# Clinical Research Director

Occupation

Canonical page: https://career.thegoodapps.co/occupations/clinical-research-director

Clinical research directors set the strategic direction for an organization's clinical trial portfolio, overseeing clinical trial strategy, regulatory affairs, and budget/P&L management across multiple studies or therapeutic areas. They provide team leadership to clinical operations staff while ensuring GCP/FDA compliance throughout the drug or device development lifecycle. This senior executive role is held by seasoned clinical research professionals, often with advanced scientific degrees, working within pharmaceutical, biotech, or CRO companies.

Top skills: [Regulatory Affairs](https://career.thegoodapps.co/skills/regulatory-affairs), [Team Leadership](https://career.thegoodapps.co/skills/team-leadership)

## Career ladder

- Often comes from: [Clinical Data Manager](https://career.thegoodapps.co/occupations/clinical-data-manager), [Clinical Research Manager](https://career.thegoodapps.co/occupations/clinical-research-manager)
- Often leads to: [Vice President](https://career.thegoodapps.co/occupations/vice-president)

## Similar roles

[Clinical Research Coordinator](https://career.thegoodapps.co/occupations/clinical-research-coordinator), [Clinical Research Manager](https://career.thegoodapps.co/occupations/clinical-research-manager), [Director of Clinical Data Management](https://career.thegoodapps.co/occupations/director-of-clinical-data-management), [Director of Laboratory Services](https://career.thegoodapps.co/occupations/director-of-laboratory-services), [Medical Director](https://career.thegoodapps.co/occupations/medical-director), [Pharmacy Director](https://career.thegoodapps.co/occupations/pharmacy-director), [Research Director](https://career.thegoodapps.co/occupations/research-director)

## Open Clinical Research Director roles (1)

- [Executive Director (Distinguished Scientist), Clinical Research, Atherosclerosis](https://career.thegoodapps.co/jobs/38f73642-58bd-4715-92fd-59f3cb3be113/executive-director-distinguished-scientist-clinical-research-atherosclerosis-at) at [Merck](https://career.thegoodapps.co/organizations/merck) — Full-time, Rahway, NJ, $310,900 – $489,400

## Likely next role (8)

Where Clinical Research Directors commonly go next: [Vice President](https://career.thegoodapps.co/occupations/vice-president).

- [Senior Vice President, Global Go-To-Market (GTM) - Citrix Security Business](https://career.thegoodapps.co/jobs/142a0274-2987-4d97-b8f8-bec85fd7dd3d/senior-vice-president-global-go-to-market-gtm-citrix-security-business-at) at [Citrix Systems](https://career.thegoodapps.co/organizations/citrix-systems) — San Ramon, CA, $315,789 – $540,000
- [VP, North American B2B Secular Shift](https://career.thegoodapps.co/jobs/e0b14829-7934-45cc-b499-df7ec69727d0/vp-north-american-b2b-secular-shift-at-mastercard) at [Mastercard](https://career.thegoodapps.co/organizations/mastercard) — Purchase, NY, $235,000 – $375,000
- [Blackstone Private Wealth - Product Specialist (1031 Exchange Fund),  Vice President](https://career.thegoodapps.co/jobs/3cb2d178-a4e8-44a1-9a13-86e0f8e5ac80/blackstone-private-wealth-product-specialist-1031-exchange-fund-vice-president) at [Blackstone Group](https://career.thegoodapps.co/organizations/blackstone-group) — San Francisco, CA, $175,000 – $200,000
- [Vice President](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/hammes/09d0d561-27bc-4155-bec8-39b456ea21a1/application) at [Hammes Company](https://career.thegoodapps.co/organizations/hammes-company) — Dallas, TX (listed on Hammes Company's own careers site)
- [Vice President, Global Public Sector, Tolling and Parking](https://career.thegoodapps.co/jobs/bff497d8-dcbf-4692-82a4-a8ed266f7968/vice-president-global-public-sector-tolling-and-parking-at-mastercard) at [Mastercard](https://career.thegoodapps.co/organizations/mastercard) — Full-time, Purchase, NY, $235,000 – $375,000
- [BXMA – Total Portfolio Management: Private Investments, Vice President](https://career.thegoodapps.co/jobs/b8aa7da6-34ea-4836-86f4-10f9df5baa59/bxma-total-portfolio-management-private-investments-vice-president-at) at [Blackstone Group](https://career.thegoodapps.co/organizations/blackstone-group) — New York, NY, $185,000 – $200,000
- [Blackstone Private Wealth - Product Specialist, Vice President (Real Assets)](https://career.thegoodapps.co/jobs/64ece04f-4c4d-4d59-b2fa-4e5f20b75c3b/blackstone-private-wealth-product-specialist-vice-president-real-assets-at) at [Blackstone Group](https://career.thegoodapps.co/organizations/blackstone-group) — Full-time, New York, NY, $175,000 – $200,000
- [BXMA - ICS, Vice President](https://career.thegoodapps.co/jobs/1fea36c3-cc2f-49f2-8bf4-3575f438ff10/bxma-ics-vice-president-at-blackstone-group) at [Blackstone Group](https://career.thegoodapps.co/organizations/blackstone-group) — New York, NY, $165,000 – $200,000

