| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Pharma |
| Level | Manager |
| Reports to | Head of Clinical Research |
| Direct reports | Clinical Research Associate |
| Experience | 8 to 12 years in clinical research, with experience managing trials and monitors |
Clinical Research Manager job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Clinical Research Manager
Department: Pharma
Reports to: Head of Clinical Research
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Clinical Research Manager plans and oversees clinical trials for a pharmaceutical company or research organisation. They manage study timelines, budgets, sites and monitors, keep trials compliant with good clinical practice, and make sure data is collected correctly and on schedule. The role sits in clinical development and leads clinical research associates. A good one runs trials that finish on time, on budget and audit-ready, keeps sites and monitors on track, protects patient safety and data quality, and solves the problems that always come up during a study.
Key responsibilities
- Plan clinical trial timelines, budgets, resources and site selection with the study team.
- Oversee study start-up, site initiation, enrolment and monitoring across all trial sites.
- Lead and manage clinical research associates and their site monitoring work.
- Ensure trials follow good clinical practice, the protocol and regulatory requirements.
- Track enrolment, data collection and query resolution against study milestones.
- Manage trial vendors such as labs and contract research organisations.
- Review monitoring reports and act on protocol deviations and site issues.
- Coordinate with regulatory, medical, data management and safety teams.
- Prepare the study for audits and inspections, and keep documentation complete.
- Report study progress, risks and budget to the clinical development head.
Requirements
- Degree in life sciences, pharmacy or medicine
- Certification or training in good clinical practice
- Significant experience in clinical research or monitoring
- 8 to 12 years in clinical research, with experience managing trials and monitors
KRAs and KPIs for a Clinical Research Manager
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Study timelines | Trial milestones such as enrolment and database lock met on schedule |
| Compliance | Trials follow good clinical practice and protocol, with zero critical audit findings |
| Data quality | Data queries resolved within the target time, with clean, reliable trial data |
| Enrolment | Patient enrolment meets the study target across sites |
| Budget control | Studies delivered within the approved budget, with spends tracked |
| Site management | Sites monitored on schedule, with protocol deviations acted on promptly |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Clinical trial management system, Electronic data capture systems, MS Project or trackers, MS Excel, Regulatory and safety databases.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Head of Clinical Research, Clinical Operations Director
Interview questions for a Clinical Research Manager
- How would you plan a multi-site trial to finish enrolment on time?
- A site has repeated protocol deviations. How do you handle it?
- How do you keep a trial audit-ready throughout the study?
- How do you manage a contract research organisation that is falling behind?
- How do you protect data quality and patient safety during monitoring?
- How do you keep a trial within budget when timelines slip?
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What does a clinical research manager do?
A clinical research manager plans and oversees clinical trials. They manage timelines, budgets, sites and monitors, keep trials compliant with good clinical practice, and make sure data is collected correctly and on schedule. They lead clinical research associates, manage vendors, and prepare studies for audits, protecting patient safety and data quality throughout.
What is the difference between a clinical research manager and a CRA?
A clinical research associate monitors trial sites, checks data and ensures sites follow the protocol. A clinical research manager plans and oversees the whole study, manages the CRAs, controls budget and timelines, and handles vendors and regulators. The CRA works at site level; the manager runs the study end to end.
What qualifications do you need for clinical research management?
Most clinical research managers hold a degree in life sciences, pharmacy or medicine, plus training in good clinical practice and several years in clinical research or monitoring. Strong project management, knowledge of trial regulations, and experience leading monitors are essential, since the role owns timelines, compliance and data quality for entire studies.