Clinical Team Manager Job Description

A Clinical Team Manager leads the CRAs who monitor clinical trial sites. Inside a contract research organization, the position usually sits within Clinical Operations, often in sponsor-dedicated placements where a pharmaceutical client defines the performance metrics and the manager answers to both the sponsor's country management and internal leadership. The work is people management first. What makes it demanding is that monitoring visit report timeliness and ICH GCP adherence are produced by direct reports, yet the Clinical Team Manager carries accountability for both.

As the Clinical Team Manager, you keep a CRA team delivering timely, compliant site monitoring so that sponsor studies stay on schedule and experienced staff stay long enough to preserve project continuity. You will manage a group of CRAs within Clinical Operations, working alongside Project Managers and Project Directors while reporting team performance to the sponsor's country management.

Career Impact: Moving from site monitoring into line management of a CRA team gives you people leadership credentials that CROs and pharmaceutical sponsors weigh heavily when staffing clinical operations leadership.

Business Impact: Your oversight visits catch monitoring gaps before a sponsor does, protecting the study timelines and data integrity on which sponsor contracts are judged.

Growth Opportunity: Handling sponsor relationships and headcount utilization prepares you to supervise other Clinical Team Managers, the next-step role found in larger CRO clinical operations groups.

• Lead a team of CRAs, including recruitment, induction, onboarding, and retention of staff.
• Conduct oversight visits and co-visits to assess CRA performance against sponsor requirements and GCP guidelines.
• Review monitoring visit reports for timeliness and completeness, escalating quality concerns to the sponsor promptly.
• Coach direct reports through regular 1:1 meetings, performance reviews, and career development planning.
• Monitor CRA productivity and utilization across the team, approving timesheets, expense reports, and time-off requests.
• Liaise with sponsor country management at least monthly to confirm direct report performance on assigned protocols and sites.
• Partner with Project Managers and Project Directors to align project priorities and support resource planning.
• Support CRAs during site hand-over activities to ensure no missing data and all records updated without delay.

• Bachelor's degree in life sciences, biological science, or a related field or equivalent work experience.
• Five or more years of clinical research experience, with direct site monitoring as a CRA.
• Working knowledge of ICH GCP guidelines, relevant SOPs, and FDA requirements for human clinical trials.
• Understanding of the drug development process, including study initiation, clinical monitoring, and drug safety.
• Demonstrated ability to motivate, coach, and manage the performance and development of direct reports.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including presenting online and in person to team and sponsor audiences.
• Ability to prioritize multiple competing deadlines under time pressure while maintaining strong attention to detail.
• Experience working cross-functionally in a matrix environment that includes sponsor and internal project stakeholders.

• Prior line management experience overseeing CRAs, or project management experience within a pharmaceutical company or CRO.
• Clinical monitoring experience gained over at least three years across multiple therapeutic areas, including oncology studies.
• Experience managing sponsor-dedicated or outsourced clinical teams and building long-term client relationships.
• Ability to deliver core soft skills training and make timely staffing decisions based on risk assessment.

• Monitoring visit report on-time submission rate, showing whether CRAs report site activity promptly.
• Oversight visit completion rate against the Oversight Plan, tracking planned CRA assessments delivered.
• CRA utilization percentage, reflecting how effectively team headcount is allocated to sponsor work.
• Voluntary CRA turnover rate, measuring retention of the managed monitoring team.
• Sponsor KPI compliance percentage for direct reports, reflecting delivery against contracted metrics.

• Base Salary Range: $115,000 to $150,000 annually, depending on experience and region
• Bonus: Annual performance bonus, typically 8% to 15% of base salary
• Equity: Uncommon at large CROs, stock options or RSUs possible at smaller firms
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage with employer premium contribution, plus HSA or FSA
• PTO: 15 to 25 days annually plus paid company holidays
• Common Perks: 401(k) match, remote or hybrid work, travel reimbursement, and certification support

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Offers of employment are contingent on successful completion of a background check, and some sponsor placements may also require drug screening. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Reasonable accommodations are available upon request at any stage of hiring.