## Roles similar to Clinical Research Director (21)

From [Clinical Research Coordinator](https://career.thegoodapps.co/occupations/clinical-research-coordinator), [Clinical Research Manager](https://career.thegoodapps.co/occupations/clinical-research-manager), [Director of Clinical Data Management](https://career.thegoodapps.co/occupations/director-of-clinical-data-management), [Director of Laboratory Services](https://career.thegoodapps.co/occupations/director-of-laboratory-services), [Medical Director](https://career.thegoodapps.co/occupations/medical-director), [Pharmacy Director](https://career.thegoodapps.co/occupations/pharmacy-director), [Research Director](https://career.thegoodapps.co/occupations/research-director).

- [Clinical Research Coordinator](https://epyz.fa.us2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/job/18496/apply) at [Nemours Foundation](https://career.thegoodapps.co/organizations/nemours-foundation) — Orlando, FL (listed on Nemours Foundation's own careers site)
- [Clinical Research Coordinator](https://iqvia.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/IQVIA/job/Gilbert-AZ-United-States-of-America/Clinical-Research-Coordinator_R1558539) at [IQVIA](https://career.thegoodapps.co/organizations/iqvia) — Gilbert, AZ (listed on IQVIA's own careers site)
- [Medical Director](https://cigna.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/cignacareers/job/United-States-Work-at-Home/Medical-Director_26010345-1) at [Cigna](https://career.thegoodapps.co/organizations/cigna) — United States Work at Home (listed on Cigna's own careers site)
- [Sr. Director, Medical & Scientific Affairs - Specialty Testing - (USA REMOTE)](https://career.thegoodapps.co/jobs/9d1908b5-d2bd-4d7f-960e-1f1d6a3ba77b/sr-director-medical-scientific-affairs-specialty-testing-usa-remote-at-beckman) at [Beckman Coulter](https://career.thegoodapps.co/organizations/beckman-coulter) — Full-time, Remote, $260,000 – $300,000
- [Director Clinical Operations and Medical Policy](https://career.thegoodapps.co/jobs/ad3e839d-fecd-4186-987e-1709a6b6a8f0/director-clinical-operations-and-medical-policy-at-cambia-health-solutions) at [Cambia Health Solutions](https://career.thegoodapps.co/organizations/cambia-health-solutions) — Full-time, $166,992 – $242,700
- [Executive Medical Director, Clinical Development, MS and Neuropsychiatry](https://career.thegoodapps.co/jobs/c4bd1f56-024f-4e3f-b769-6f832bde6644/executive-medical-director-clinical-development-ms-and-neuropsychiatry-at-biogen) at [Biogen](https://career.thegoodapps.co/organizations/biogen) — Cambridge, MA, $332,000 – $423,000
- [Director, Athlete Intelligence - Biomechanics and Athlete Immersion](https://career.thegoodapps.co/jobs/cfa07a6e-95da-412a-9af7-bf10505de3cc/director-athlete-intelligence-biomechanics-and-athlete-immersion-at-under-armour) at [Under Armour](https://career.thegoodapps.co/organizations/under-armour) — Full-time, Baltimore, MD
- [Clinical Research Spec](https://career.thegoodapps.co/jobs/ace35936-54d3-4899-90b3-63b9ab9e8a12/clinical-research-spec-at-medtronic) at [Medtronic](https://career.thegoodapps.co/organizations/medtronic) — Full-time
- [Senior Medical Director, Radiopharmaceutical Imaging (RPI)](https://career.thegoodapps.co/jobs/ee484bbd-851d-41d5-9f64-9654d643e8d9/senior-medical-director-radiopharmaceutical-imaging-rpi-at-bristol-myers-squibb) at [Bristol Myers Squibb](https://career.thegoodapps.co/organizations/bristol-myers-squibb) — Full-time, Remote - United States - US, $241,768 – $292,966
- [Manager, Biomarker Operations](https://career.thegoodapps.co/jobs/b34a85b7-7308-43d2-9fac-9e1830db4cc7/manager-biomarker-operations-at-moderna) at [Moderna](https://career.thegoodapps.co/organizations/moderna) — $109,200 – $174,600

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