Senior Programs and Operations Manager

About the role

The Senior Programs and Operations Manager will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for clinical trial programs. You will ensure that programs are planned, executed and delivered on time, within budget and in full compliance with regulatory and quality standards.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the planning, execution and delivery of multiple clinical trial programs across all phases.
• Oversee project timelines, budgets and milestones, ensuring contractual and regulatory compliance.
• Partner with Clinical Operations, Data Management, Biostatistics, Regulatory and other cross‑functional teams to guarantee seamless program execution.
• Identify risks, issues and dependencies and implement proactive mitigation strategies.
• Develop and optimise operational processes to improve efficiency, quality and compliance.
• Manage resource allocation and workload balancing across projects and teams.
• Establish and monitor KPIs to track program and operational performance.
• Act as primary contact for sponsors, senior leadership and stakeholders, and mentor heads of departments and operations staff.

Required profile

• Matric/Grade 12 and a tertiary qualification in Project Management, Healthcare or a related field.
• Minimum 3 years of senior‑level experience in clinical trial project or operations management.
• Strong knowledge of ICH‑GCP, FDA, EMA and other global regulatory requirements (preferred).
• Proven ability to manage complex, multi‑phase programs and lead cross‑functional teams.
• Excellent financial and resource management capabilities.

Required skills

• Project Management
• Clinical trial management
• Regulatory compliance (ICH‑GCP, FDA, EMA)