The Clinical Team Manager Manager leads a group of Clinical Team Managers in a clinical research organization, overseeing monitoring visit report approval, headcount utilization, and hiring to keep project deliverables on schedule and of quality. Reporting to senior management and partnering with Project Directors, Project Managers, and Sponsors, the Clinical Team Manager Manager supports resource planning and corporate strategy for continued business growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as main point of contact for CTMs for any non-project and project specific needs.
• Manage performance and support training needs and growth opportunities of CTMs.
• Communicate regularly with CTMs to ensure their knowledge, understanding, and compliance with assigned project goals and departmental and corporate strategies and objectives.
• Partner with Project Directors/Project Management to oversee project deliverables and ensure project priorities are established with the Project Directors/Project Managers and Sponsors.
• Oversee CTM partnership to ensure effective management of the CRAs as their main point of contact with communication, problem solving and necessary tools.
• Ensure the CTM is a proactive member of the project team liaising closely with the Project Manager on all clinical monitoring related issues.
• Ensure monitoring visit reports are being reviewed and approved on time and of quality.
• Manage effective CTM headcount utilization and support Business Development by assisting with resource planning for new projects.
• Participate with the Executive Management Team to determine and operationalize corporate strategy and vision for the continued growth of the company.
• Participate in Clinical Operations-related recruiting, interviewing and hiring, and conduct new employee orientation and onboarding.
• Work with all operational units to help investigate issues and promote effective resolutions, and assist in the development of quality standards and programs.
• Provide excellent customer service to both internal and external clients, and ensure the same from the CTMs.
• Review and approve weekly timesheets for company tasks and requests from CTMs for time off.
• Perform other duties as assigned by senior management.

Required Qualifications

• BA/BS in a Life Science field or commensurate experience.
• Five years of experience in clinical research.
• Prior site monitoring experience.
• Personnel management experience, including performance review, time management prioritization, resource allocation, etc.
• In-depth knowledge and experience of the drug development process including study initiation, clinical monitoring, drug safety, regulatory affairs, data management and analysis, and clinical study report generation.
• Knowledge of the principles, methods, and procedures of clinical research.
• Knowledge of FDA, ICH and GCP guidelines for the conduct of clinical trials in human subjects.
• Ability to analyze and interpret data and prepare evaluative summary reports.
• Staff development and performance management skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to motivate and provide technical leadership, advice, guidance, and direction to all levels of staff.

Embedded within an outpatient behavioral health agency's Clinic Based Services, the Clinical Team Manager shapes clinical program development across substance use disorder and mental health services, overseeing contract compliance, the Outpatient budget, and supervision of program Team Leaders. Working closely with the Director of Clinic Based Services and the clinic-based management team, the Clinical Team Manager ensures trauma informed, culturally sensitive care that meets funder expectations and state licensing requirements.

Core Functions

• Coordinate recruitment, hiring, supervision and training of new staff including efforts to hire and retain a diversified staff.
• Work closely with all members of the clinic-based management team and DCBS in the planning, development and operation of clinical services for adults, families, adolescents and children receiving substance use disorder and/or mental health services.
• Coordinate with the program Team Leaders and DCBS to determine personnel decisions of promotion, disciplinary action, terminations and leaves of absence for staff.
• Monitor service contracts, and guide clinical services to ensure contract expectations are being met on a regular basis.
• Ensure that program services are trauma informed, recovery oriented, and culturally sensitive through staff development and training activities.
• Coordinate services with other agency programs and services including Records, Emergency Services Unit and the Clinical Assessment Unit.
• Work with the DCBS to ensure relevant clinical interests are represented at community consortiums, meetings and workgroups, and represent the agency and program mission and values to other agencies, funding sources, and the general public.
• Provide clinical supervision to program Team Leaders and direct supervision to program Team Leaders and Program Support Staff.
• Oversee service compliance with state licensing, certifications, and billing regulations, especially regarding the required documentation in consumer treatment records.
• Provide day-to-day oversight of clinic-based services clinical performance in conjunction with the clinic-based management team, ensuring adherence to clinical standards of care.
• Provide interpretation of agency mission, values, and policies in conjunction with the DCBS, and support staff understanding and compliance.
• Provide oversight of process improvement change projects, support staff input into changes in processes and services, and convene, facilitate and participate in program staff meetings.
• Oversee the Outpatient budget in collaboration with the DCBS.
• Provide expert testimony about mental health, substance use disorders, trauma informed services, and related issues to policy-making groups, funding groups, and other meetings, as assigned, and ensure positive and productive working relationships with other providers.

