New · posted Nov 12
ICON · Pharmaceuticals
Senior Director, Clinical Project Management Centre of Excellence
- Remote, US) / Blue Bell, PA
- Remote
- Full-time
- Director
The role
Senior Director, Clinical Project Management Centre of Excellence -- US -- Canada -- Ireland -- Remote
ICON is a global healthcare intelligence and clinical research organisation united by a mission to bring new medicines and treatments to patients faster.
As a values-driven organisation, integrity, collaboration, agility, and inclusion are at the heart of how we work and interact with each other, customers, patients and suppliers.
We are currently seeking a Senior Director, Clinical Project Management Centre of Excellence to lead the evolution of ICON’s Project Management Office into a federated Project Management Centre of Excellence.
Sitting within ICON Business Operations, this role will establish the standards, governance, capability framework and enabling infrastructure that support consistent, high-quality clinical project delivery. The successful candidate will create a central hub that defines the quality bar while building a distributed network of certified champions who embed project-management capability within ICON’s delivery functions.
This is a standard-setting and capability-building leadership role. It does not own clinical delivery directly. It owns the enterprise standards, methods, capability framework and performance mechanisms that enable project teams to deliver consistently.
Success will require the clinical delivery credibility to influence senior stakeholders, combined with the governance, capability architecture and change leadership expertise to establish enterprise standards across a complex global matrix.
What you need
- Extensive global clinical trial delivery experience across the full study lifecycle, including start-up, conduct and closeout, with personal accountability for scope, timelines, financials, risk, resources, vendors, sponsors and quality.
- Significant senior leadership experience within project management, a PMO or comparable enterprise capability function in a global, matrixed clinical development or CRO environment.
- Proven experience designing and owning a role-based competency framework and structured onboarding and continuous-learning pathway for clinical project-leadership roles, with demonstrated adoption and measurable impact.
- Demonstrated success establishing enterprise project-management standards across functions outside your direct line authority, including the governance, decision rights and accountability mechanisms needed to drive sustained adoption.
- Experience building and leading a distributed capability network, such as certified champions, subject-matter experts or train-the-trainer communities, that enables central standards to be delivered consistently within individual functions.
- Strong working knowledge of ICH-GCP, clinical trial regulatory and quality requirements, inspection readiness and CAPA, combined with executive-level influencing skills and the ability to lead effectively through a complex matrix.
- Experience establishing a Project Management Centre of Excellence or leading a significant operating-model transformation, with demonstrated improvements in areas such as study start-up, site activation, close-out, quality or cycle-time performance.
- Experience using learning platforms, analytics, digital or AI-enabled solutions to scale capability and measure effectiveness; relevant credentials such as PMP, PgMP, Prosci or continuous-improvement qualifications are an advantage.
- Proven experience using process-engineering principles to design and embed standardised, scalable project-management processes across a complex global organisation, supported by clear controls, performance measures and continuous improvement.
- Live in Eastern US or Midwest US, Canada, or Ireland and able to travel 10%
- Bachelor’s degree in life sciences, business, project management or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
Employment with ICON is contingent upon having the legal right to work in the country where the role is based.
What you'll do
- Lead the strategy, operating model, charter and roadmap for ICON’s federated Project Management Centre of Excellence, clearly defining central ownership, local delivery responsibilities and decision rights.
- Establish and govern enterprise project-management standards, methodologies, processes, templates, systems and certification requirements for clinical trial delivery.
- Design and own a role-based competency framework, structured onboarding journey and continuous-learning architecture covering project-leadership roles across the organisation.
- Build, train and certify a distributed network of functional champions and subject-matter experts, securing the protected capacity and governance required to deliver central standards consistently at a local level.
- Standardise study intake and outtake processes and drive measurable improvements in study start-up, site activation, closeout, quality and cycle-time performance.
- Establish governance, adoption measures, scorecards and accountability mechanisms that embed standards across functions, divisions and geographies.
- Partner with Quality and Oversight, Governance & Oversight, Data Analytics, Business Transformation, and Digital and AI teams to scale capability, strengthen process effectiveness and demonstrate measurable business value.
- Engage senior executives and delivery leaders, positioning project-management capability as a driver of quality, operational performance, sponsor experience and business growth.
- Build, lead and develop a high-performing central team, with accountability for resource planning, priorities and stakeholder management.
Pay and benefits
ICON didn't publish pay for this role
Try the salary calculator.
