Director, Clinical Business Operations

Nuvation Bio•Remote - Any State US, NY

45d

About The Position

Nuvation Bio is a biopharmaceutical company tackling some of the greatest unmet needs in oncology by developing differentiated and novel therapeutic candidates. Our vision is to significantly change the practice of oncology by developing medicines that provide truly meaningful improvements in quality of life and survival for people with cancer. The Director of Clinical Business Operations is responsible for the strategic and operational oversight of all financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and contract management activities across clinical development programs. This role ensures financial discipline, compliance, and efficiency in the execution of clinical trials while partnering closely with Clinical Operations, Legal, Procurement, and external vendors (e.g., CROs, SMOs, and investigative sites). The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in clinical trial financial management, contract negotiation, and cross-functional leadership within a biotech or pharmaceutical environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree with 10+ years of experience in clinical finance, clinical outsourcing, or contract management within biotech/pharma. A commiserate combination of education and experience may be considered.
5+ years of leadership or people management experience.
Strong understanding of clinical trial processes and cost drivers across phases (Phase I–IV).
Deep expertise in clinical budgeting, forecasting, and financial modeling.
Proven experience negotiating complex clinical contracts (CROs, vendors, sites).
Strong knowledge of industry benchmarks and cost structures.
Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Strong communication and stakeholder management abilities.
High level of organization and attention to detail.
Experience with financial systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite).
Familiarity with clinical systems (e.g., CTMS, EDC platforms).
Advanced Excel and financial modeling skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a small-to-mid-size biotech or fast-growing environment.
Background supporting global clinical trials.
Experience implementing or optimizing clinical finance/contract systems.
Problem-Solver - As an action-oriented self-starter, you’re eager to apply your expertise in diagnosing inefficiencies, determining root causes, and recommending solutions to complex challenges.
Personable - You establish and nurture highly effective relationships with colleagues and key stakeholders that support and advance project goals and objectives.
Credible - Thorough understanding of clinical methodologies and providing sound analytical support, you quickly establish credibility as a reliable resource.
Emotional intelligence , curiosity, and a knack to figure out a way to build something better
Communication - Effectively listens, conveys, and receives ideas. Maintains a consistent flow of information. A strong presenter and effective communicator with the ability to influence stakeholders.
Accountability - Acts with a clear sense of ownership - whether the task is in their role description. Holds yourself and others accountable to execute all tasks at hand through seen and unforeseen circumstances with high quality and integrity.
Adaptability - Can manage in an environment of ambiguity. Embraces the change of a new system, process, technology, or idea in the organization. You could reassess priorities, alter goals and take risks.

Responsibilities

Lead the development, management, and oversight of clinical trial budgets across all phases of development.
Partner with Clinical Operations to build accurate study-level and program-level forecasts.
Monitor actual spend vs. budget; identify variances and provide actionable insights to leadership.
Establish financial tracking tools and dashboards for clinical programs.
Support long-range planning, portfolio modeling, and scenario analyses.
Oversee the end-to-end lifecycle of clinical contracts, including MSAs, work orders, change orders, and site agreements.
Lead negotiations with CROs, vendors, and clinical sites to ensure cost efficiency and favorable terms.
Ensure alignment between financial assumptions and contractual obligations.
Collaborate with Legal and Procurement to streamline contract processes and templates.
Manage contract amendments and ensure proper documentation and audit readiness.
Act as a key business partner to Clinical Operations, Finance, Legal, and Procurement teams.
Provide financial guidance to study teams during planning and execution phases.
Support governance meetings, including budget reviews and investment decisions.
Align clinical financial strategies with corporate financial goals.
Develop and implement scalable processes, SOPs, and best practices for clinical finance and contracts.
Evaluate and optimize financial and contract management systems (e.g., CTMS, ERP, contract lifecycle tools).
Drive automation and standardization to improve efficiency and reduce cycle times.
Ensure compliance with internal policies, financial controls, and regulatory requirements.
Support audits (internal and external) related to clinical financials and contracts.
Identify financial and contractual risks and implement mitigation strategies.
Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing clinical finance and contracts team.
Foster a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement.
Provide training and guidance on financial and contract-related processes.