Qualifications & Experience

• Master's degree in related behavioral health field.
• Licensed as a PhD, PsyD, LMFT, LPC or LCSW, and meets relevant licensing requirements for billable services and supervision for mental health and/or substance use disorder services.
• Licensed as a CSAC, SAC or SUD specialty.
• Clinical supervision experience and management experience in a human service provider agency.
• Experience working with children, families and adults with serious mental health and/or substance use concerns in a community setting.
• Demonstrated understanding of contract compliance issues in substance use disorder, family based and adult mental health fields.
• Working knowledge of state OWI assessment, OWI treatment court and drug court.
• Ability to work in collaboration with a variety of behavioral health disciplines including case managers, psychotherapists, psychiatric nurses and prescribers.
• Knowledge and ability to demonstrate skill in providing culturally sensitive, trauma informed staff development and supervision within large systems both inside and outside the agency.
• Strong organizational and leadership skills with excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to be a flexible and creative participant in a changing system with demonstrated ability to work cross-culturally.
• Fluency in Spanish.

Reporting to agency management, the Clinical Team Manager leads a home health nursing team, assigning and evaluating clinical staff and monitoring documentation against Medicare and third party payer guidelines. Partnering with case managers, physicians, and interdisciplinary care teams, the Clinical Team Manager ensures plans of care are executed as written, supporting quality patient care and accreditation readiness.

Primary Duties

• Assign, supervise and evaluate clinical staff.
• Ensure that all supervised health care staff maintain compliance to federal and state rules and regulations and to agency clinical policies, procedures, and appropriate standards of care.
• Ensure that a client's plan of care is executed as written, and that a reassessment of a client's needs is performed by the appropriate health care professional when there is a significant health status change in the client's condition, at the physician's request, or after hospital discharge.
• Participate and assist in orientation and training of clinical and paraprofessional staff, and educate clinical staff on documentation standards and patient care as needed.
• Ensure scheduling and assignments are appropriately based on patient needs, staff expertise and geographical locations.
• Receive and coordinate patient referrals from case managers, physicians, and other referral sources.
• Lead and participate in interdisciplinary care conferences, agency programs and management functions as assigned.
• Monitor documentation and paper flow to ensure records are accurate, timely and adhere to Medicare and other payer guidelines, and monitor assigned cases to ensure compliance with requirements of third party payers.
• Investigate patient/family complaints promptly and take corrective action as needed.
• Make home visits to provide patient care as needed.
• Participate in the Agency's endeavors for accreditation, licensing and professional recognition according to state, federal or CHAPs requirements, and in periodic review of clinical records to promote quality patient care.
• Maintain privacy and confidentiality with regard to all patient, staff and Agency information.
• Provide positive, supportive communication to patients, families, visitors, physicians and other personnel.

Skills & Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.
• Current licensure as a Registered Nurse in good standing with the Board of Nurse Examiners for the state or compact license.
• 3+ years of experience as a Registered Nurse in an acute care setting or general medical setting.
• 1+ years of supervisory experience.
• Managed Care experience.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical, medical and regulatory instruction and deal with numerous contemporaneous issues and problem solving, delivery of patient care, and management of a diverse and multidiscipline staff applying abstract and concrete variables.
• Fluency in Spanish.
• Access to reliable transportation to travel to client and/or patient sites within a designated area.
• Tuberculosis screening as well as proof of immunity to Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella, Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis through lab confirmation of immunity, documented evidence of vaccination, or a doctor's diagnosis of disease.
• Able to perform all essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation.

