Associate Director, Research Administration – National Center for Clinical Trials

Advocate Aurora Health

. Provide operational leadership and oversight for enterprise clinical research financial operations supporting industry-sponsored clinical research across the clinical research lifecycle .

Posted 10/26/2026full-timeRemote • United StatesSenior💰 $55 - $82 per hourWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in clinical research financial operations, including pre-award and post-award activities, budget development, and compliance with regulatory requirements. Proven leadership in managing finance teams and optimizing financial processes within the clinical research lifecycle.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Clinical Research Financial OperationsBudget Development And NegotiationLeadership And Team ManagementFinancial Analysis And ReportingKnowledge Of Regulatory Requirements

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Financial Management PrinciplesCoverage AnalysisPayment ReconciliationAccounts Receivable ManagementOperational AnalysisProcess ImprovementClinical Trial Management SystemsResearch Billing ComplianceSponsor InvoicingFinancial Feasibility Assessments

Soft Skills

Strong Communication SkillsOrganizational SkillsProject Management SkillsProblem-Solving SkillsTime Management Skills

Tools & Technologies

OnCoreEpicHuronClinCardMicrosoft Office

Industry Keywords

Clinical ResearchHealthcare FinanceGrants AdministrationRegulatory ComplianceResearch Administration

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Provide operational leadership and oversight for enterprise clinical research financial operations supporting industry-sponsored clinical research across the clinical research lifecycle
Design and direct the work of the clinical research finance team, including selection, coaching, development, performance management, and workload allocation
Oversee pre-award activities, including coverage analysis, research billing calendars, budget development and negotiation, financial feasibility assessments, and financial system builds for study activation
Oversee post-award activities, including sponsor invoicing, payment reconciliation, accounts receivable management, collections, financial reporting, and study closeout
Monitor operational metrics, budget negotiation performance, study activation timelines, invoicing, collections, workload distribution, and service-level performance
Implement standardized financial processes, workflows, policies, and best practices
Collaborate with contracting, compliance, revenue cycle, regulatory, information technology, investigators, sponsors, and study teams
Serve as escalation point for complex financial, operational, and compliance issues
Support implementation, optimization, and utilization of OnCore, Epic, Huron, ClinCard, and related research administration and financial systems
Ensure adherence to the organization's Code of Ethical Conduct, policies, regulations, and governing laws
Perform other related duties as required

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Healthcare Administration, Public Administration, Research Administration, or related field
Minimum seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience supporting clinical research financial operations, research administration, healthcare finance, grants administration, or related functions
Minimum three (3) years of leadership, supervisory, or management experience overseeing research finance, research administration, or related professional staff
Experience supporting pre-award and post-award financial activities for industry-sponsored clinical research
Knowledge of clinical research financial management principles and practices
Knowledge of coverage analysis, Medicare research billing compliance, budget development and negotiation, sponsor invoicing, payment reconciliation, and accounts receivable management
Knowledge of federal, state, sponsor, institutional, and regulatory requirements governing clinical research financial operations
Knowledge of clinical trial management systems, financial systems, and electronic research administration platforms
Strong financial analysis, operational analysis, and problem-solving skills
Ability to interpret financial data, identify operational trends, and develop process-improvement recommendations
Strong organizational, project management, and time-management skills
Strong oral, written, and presentation communication skills
Ability to manage multiple priorities and competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment
Demonstrated leadership, coaching, mentoring, and personnel-management abilities
Ability to collaborate with investigators, sponsors, research personnel, revenue cycle teams, compliance offices, and executive leadership
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
Ability to exercise sound judgment and independent decision-making in complex operational and financial issues
Occasional travel may be required
Preferred: Master's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Healthcare Administration, Accounting, Public Administration, Research Administration, or related field
Preferred experience with enterprise-level clinical research financial operations, pre-award and post-award industry-sponsored clinical trials, operational improvement, OnCore, Epic Research, Huron Research Suite, ClinCard, CTMS platforms, performance dashboards, operational reporting, and analytics
Preferred advanced knowledge of research billing compliance, clinical research financial management, sponsor-funded clinical trial budgeting and reimbursement models, and healthcare revenue cycle processes

Benefits

Comp & perks

Comprehensive Total Rewards suite
Competitive compensation
Generous retirement offerings
Career development programs
Paid Time Off programs
Medical, dental, and vision benefits
Life insurance
Short- and Long-Term Disability
Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses
Adoption assistance
Paid parental leave
Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match
Financial wellness programs
Educational Assistance Program
Incentive pay for select positions
Opportunity for annual increases based on performance
Premium pay such as shift and on-call pay, based on role