Associate Director, Strategy & Insights- Clinical Research Group

Work Schedule

Environmental Conditions

Job Description

As the clinical research division of Thermo Fisher Scientific, PPD has launched Patient First, a group dedicated to enhancing the patient experience from the first click to the final visit. Utilizing human-centered, digitally enabled solutions, Patient First optimizes patient recruitment and engagement, site operations, and quality data collection.

Step into a high-impact role where strategy, innovation, and human-centered thinking converge. As the Associate Director, Strategy & Insights, you will be a strategic driving force within the team -shaping how patients engage with clinical research and redefining what “patient first” truly means in this digital era.

In this prominent position, you’ll serve as a trusted expert and visionary leader, crafting bold, patient-centric recruitment and engagement strategies that empower individuals, support diverse communities, and accelerate our clients’ research and drug development goals. Your contributions will help ensure we are identifying, matching, and enrolling the right participants through cutting-edge, compassionate approaches that elevate the patient experience from start to finish.

What You’ll Do:
Transform Client Needs Into Strategy
Analyze client RFPs to uncover strategic opportunities where Patient First methodologies can elevate study design, accelerate enrollment, and drive stronger trial performance.

Champion Patient-Centric Design
Evaluate study protocols and patient populations to develop tailored, evidence-based strategies that expand access, support diversity, reduce burden, and create sustainable, meaningful engagement.

Craft High-Impact Storytelling
Develop compelling, data-driven proposal content that clearly communicates the value, innovation, and measurable impact of Patient First strategies—shaping client decisions and inspiring confidence.

Lead Persuasive Client Engagements
Deliver clear, confident, and influential presentations of Patient First solutions during bid defenses and strategic discussions, positioning PFDS as a partner of choice.

Fuel Collaboration & Integration
Build strong cross-functional partnerships to embed Patient First principles across teams, strengthening alignment and elevating overall delivery excellence.

Be the Expert Others Rely On
Serve as a trusted strategic advisor and subject matter expert for clients and internal stakeholders—guiding best practices, influencing direction, and helping teams adopt a patient-first mindset.

Keys to Success: 

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent and relevant formal academic / vocational qualification
• Previous experience with patient recruitment and digital and decentralized solutions that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the job (comparable to 8+ years’ experience).
• In some cases, an equivalency, consisting of appropriate education, training, and/or directly related experience will be considered sufficient for an individual to meet the requirements of the role.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities 

• Deep expertise across the full clinical development lifecycle, including patient recruitment strategies and the implementation of digital and decentralized clinical trial solutions.
• Proven experience providing protocol review and consultancy, offering innovative, tailored operational approaches that enhance trial feasibility and efficiency.
• Strong cross-functional operational leadership, with the ability to anticipate the impact of changes across functions and confidently propose alternative, optimized operational strategies.
• Demonstrated success in the business development cycle, including serving in key leadership roles to drive growth, strategy, and partnership development.
• Analytical and solutions-oriented problem solver, skilled at translating complex program strategies into practical, actionable plans that deliver measurable outcomes.
• Ability to develop compelling arguments for the adoption of Patient-First technology solutions, supporting future innovation and advancing patient-centric clinical trial methodologies.

At Thermo Fisher Scientific, we are committed to fostering a healthy and harmonious workplace for our employees. We understand the importance of creating an environment that allows individuals to excel. Please see below for the required qualifications for this position, which also includes the possibility of equivalent experience:

• Able to communicate, receive, and understand information and ideas with diverse groups of people in a comprehensible and reasonable manner.
• Able to work upright and stationary for typical working hours. 
• Ability to use and learn standard office equipment and technology with proficiency.
• Able to perform successfully under pressure while prioritizing and handling multiple projects or activities. 
• May require travel (0-25%). 

Location: Remote for qualified candidates in the US (EST or CST preferred). Relocation assistance is NOT provided. 

*Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.
*Must be able to pass a comprehensive background check, which includes drug screening.

The salary range estimated for this position in North Carolina is $125,000 - 180,000 USD. This position will also be eligible to receive a variable annual bonus based on company, team, and/or individual performance results in accordance with company policy. Actual compensation will be confirmed in writing at the time of offer.