Sitting at the intersection of line management and clinical research operations, the Clinical Team Manager leads a team of CRAs through recruitment, oversight visits, performance reviews, and GCP compliance to meet Sponsor quality and timeline metrics. Operating across a matrix environment with Sponsor country management and cross-functional stakeholders, the Clinical Team Manager builds lasting client relationships, retains staff, and sustains project and business continuity for the Clinical Operations function.

Duties

• Line manage a team of CRAs, including recruitment, induction, and retention of staff.
• Provide coaching, feedback, and training to direct reports, and manage employee development and performance.
• Attend or facilitate co-visits during onboarding period or as needed to assess confidence to perform activities and site visits alone.
• Perform oversight visits to assess CRA performance according to the Sponsor requirements and guidelines and inform Sponsor of any quality concerns in a timely manner.
• Ensure adherence to GCP guidelines, processes and procedures related to direct reports' activities and performance.
• Efficiently and accurately manage employees to meet quality and project expectations.
• Assure adequate response/escalation and follow-up on items assigned to direct reports by Sponsor.
• Ensure direct reports provide timely and high-quality deliverables and are compliant to the timelines and key business metrics defined by Sponsor.
• Ensure appropriate and timely reporting of site monitoring activities by CRAs.
• Conduct regular 1:1 meetings with direct reports according to the Sponsor requirements and guidelines to ensure deliverables and timelines, and ensure at least monthly meetings with Sponsor country management to confirm performance of direct reports regarding protocols/sites assigned.
• Communicate and escalate areas of development and training needs, and conduct continuous performance review and oversee personal development and career planning of direct reports.
• Provide timely feedback to Sponsor on performance and ensure proper follow-up.
• Review and approve timesheets, compliance of time dedicated to duties management, expense reports, time-off requests and provide proper oversight of CRA's productivity/utilization.
• Support CRA during site hand-over activities, ensuring no missing data and all data is updated without delay.

Requirements

• Minimum Bachelor's degree, with focus on biological science or equivalent preferred.
• Direct monitoring/CRA experience is a must.
• Line management experience preferred.
• Experience delivering presentations, both in an online and F2F setting.
• Experience working cross-functionally and in a matrix environment.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Skilled in building and growing client relationships.
• Self-motivated, detail-oriented, and flexible with the ability to prioritize workload effectively.
• Able to identify opportunities to continuously improve process and partnership.
• Able to conduct core soft skills training to employees.
• Able to make timely decision to replace employees based on risks assessment.

A key member of an outsourced clinical research partnership, the Clinical Team Manager/Line Manager owns direct oversight and performance management of a clinical country team, including oversight visits and Monitoring Visit Report reviews. Collaborating across the Sponsor, the management team, and direct reports, the Clinical Team Manager/Line Manager ensures KPI compliance and high-quality deliverables that strengthen service quality and brand reputation.

Functions

• Provide direct oversight, performance management, and skills development of clinical country team outsourced to Sponsor.
• Serve as main point of contact for Sponsor and link between Sponsor, management team and clinical country team.
• Recruit, interview and identify suitable candidates.
• Ensure and oversee proper onboarding and offboarding of employees (including hand-over activities), and compliance to initial and ongoing training.
• Train and oversee the core competencies, ICH GCP knowledge and local regulations.
• Ensure direct reports provide timely and high-quality deliverables (KPIs compliance) and provide proper oversight on their productivity/utilization.
• Perform Oversight Visits and review of Monitoring Visits Reports to assess CRA performance according to Oversight Plan and inform Sponsor of any quality concerns in timely manner.
• Conduct regular 1:1 meetings with direct reports to ensure deliverables and timelines.
• Ensure regular meetings with Sponsor to confirm the quality of service provided by assigned clinical country team, provide timely feedback to Sponsor and ensure proper follow-up.
• Communicate and escalate areas of development and training needs.
• Conduct continuous performance review and oversee personal development and career planning of direct reports.
• Promote brand and enhance reputation of the company.

