Externally Sponsored Research Manager

Posted Yesterday
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Gaithersburg, MD, USA
In-Office
112K-168K Annually
Junior
Biotech • Pharmaceutical
The Role
Manages externally sponsored research studies in the USA for oncology programs, serving as the operational liaison among sponsors, franchise teams, finance, regulatory, and research sites. Responsibilities include proposal triage, governance coordination, contracts, budgets, system maintenance, compliance, risk mitigation, corrective action plans, payments, and inspection readiness. The role requires pharmaceutical study management experience, knowledge of clinical development and GCP/ICH guidelines, financial expertise, and strong stakeholder-management skills.
Summary Generated by Built In

Job Description

Join us to advance evidence that improves patient outcomes in partnership with our US Medical oncology teams. As an ESR Manager, you will serve as the operational backbone for externally sponsored research performed in the USA, aligning to franchise priorities to deliver high‑quality, compliant studies that inform practice and broaden patient impact. You will partner cross‑functionally to lead end‑to‑end start‑up and execution with franchise teams and sites: triaging proposals, coordinating governance, guiding ESR processes, and ensuring contracts, budgets, and systems are accurate and current. You will keep programs on time, on budget, and inspection‑ready by driving proactive risk mitigation, timely escalations, and clean data across ESR platforms. If you thrive in a collaborative environment and want your work to help more patients benefit from our medicines, we invite you to apply.

Job Responsibilities

  • Act as the primary local operational contact and liaison for all external (sponsor site) and internal cross-functional stakeholders for assigned studies (AZ contracting, US Franchises, GMA, finance, etc). Coordinate effective collaboration and communications between internal stakeholders and external partners to enable high quality research projects
  • Provides guidance to external and internal stakeholders on ESR operational processes
  • Manage operational compliance with global and local policies, processes, and procedures within assigned tumor type area(s) to ensure timely, cost efficient and high-quality project delivery. Address urgently compliance issues, escalating problems as appropriate
  • Accountable for accurate and timely study information into ESR management system, and to cross-functional stakeholders (Franchise teams, Finance, Project Managers, etc) ensuring completeness of all information and documentation is complete
  • Facilitate local strategic alignment (LSA) governance meetings (including but not limited to coordination of meetings, meeting minute documentation, reviews proposals for completeness, outcome sharing and follow-up)
  • Ensure timely preparation of research CDAs/CSAs
  • Routinely review assigned study performance and escalate when projects are not being managed to time, cost and quality to franchises, project managers and finance teams.
  • Set up and maintain study budget current and up to date in ESR study management system (e.g., ACCORD as necessary). Ensure accurate payments related to the study are reflected in ESR management system in a timely manner
  • Maintain all data in VCV system up to date, ensuring that portfolio is updated in a timely fashion, at a minimum once per quarter
  • For studies that are not on track, in collaboration with AZ sponsor, ensures corrective action plans are created and documented in ESR study management system and action plans are progressing as planned
  • For USMA funded ESRs, support franchises on quarterly ESR analysis, risk mitigation documenting and follow-up
  • Collaborates with Regulatory Affairs to requests LOAs to support sponsor regulatory submissions
  • Hold Sponsor accountable to contractual obligations in keeping system updated

Education, Qualifications and Experience Minimum Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree within a scientific or healthcare field or significant and comparable experience
  • 1 to 2+ years of experience within the pharmaceutical industry ideally working within a clinical study management and/or Externally Sponsored Research related role
  • Experience working in study management systems
  • Experience and knowledge of the clinical study and drug development processes and relevant guidelines, e.g., GCP/ICH for the USA.
  • Financial knowledge on study management

Other Skills and Capabilities:

  • Effective relationship building and stakeholder management skills across functions
  • Ability to effectively prioritize competing deliverables
  • Flexibility and adaptability
  • High levels of enthusiasm and energy

The annual base pay (or hourly rate of compensation) for this position ranges from $112,154 to $168,232. Our positions offer eligibility for various incentives—an opportunity to receive short-term incentive bonuses, equity-based awards for salaried roles and commissions for sales roles. Benefits offered include qualified retirement programs, paid time off (i.e., vacation, holiday, and leaves), as well as health, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans.

Date Posted

18-Sep-2026

Closing Date

01-Oct-2026

Our mission is to build an inclusive environment where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees. In furtherance of that mission, we welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their protected characteristics. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please complete the corresponding section in the application form.

Skills Required

  • Bachelor's degree in a scientific or healthcare field, or significant comparable experience
  • 1 to 2+ years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, ideally in clinical study management or Externally Sponsored Research
  • Experience working in study management systems
  • Knowledge of clinical study and drug development processes and relevant guidelines, including GCP/ICH for the USA
  • Financial knowledge related to study management
  • Effective relationship-building and stakeholder-management skills across functions
  • Ability to prioritize competing deliverables
  • Flexibility and adaptability

AstraZeneca Compensation & Benefits Highlights

The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about AstraZeneca and has not been reviewed or approved by AstraZeneca.

  • Fair & Transparent Compensation Pay is considered competitive across many roles when total rewards are factored in. Senior scientific and leadership bands are described with high ranges that reinforce competitiveness at upper levels.
  • Strong & Reliable Incentives Bonuses, equity eligibility in many salaried roles, and solid sales on‑target earnings with upside are emphasized as meaningful parts of compensation. These elements boost overall value even where base pay is not the very highest.
  • Retirement Support A 401(k) program with a strong company match and immediate vesting is repeatedly cited as a standout. Generous retirement support is viewed as enhancing the total package relative to peers.

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The Company
HQ: Gaithersburg, MD
70,000 Employees
Year Founded: 1999

What We Do

We're transforming the future of healthcare by unlocking the power of what science can do for people, society and the planet.

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