Job Information
Arkansas Children's Director Clinical Research Operations in Little Rock, Arkansas
Work Shift:
Please see job description for details.
Time Type:
Full time
Department:
CC033020 Clinical Research Operations
Summary:
Develops, oversees, and ensures strategic growth of a large, multidisciplinary clinical research organization which includes operational clinical research services (feasibility, study start-up, budget development and negotiation, regulatory, clinical research coordination, research nursing support, invoicing and close-out) and the growth and maintenance of the clinical research infrastructure (including Clinical Trial Management System implementation and maintenance) for the organization. The Director is responsible for developing and overseeing organizational strategy and goals, providing strategic leadership, building and modeling a high-performance culture with strong engagement within sub-departments. Intermediary between the sponsor, study PI and ACRI contracts office to ensure legal documents are processed.
Additional Information:
Provides strategic and operational leadership for a large, multidisciplinary clinical research organization of 100+ staff. Oversees the full clinical research portfolio, including study start-up, regulatory, coordination, research nursing, and financial operations, as well as the clinical research technology ecosystem.
Leads organizational strategy, drives operational excellence, and fosters a high-performing, engaged culture. Serves as a key liaison to leadership, sponsors, and partners, strengthening collaboration and advancing research operations. Ensures effective governance, financial oversight, compliance, and process standardization to support data-driven decisions and a high-quality, efficient research enterprise.
Required Education:
Bachelor's Degree
Recommended Education:
Master's Degree
Required Work Experience:
Related Field - 7 years with 5 years of leadership experience
Recommended Work Experience:
Required Certifications:
Certified Clinical Research Coordinator (CCRC) - Association of Clinical Research Professionals
Recommended Certifications:
Registered Nurse (RN) license - Arkansas or Compact State
Description
Leads a multidisciplinary clinical research organization, partnering with internal and external investigators, institutional leadership, and key stakeholders to advance research initiatives.
Drives strategic growth of clinical research by developing and executing a multi-year clinical trials strategy; establishes annual targets for study start-up, enrollment, capacity, and throughput, and leads change management efforts to scale operations.
Oversees clinical research operations across multiple sub-departments, including clinical research coordination, pediatric clinical research unit, investigational drug services, regulatory services, study start-up, budget development and negotiation, and research systems utilization.
Ensures regulatory compliance and operational excellence by applying deep knowledge of federal regulations and the clinical research environment to support safe, efficient, and high-quality research with a strong focus on transparency, customer service, and continuous improvement.
Serves as the primary operational liaison with internal and external partners, including ACRI, ACH, UAMS, sponsors, CROs, consortia, and clinical leadership; promotes clinical research operations, expands partnerships, attracts sponsors, supports funding opportunities, and strengthens investigator engagement, performance, and integration.
Establishes and governs research operations frameworks, including centralized feasibility, pipeline management, and study prioritization; optimizes resource allocation through workload and capacity modeling to improve activation and enrollment timelines.
Builds and leads a high-performing team by overseeing recruitment, training, performance management, and engagement initiatives; fosters a collaborative, inclusive, and results-driven culture.
Partners across departments to standardize and enhance research feasibility and start-up processes; ensures compliance with regulatory, financial, and legal requirements while maintaining continuous inspection readiness.
Provides financial leadership for clinical research operations, including budgeting, forecasting, pricing, coverage analysis, compliant billing, invoicing, and accounts receivable; supports data-driven portfolio and investment decisions to expand and accelerate clinical research.
Performs other duties as assigned in alignment with the scope and level of the role.
Arkansas Children’s (https://www.archildrens.org/about-us) is the only hospital system in the state dedicated to caring for children, which enables us to uniquely shape the landscape of pediatric care in Arkansas.
Arkansas Children’s is driven by four core values—safety, teamwork, compassion and excellence—which inform every action.
Arkansas Children’s Hospital has received Magnet Status (https://www.archildrens.org/about-us/magnet-recognition) from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), for nursing excellence and patient outcomes. And we are nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report (https://www.archildrens.org/about-us/awards-and-recognition) for Cancer, Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Diabetes & Endocrinology, Nephrology, Neurology & Neurosurgery, Pulmonology & Lung Surgery and Urology.
For more than a century, Arkansas Children’s has met the unique needs of children. But we’re more than just a hospital treating sick kids—our services include two hospitals, a pediatric research institute, foundation, clinics, education and outreach, all with an unyielding commitment to making children better today and healthier tomorrow.
Arkansas Children’s Little Rock campus includes a 336-bed hospital with the state’s only pediatric Level 1 Trauma Center, burn center, Level 4 neonatal intensive care and pediatric intensive care, as well as a nationally-recognized transport service. And Arkansas Children’s Northwest (https://www.archildrens.org/locations/arkansas-childrens-nw) provides inpatient and emergency care, clinic rooms and diagnostic services to children in that corner of the state.
“Arkansas Children’s is a place of hope and comfort for children and parents. When you are at children’s, you are part of an elite team united with a common goal of saving children and making their lives better.” Michael – Business Operations Manager
“Arkansas Children’s Hospital is a prestigious institution that cares for children.” Linda – Information Systems Analyst
“We are an organization of care, love, and hope while we champion children.” Angela – Parking and Fleet Coordinator
“Care, love, and hope for children!” Kathy – Administrative Assistant
“When I think of my time here at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, I can honestly say that it has given me a unique perspective on the human condition, and the various roles that we all have in patient care. As a supply assistant, I have a very important job ensuring that the doctors and nurses have what they need to provide the world class medical care to the Children of Arkansas and surrounding states. Being a Champion for Children is more than a catch phrase, it is a way of life!” Nick – Supply Assistant
Arkansas Children's provides equal employment opportunity to all persons without regard to age, race, color, religion, national origin or citizenship status, disability, military status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy or any other category protected by federal, state and local laws. Further, Arkansas Children's will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant.