate leaders and staff
Work cross-functionally across departments

Responsibilities

Lead enterprise level transformation initiatives in support of the Accelero strategy, including defining scope, objectives, success metrics, timelines, and governance structures. Ensure initiatives are executed on schedule and aligned with organizational priorities.
Partner with executive leadership and functional leaders to translate strategic priorities into actionable workplans, clearly defining ownership, dependencies, and decision rights across operations, quality, compliance, and supporting functions.
Lead and manage a team of individual contributors that include but are not limited to program managers, change agents, and process improvement professionals.
Provide oversight and direction for process improvement efforts by applying established improvement frameworks (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma) to identify inefficiencies, standardize workflows, and improve operational performance across lines of business.
Direct and manage a portfolio of Accelero implementation process improvement projects and programs, including prioritization, risk management, and issue escalation.
Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate progress, outcomes, and return on investment for Accelero portfolio. Use data and analytics to inform decisions, course correct as needed, and report results to executive leadership.
Facilitate structured planning sessions, workshops, and working groups to align stakeholders on objectives, roles, milestones, and execution plans. Document decisions and ensure follow through on agreed upon actions.
Serve as a senior advisor to the Executive Team by providing objective analysis, recommendations, risk assessments related to operational performance, change initiatives, and strategic investments.
Develop and implement communication strategies to provide consistent, accurate, and timely updates on initiative status, risks, and outcomes to executives, functional leaders, and impacted teams.
Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to gather feedback, assess customer and employee experience impacts, and implement targeted improvements based on identified gaps and opportunities.
Monitor external trends, best practices, and emerging technologies relevant to clinical research operations and enterprise enablement. Assess applicability and present recommendations for adoption when appropriate.
Represent the organization in external forums, industry events, and professional engagements as required, ensuring alignment with organizational messaging and strategic priorities.
Provide coaching, guidance, and influence across matrixed teams to support change adoption, execution discipline, and sustained performance improvement.
Ensure all work is performed in alignment with organizational policies, regulatory requirements, and the company’s mission, values, and Code of Conduct. Complete required training and reinforce compliance expectations across initiatives.
Perform other duties as assigned based on organizational and departmental needs.