Senior Director, Automation - Hybrid

MSD • North Wales, PA

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

This position is responsible for the formulation and execution of automation strategy in Global Clinical Trial Operations and all the support activities within their functional area. This includes working with stakeholders across Global Clinical Trial Operations (GCTO), our company IT and other relevant teams, driving the strategy from ideation to value realization. The Senior Director will: Drives Alignment and Strategic Planning· Inspires teams toward shared goals. Develops ambitious yet achievable objectives aligned with organizational priorities. Plans resources and sets strategies to improve efficiency and impact. Forecasting & Operational Planning Accountable for ensuring alignment of functional capacity with organizational demand needs working internal stakeholders Leads Talent Development and Performance Management Assigns work, sets priorities, and conducts regular performance reviews. Provides coaching, feedback, and recognition to support growth and accountability. Builds Career Paths and Growth Opportunities Creates development plans and promotes internal mobility. Ensures employees receive training, mentoring, and stretch assignments to build future capabilities. Advises Cross-Functional Stakeholders Offers expert guidance on data management and functional operations to internal teams and external partners Ensures Compliance Oversees compliance of the teams executing processes according to SOP to meet global regulatory and internal standards. Champions Continuous Improvement Leads or supports initiatives that enhance processes, tools, and team agility. Stays Ahead of Innovation Tracks advancements in AI, automation, and clinical trial operations to guide tool selection and process optimization. Influences Technology and Workflow Decisions Contributes to decisions on internal and external systems and defines efficient work processes. Supports Broader Organizational Needs Takes on additional projects and tasks as needed to advance trial operations and data management.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree preferably in life sciences, technology, business operations.
• 12 years of experience in Clinical Trial Operations, Data Management or related biopharmaceutical experience.
• 5 years of experience and demonstrated success in personnel management
• Successful implementations in partnership with Technical/ IT organizations involving data and technologies including but not limited to data modeling, NLP, and working in infrastructures like AWS, Azure etc.
• A broad comprehensive knowledge of clinical trial operations
• Working knowledge of ICH and GCP guidelines.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to communicate with both the technical and business areas.
• Demonstrated experience in formulating strategy, facilitating organizational alignment, and driving implementation through value realization.
• Defining process and organizational metrics, KRI, KQI, OKRs etc.
• Demonstrate Agile mindset and practical experience with Agile methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Drives Alignment and Strategic Planning
• Inspires teams toward shared goals.
• Develops ambitious yet achievable objectives aligned with organizational priorities.
• Plans resources and sets strategies to improve efficiency and impact.
• Forecasting & Operational Planning Accountable for ensuring alignment of functional capacity with organizational demand needs working internal stakeholders
• Leads Talent Development and Performance Management
• Assigns work, sets priorities, and conducts regular performance reviews.
• Provides coaching, feedback, and recognition to support growth and accountability.
• Builds Career Paths and Growth Opportunities
• Creates development plans and promotes internal mobility.
• Ensures employees receive training, mentoring, and stretch assignments to build future capabilities.
• Advises Cross-Functional Stakeholders
• Offers expert guidance on data management and functional operations to internal teams and external partners
• Ensures Compliance
• Oversees compliance of the teams executing processes according to SOP to meet global regulatory and internal standards.
• Champions Continuous Improvement
• Leads or supports initiatives that enhance processes, tools, and team agility.
• Stays Ahead of Innovation
• Tracks advancements in AI, automation, and clinical trial operations to guide tool selection and process optimization.
• Influences Technology and Workflow Decisions
• Contributes to decisions on internal and external systems and defines efficient work processes.
• Supports Broader Organizational Needs
• Takes on additional projects and tasks as needed to advance trial operations and data management.

Benefits

• medical
• dental
• vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family)
• retirement benefits, including 401(k)
• paid holidays
• vacation
• compassionate and sick days

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees