Senior Clinical Trial Manager/Clinical Trial Manager
Exempt Full-timeJob Overview
Fate Therapeutics is seeking a Clinical Trial Manager or Senior Clinical Trial Manager to lead complex clinical studies from start-up through close-out, ensuring high-quality execution, strong site and vendor partnerships, and timely delivery of key milestones. This role is ideal for a highly organized and proactive clinical operations leader who is motivated to advance innovative therapies in oncology and/or autoimmune disease. The successful candidate will bring hands-on clinical operations experience, sound judgment, and the ability to lead cross-functional teams, solve problems proactively, and communicate clearly in a fast-paced environment. This is a full-time, exempt position located at our corporate headquarters in San Diego, CA.
Fate Therapeutics is seeking a Clinical Trial Manager or Senior Clinical Trial Manager to lead complex clinical studies from start-up through close-out, ensuring high-quality execution, strong site and vendor partnerships, and timely delivery of key milestones. This role is ideal for a highly organized and proactive clinical operations leader who is motivated to advance innovative therapies in oncology and/or autoimmune disease. The successful candidate will bring hands-on clinical operations experience, sound judgment, and the ability to lead cross-functional teams, solve problems proactively, and communicate clearly in a fast-paced environment. This is a full-time, exempt position located at our corporate headquarters in San Diego, CA.
Responsibilities
- Independently lead complex or high-risk clinical trials from start-up through close-out, including study team leadership, timelines, enrollment strategy recommendations, risk mitigation, and completion planning.
- Ensure study deliverables are completed on time, within budget, and in compliance with GCP/ICH requirements, company SOPs, and applicable quality standards.
- Manage study budgets, forecasts, projections, invoice review and approval, and vendor spend in partnership with Finance and Clinical Operations.
- Lead site identification, evaluation, qualification, initiation, monitoring, booster visits, and close-out; partner with investigators, site staff, and field personnel to support study conduct and timely data collection.
- Develop and oversee enrollment strategies, monitoring plans, source document verification, data review, cleaning, freeze readiness, and data quality activities.
- Manage clinical vendors, including RFI/RFP support, vendor evaluation, selection, oversight, issue resolution, and performance management.
- Oversee Trial Master File implementation and maintenance to ensure ongoing inspection readiness.
- Drive development, review, and approval of study documents and tools, including protocols, informed consent forms, budgets, monitoring reports, project plans, logs, templates, newsletters, and operational materials.
- Provide concise study updates, reports, risks, and issues to senior management; escalate concerns promptly with recommended solutions.
- Provide oversight, training, mentoring, delegation, and dotted-line management, as applicable, for CTMs, CTAs, CRAs, and assigned clinical trial staff.
- Develop and deliver study training for investigators, site staff, and internal teams; support study supplies management and related operational processes.
- Support internal process, vendor, and site quality audits and regulatory inspections, including preparation, participation, and follow-up.
- Lead or participate in internal and external study meetings, Investigator Meetings, iDMC meetings, conferences, and events.
- Develop SOPs, best practices, and process improvements to strengthen clinical trial execution.
Qualifications
- B.S. degree with at least 6 years of clinical trial management experience in a biotech, pharmaceutical, and/or CRO environment.
- Strong clinical operations expertise, including end-to-end study conduct from start-up through close-out, global trial execution, and CRO/vendor management.
- Highly organized and self-directed, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and work with minimal supervision.
- Oncology, autoimmune, or cell therapy experience highly preferred.
- Working knowledge of FDA/ICH guidelines, Good Clinical Practice, clinical trial initiation and management practices, and pharmaceutical and clinical development processes.
- Demonstrated leadership, decision-making, problem-solving, and cross-functional study team management skills.
- Ability to engage, influence, and collaborate effectively across matrixed organizations and with external partners, including investigators, clinical sites, and vendors.
- Excellent communication skills and professional demeanor; able to work effectively with medical personnel, clinical monitors, statisticians, data managers, medical writers, and internal cross-functional partners.
Working Conditions & Physical Requirements
- Travel required, including periodic site visits and conferences to ensure the integrity of the study.
- Subject to extended periods of sitting and standing, vision to monitor, and moderate noise levels.
Compensation
- The salary offer will be based on a variety of factors, including level, experience, qualifications, internal equity, and location.
- Fate offers a competitive employment package that includes an annual bonus, equity, and a generous benefits package.
- The anticipated salary range for this role is $135,000 - $180,000.
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