Experience & Qualifications

• University degree in the field of Life Sciences.
• Minimum of six years relevant clinical research experience in a pharmaceutical company or CRO.
• Minimum of three years clinical experience in different therapeutic areas, including oncology.
• Proficient with on-site monitoring activities (including pre-study, initiation, routine monitoring and closeout visits).
• Relevant supervisory experience, with previous experience as a Line Manager or Project Manager as an asset.
• Knowledge of drug development process and relevant SOPs, ICH, and GCP guidelines.
• Computer competency.
• Ability to lead, motivate and encourage team members to seek solutions.
• Proven interpersonal skills and good communication skills.
• Ability to successfully manage multiple competing priorities under pressure of time.
• Strategic thinking skill with advanced planning and organizational skills.
• Advanced oral, written and presentation skills.
• Fluent command of English and local language.

Continuity and quality of care for youth clients depend on the Child/Youth Clinical Team Manager, who shapes multidisciplinary service plans and outpatient treatment plans while providing crisis management for outpatient center clients. Serving as the lead for a Youth treatment team of clinicians, care coordinators, peer specialists, nurses, and prescribers, the Child/Youth Clinical Team Manager partners with the Youth Mobile Crisis Intervention team and involves families throughout treatment.

Accountabilities

• Provide support in the daily operation of the program.
• Ensure access and quality of care, appropriate staffing and staff support.
• Participate effectively in the wider service system, particularly between CBHC components, to ensure continuity of care.
• Oversee treatment team and other providers to establish multidisciplinary service plans, outpatient treatment plan and appropriate case disposition.
• Provide crisis management for CBHC outpatient center clients, as necessary, and coordinate care and partner with Youth Mobile Crisis Intervention team.
• Involve families in evaluation, treatment planning, education, and on-going treatment to the degree agreed upon with consumer.

Technical Qualifications

• Master's degree in Social Work or Counseling, with PhD, EdD or PsyD required.
• Three years post licensure at the independent level of licensure for the discipline, specific to the clinician's training and expertise.
• Active professional license maintained in the individual's professional discipline, including, but not limited to, continuing education, ethical requirements, etc.
• 1 year supervisory or managerial experience in a similar setting.
• At least 5 years of clinical experience at the master's level.
• Experience with adult service systems including DMH and various levels of care.
• Intermediate computer fluency, including Microsoft Office.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and organizational skills.

As the Clinical Team Manager, this role builds staff capability within a home health care agency through mentoring on OASIS documentation, field evaluations, annual performance appraisals, and hiring. The agency relies on this work to advance its performance initiatives, with the Clinical Team Manager seeking counsel from the Director of Clinical Operations on personnel corrective actions.

Activities

• Assist in managerial functions of the agency.
• Mentor and counsel staff as appropriate, which includes OASIS documentation and skill proficiency.
• Seek counsel from Director of Clinical Operations for all personnel corrective actions.
• Complete timely field evaluations and annual performance appraisals for staff.
• Interview, hire and assist with orientation and ongoing education for staff.
• Assist with action planning and performance initiatives of the agency.

Position Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Nursing required, or Bachelor's, Master's or Doctoral degree in Physical Therapy or Occupational Therapy.
• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.
• State licensure, licensed or eligible in the state(s) in which they practice, required.
• BLS Certification (Basic Life Support) - American Heart 'Healthcare Provider' (HCP) - AHA approved required, with AHA appropriate certification required for new hires prior to completion of orientation.
• 1 year current experience in Home Health Supervision preferred.
• 2 years staff nurse experience in home health care preferred.
• Knowledgeable and competent to provide services for pediatric, adult and geriatric populations with various diagnoses.
• Reliable transportation required.