Clinical Trials Program Manager

• Full-time, 12-month fixed term, based at the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, Camperdown

• Join the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre to lead strategic clinical trial delivery and drive excellence in clinical trial operations, influencing best practice and supporting research with a global impact

• Base Salary $152,045 + 17% superannuation

About the opportunity

The NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre (CTC) is a flagship centre of excellence in clinical trials and related research at the University of Sydney. We design and deliver trials and related research, including coordination, monitoring, data acquisition and management, and statistical analysis. Our health economics, biostatistics, systematic reviews, and biomarker teams work with trial data to inform healthcare providers about best practices.

The Clinical Trials Program Manager plays a pivotal leadership role within the CTC, providing strategic, operational and managerial oversight of complex clinical trials across their directed area of responsibility. Working under broad direction from the Associate Director, Clinical Trial Operations, this role oversees the design, establishment and delivery of clinical trials, ensuring the highest standards of quality, compliance, governance and performance are maintained.

With responsibility for financial oversight and resource management, the role contributes to budget development, expenditure monitoring and funding opportunities, supporting the sustainability and growth of CTC’s clinical trial portfolio. Drawing on extensive clinical trial expertise, the Program Manager provides trusted advice, exercises independent judgement and contributes to the development of systems, procedures and strategic initiatives that enable the successful delivery of impactful clinical research.

Your key responsibilities will be to:

• Provide strategic and operational leadership of clinical trial operations, including trial prioritisation, feasibility, planning, resourcing, oversight, and compliance within the directed area of responsibility.

• Lead, manage and develop clinical trial operations staff, including performance management, workforce planning, recruitment, capability building, and fostering a high-performing, ethical and collaborative team culture.

• Establish, manage and maintain strong internal and external stakeholder relationships, including investigators, collaborative trial groups, funding bodies, partners, and CTC leadership, ensuring effective governance and reporting.

• Ensure high-quality, compliant conduct of clinical trials by overseeing adherence to ICH-GCP, regulatory and ethical requirements, SOPs, operational guidelines, and study-specific procedures.

• Monitor and report on trial delivery, quality, risk, workforce and financial performance, proactively identifying issues, implementing improvements, and escalating risks as required.

• Contribute to organisational strategy, continuous improvement initiatives, funding opportunities and ad-hoc projects aligned with CTC priorities and corporate objectives.

About you

• postgraduate qualification or progress towards postgraduate qualifications and relevant experience; or equivalent combination of relevant experience and/or education/training.

• Extensive experience in clinical trial management, with a minimum of five years’ relevant experience leading clinical trial operations, project management or equivalent roles across the full trial lifecycle in Australia.

• Profound knowledge of ICH-GCP guidelines, regulatory and ethical approval processes, and demonstrated ability to ensure compliant, high-quality clinical trial conduct.

• Demonstrated leadership capability with experience supervising, mentoring, training and performance managing staff, including resolving complex HR and workforce matters.

• Strong financial and operational acumen, with experience in budgeting, financial oversight, workload prioritisation, and managing multiple competing priorities to achieve outcomes.

• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills, with strong negotiation, conflict resolution and stakeholder engagement capability, and the ability and willingness to travel up to 10% of the time.

We reward our employees with a range of benefits, which include:

• Opportunities for flexible work arrangements

• Hybrid working

• Great leave conditions including annual leave loading and paid parental leave for eligible staff members

• Wellbeing programs: discounted gym membership (Fitness Passport)

• Career development: online training programs, study leave and internal development opportunities.

Sponsorship / work rights for Australia

You must have unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this employment to be eligible to apply. Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment.

Pre-employment checks

Your employment is conditional upon the completion of all role required pre-employment or background checks in terms satisfactory to the University. Similarly, your ongoing employment is conditional upon the satisfactory maintenance of all relevant clearances and background check requirements. If you do not meet these conditions, the University may take any necessary step, including the termination of your employment.

EEO statement 

At the University of Sydney, our shared values are trust, accountability and excellence and we strive to be a place where everyone can thrive. We are committed to creating a University community that thrives through diversity and reflects the wider community that we serve. We deliver on this through our commitment to diversity and inclusion, evidenced by our people and culture programs, as well as key strategies to increase participation and support the careers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people living with a disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and those who identify as LGBTQIA+. We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds. 

We are proud to be recognised as an Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) Platinum Employer. Find out more about our work on diversity and inclusion. 

How to apply

Applications (including a cover letter, CV, and any additional supporting documentation) can be submitted via the Apply button at the top of the page.  

For employees of the University or contingent workers, please login into your Workday account and navigate to the Career icon on your Dashboard. Click on USYD Find Jobs and apply.

For a confidential discussion about the role, or if you require reasonable adjustment or any documents in alternate formats, please contact Roshik Prasad, Recruitment Operations by email to [email protected]

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The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment.

Click to view the Position Description for this role.

Applications Close

Sunday 26 July 2026 11:59 PM