Associate Director, Clinical Research Lead - Immunology & Neurodegeneration Cardiometabolic Health (Southcentral or Midwest)

Role Summary

Associate Director, Clinical Research Lead - Immunology & Neurodegeneration Cardiometabolic Health (Southcentral or Midwest) at Lilly. The Clinical Research Lead is a strategic, field-based scientific leader responsible for driving the execution of Lilly clinical trials through investigator engagement and site performance management, prioritizing high-performing sites to deliver trials with quality, speed, and insight. Works with internal teams to shape development strategies and serves as a trusted partner to investigators.

Responsibilities

• Clinical Investigator Management: manage investigator engagement from identification through enrollment, support database lock, and study closeout; serve as a scientific ambassador to ensure investigators understand protocol intent and patient eligibility; develop high-trust relationships with investigators; influence enrollment with tailored recruitment strategies; identify opportunities to reach new patients and accelerate enrollment; capture insights from sites to optimize feasibility and study conduct.
• Clinical Trial Management: lead site-level strategy and risk planning for enrollment and data delivery; use performance metrics to anticipate issues and maintain momentum; drive inspection readiness across sites; collaborate with functions and vendors to resolve barriers; maintain understanding of local treatment paradigms to influence site selection and protocol localization; provide oversight for vendor monitoring and escalate risks; potentially lead end-to-end management of Post-Marketing Safety Studies.
• Business Management and Engagement: cultivate a portfolio of high-impact investigators; provide an exceptional investigator experience; collaborate cross-functionally to align trial and site priorities; conduct data-informed site prospecting and prioritization; maintain scientific fluency to lead discussions with site personnel; act as liaison between field teams, vendors, and investigators; elevate investigator and site experience for better enrollment outcomes.
• Country / Regulatory Engagement (where applicable): represent Investigator Engagement with regulatory agencies and ethics committees; influence regulatory agility and operational feasibility; ensure local requirements are translated into compliant trial execution; partner with leadership on regional initiatives for enterprise-wide success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent; strong preference for scientific, clinical, or health-related fields
• Minimum 5 years of experience in clinical research or pharmaceutical industry with experience interacting with HCPs and clinical sites
• Legally authorized to work in the United States; no anticipated visa sponsorship
• Resident of or willingness to relocate to Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, or Illinois

Education

• Advanced degree in a scientific or clinical field (PharmD, PhD, MD, or MSc preferred)

Skills

• Experience in Immunology or Cardiometabolic therapeutic spaces
• Strong understanding of GCP, clinical development, operations, and trial lifecycle
• Ability to apply therapeutic knowledge to decision making; credibility with HCPs
• Strategic, results-driven in complex, fast-paced environments
• Data-driven decision making; interpretation of performance metrics
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and organizational skills
• Deep therapeutic area knowledge and local clinical research ecosystem familiarity
• Experience influencing site performance and enrollment success; track record of meeting targets
• Experience with regulators or national bodies in clinical trial delivery; English fluency; local language proficiency as needed

Additional Requirements

• Travel: willingness to travel extensively (60-80%)