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Salary: USD 160,000 - 220,000 / annual
Iterative Health is a healthcare technology and services company accelerating clinical research through a network of 100+ research sites across the US, Europe, India, and Australia. The company combines clinical trial expertise with AI to connect pharmaceutical sponsors with high-performing research teams, enabling faster access to novel therapeutics.
As Director of Activations Strategy & Operations, you will own the end-to-end activation operating model—diagnosing where time is lost, designing scalable processes and systems, and driving cross-functional execution to achieve a 75-day goal from trial award to site activation. This is a strategic, operationally focused role at the intersection of process design, cross-functional alignment, and performance management.
Key responsibilities include:
**Activation Performance Ownership**: Own the end-to-end activation performance framework, setting targets and tracking milestones against the 75-day goal. Monitor performance, surface risks early, and lead response to delays. Lead portfolio and site sequencing decisions to maximize revenue opportunity.
**Process Design & Systems Thinking**: Diagnose bottlenecks across the activation lifecycle (regulatory, legal, site readiness, study startup) and identify high-leverage opportunities to compress timelines. Design and implement scalable, repeatable activation processes that reduce variability. Develop activation playbooks operationalizable across new trials, sites, and therapeutic areas. Partner with Product and Technology to build systems and tooling for real-time visibility into activation status and portfolio sequencing.
**Cross-Functional Alignment & Stakeholder Management**: Define roles, responsibilities, and handoffs across Site Operations, Regulatory, Legal, Commercial, and Study Success. Resolve cross-functional bottlenecks and develop creative vendor partnerships that accelerate timelines.
**Team & Function Development**: Build and develop the activations team as the function scales. Establish operating cadence, reporting structures, and accountability mechanisms.
The role is hybrid with in-office collaboration two days per week at one of three locations: NYC, Boston, or Southlake.
**Requirements**:
- 7+ years in strategy and operations, management consulting, or related function with a track record of designing and implementing operational systems that improve efficiency and scale
- Demonstrated ability to diagnose process inefficiencies, design solutions, and drive cross-functional execution in complex, multi-stakeholder environments
- Strong systems thinking; ability to see how pieces fit together and build processes that scale
- Experience defining roles, responsibilities, and operating models across functions; comfortable driving accountability conversations and alignment
- High ownership mindset with clear accountability for outcomes
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills; able to influence without authority across legal, regulatory, clinical, and commercial functions
- Experience with vendor identification, evaluation, and management in an operational context
- Comfortable operating in fast-moving, ambiguous environments
**Preferred Qualifications**:
- Experience in healthcare, clinical research, or regulated industries where process design carries compliance implications
- Experience building or managing small teams
- Strong analytical instincts; able to use data to diagnose problems and measure impact of process changes
- Proficiency in Google Workspace and/or Microsoft Office tools (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
