Senior Director Clinical Operations

Director of Clinical Operations📍 Location: Oxford (Hybrid/1-2 days on site per week) 📅 Full-time | PermanentAbout the RoleAn exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Director of Clinical Operations to lead and shape global clinical trials within a pioneering oncology development environment. Reporting to the Vice President of R&D Operations, this senior role is integral to the strategic and operational delivery of clinical programs in oncology.You’ll join a dynamic, cross-functional team where science meets strategy—taking ownership of clinical operations across all phases of development, from feasibility through to regulatory submission. This is an excellent opportunity for a senior clinical leader to make a tangible impact in a rapidly evolving field.Key ResponsibilitiesLead the end-to-end operational delivery of global clinical studies, ensuring compliance with ICH-GCP and relevant regulatory standards.Provide leadership and oversight across all clinical operations activities—delivering projects on time, within scope and budget.Line manage and mentor the Clinical Operations team, fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.Oversee vendor and CRO selection, contract negotiation, performance management, and issue resolution across outsourced clinical trials.Serve as the primary escalation point for study-related risks and challenges, developing and implementing mitigation strategies.Collaborate with internal functions (e.g., Medical, Imaging, Quality, Regulatory, Biometrics, CMC) to drive cross-functional alignment.Participate in study and protocol design, including cost and timeline estimation, feasibility, and risk assessments.Own the clinical operations budget, including SAP financial management, purchase order tracking, and forecasting.Ensure audit readiness and lead the hosting of GCP audits and regulatory inspections, in collaboration with Quality Assurance.Lead the implementation and management of Trial Master File (TMF) systems, ensuring documentation quality and data integrity.Contribute clinical operations expertise to new business cases and portfolio planning activities.Stay abreast of industry trends, champion innovation, and contribute to best practices both internally and externally.Your Background & ExperienceGraduate degree (or equivalent) in life sciences, medical sciences, or a discipline associated with clinical research.10+ years of experience in clinical operations or clinical project management within pharma, biotech, or CRO environments.Proven expertise in global oncology clinical trials, ideally spanning both early and late-stage development.Strong operational understanding of the drug development lifecycle, protocol development, trial execution, and data analysis.Familiarity with radiopharmaceuticals and/or imaging modalities is highly desirable.In-depth knowledge of EMA, FDA, ICH, and GCP regulatory frameworks.Demonstrated experience in vendor/CRO oversight, budgeting, and contract negotiation.Excellent leadership and communication skills, with a track record of developing high-performing teams.Comfortable working across functional teams and influencing at all levels of an organization.Skilled in change management, process improvement, and operational excellence.What’s OfferedOpportunity to play a key leadership role in the development of cutting-edge diagnostic therapies in oncology.Work in a collaborative, science-driven environment with global impact.Competitive salary and benefits package.Hybrid/flexible working arrangements.Tshering SherpaTsherpa@planet-pharma.co.uk