Director, Proposal Management

We are seeking an experienced Director, Proposal Management to lead our global full-service clinical proposals and budgets function across Phase I-IV clinical development. This is a highly visible leadership role responsible for setting the strategic direction of the function, driving operational excellence, and ensuring a consistent, high-quality approach to proposal and budget development across a global organisation.

The successful candidate will work in close partnership with Sales, Commercial, and Operational Leadership to support business growth, optimise proposal delivery, and strengthen collaboration across the full-service clinical development business. They will champion process standardisation, performance metrics, best practices, and continuous improvement initiatives, while ensuring effective resource planning, business continuity, and alignment across regions and therapeutic areas.

As a leader of a global team of proposal and budget professionals, the Director will be responsible for developing talent, fostering a high-performance culture, and creating an environment that enables teams to deliver exceptional client-focused solutions. They will play a key role in influencing senior stakeholders, driving organisational change, and identifying opportunities to improve quality, efficiency, and customer experience throughout the proposal lifecycle.

We are looking for a proven proposal management leader with significant CRO or pharmaceutical industry experience and deep expertise in clinical proposals, budgets, and commercial strategy. The ideal candidate will have a strong track record of leading global teams, partnering effectively across commercial and operational functions, and delivering transformational initiatives that enhance business performance, customer satisfaction, and competitive growth.

• Strategic Vision: Creates, initiates, and is accountable for the strategic vision for the Proposal Management department including key stakeholders within or external to Enterprise Client Solutions. Establishes current and future departmental organizational structure in support of and in alignment with the larger commercial organization including development, retention, and succession planning for managers and employees. Provides guidance and oversight for process improvement opportunities, applies analytical tools to process issues, and is accountable for team process improvements, removing obstacles through influence when needed.
• Leadership: Accountable for the development of a department training strategy (including new hires as well as continuous education). Supports team leaders and managers in the effective execution of their leadership and management responsibilities, including coaching and development. Define global reporting requirements around performance metrics with support of department head and in collaboration with peers. Ensures effective business continuity (i.e., problem-solving against market concerns, resourcing issues, etc.). Actively builds and maintains relationships with key stakeholders across the Business Unit (BU) and enterprise, acting as principal BU point-of-contact (POC) for other Commercial leaders, Operational leadership, and Executive Management.
• Management: Addresses departmental issues/team performance with a proactive, strategic approach and an appropriate sense of urgency. Provides guidance and oversight for development and consistent implementation of global policies, procedures, and SOPs. Performs timely and accurate data entry into departmental and/or corporate databases/systems as required. Accountable for timely and accurate data entry by team. Accountable for timely delivery of assigned opportunities across team.

• Bachelor’s degree in a scientific, business, or related field (or equivalent work experience).

• Extensive experience within in a CRO or pharmaceutical environment along with supervisory experience. Demonstrated ability to plan, multi-task, prioritize, and lead a team. Track record of building successful teams. Proven track record in effective operations and/or commercial department management and leadership.

• Flexibility to participate in meetings across various time zones outside core working hours. Occasionally working extended hours in order to adhere to client deliverable timelines.

• 30-40% of time, with up to 40% requiring an overnight stay. Travel is primarily to Training meetings, other Fortrea offices, client meetings, commercial meetings.