Rewards & Benefits
Competitive base salary and performance related incentives
Health and wellbeing programmes including medical, dental, and vision coverage where applicable
Retirement and pension plans
Life assurance and disability coverage
Employee assistance programmes and wellbeing resources
Learning and development opportunities through structured training and career pathways
ICON offers a competitive and comprehensive total rewards package designed to support your health, wellbeing, and career development.
Benefits may include:
Benefits may vary depending on role and location.
Visit our careers site to read more about the benefits ICON offers.
Equal opportunity, accessibility and legal noticesICON's statements, word for word
Inclusion and Accessibility
ICON is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building an inclusive and accessible workplace where everyone feels valued and supported.
If you require reasonable accommodations during the recruitment process, please let us know or submit a request here.
Are you a current ICON Employee? Please click here to apply
Job intelligence
The context around this role
Live data · November 12, 2026
Career trajectory
Where this role sits in Clinical Project Management
The general path across 43 open Clinical Project Management roles on Regulatory Jobs, with the titles they carry most. Not ICON's own promotion track.
Skills DNA
What this role leans on
How many of the posting's 28 duty, requirement and summary lines touch each area. The posting's emphasis, not a proficiency score.
- Collaboration and leadership13
- Clinical trial conduct7
- Lab testing and methods2
- Quality systems and risk2
- GMP and compliance1
- Investigations and CAPA1
Regulatory intelligence
The rules, regulations and standards behind this role
The regulations, guidance and standards that govern Clinical Project Management work in pharmaceuticals, led by the one this posting names, each linked to the agency or standards body that publishes it.
- ICHICH E6(R3) good clinical practice(official source, opens in a new tab)The international standard for the design, conduct and reporting of clinical trialsNamed in the posting
- FDA21 CFR Part 312(official source, opens in a new tab)Investigational New Drug applications and sponsor duties in drug trials
- FDA21 CFR Part 50(official source, opens in a new tab)Protection of human subjects: informed consent in FDA-regulated trials
- FDA21 CFR Part 56(official source, opens in a new tab)Institutional review boards for FDA-regulated clinical investigations
- FDAFDA Investigations Operations Manual(official source, opens in a new tab)How FDA investigators plan and conduct inspections
- EUEU Clinical Trials Regulation 536/2014(official source, opens in a new tab)How clinical trials of medicines are authorized and run in the EU, through CTIS
- ICHICH E8(R1)(official source, opens in a new tab)General considerations for clinical studies and quality by design in trials
- HHS45 CFR Part 46 (Common Rule)(official source, opens in a new tab)The federal policy for the protection of human research subjects
- NIH42 CFR Part 11(official source, opens in a new tab)Clinical trial registration and results reporting on ClinicalTrials.gov
- FDAFDA Bioresearch Monitoring (BIMO)(official source, opens in a new tab)FDA inspections of clinical investigators, sponsors, IRBs and GLP labs
- FDA21 CFR Part 11(official source, opens in a new tab)FDA rules for electronic records and electronic signatures
- HHSHIPAA Privacy Rule(official source, opens in a new tab)Federal protections for individually identifiable health information
- EUGDPR (Regulation 2016/679)(official source, opens in a new tab)The EU General Data Protection Regulation for personal data, including health data
- ICHICH E9 and E9(R1)(official source, opens in a new tab)Statistical principles for clinical trials and estimands
- FDA21 CFR 314.80 and 600.80(official source, opens in a new tab)Postmarketing reporting of adverse drug and biologic experiences
- ICHICH E2A to E2F(official source, opens in a new tab)Clinical safety data management, expedited reporting and periodic safety reports
Company hiring pulse
ICON on Regulatory Jobs
- 159
- Open roles
- 159
- Distinct roles
- 38
- Locations
By discipline
- Clinical152 92%
- Quality10 6%
- Regulatory4 2%
By level
- Associate & Specialist71 43%
- Senior & Principal66 40%
- Manager23 14%
More roles at ICON
- View role
Senior Clinical Project Manager
Remote, USManagerPharmaceuticalsSalary not listed
- View role
Senior Clinical Project Manager (cardio-metabolic)
Remote, USManagerPharmaceuticalsSalary not listed
- View role
Clinical Research Manager
Blue Bell, PAManagerPharmaceuticalsSalary not listed
- View role
Clinical Research Associate
Remote, USAssociate & SpecialistPharmaceuticalsSalary not listed
Similar Clinical Project Management roles elsewhere
- View role
Senior Clinical Program Director, Early CVRM Clinical Development
AstraZenecaCambridge, MA · HybridDirectorPharmaceuticals$234K–$350K
Senior Director, Clinical Project Management Centre of Excellence at ICON
Open until filled.