Senior Vice President, Research

POSITION OVERVIEW Vitalief has partnered with a leading multi-site New Jersey health system to help build a world-class clinical research organization. As part of the initiative, our client has engaged Vitalief to identify a visionary Senior Vice President (SVP) of Research to lead this transformation. Reporting to the Chief Medical Officer, this SVP will oversee system-wide research initiatives, grow the portfolio of industry-sponsored and investigator-initiated clinical trials, with a primary focus on non-oncology therapeutic area, and deepen the organization's partnership with a leading Academic Medical Center. Over the past eight years, the organization has invested significantly in building a premier research enterprise, achieving notable success in oncology. It now sees substantial opportunity to expand that excellence across other therapeutic areas. Working closely with executive leadership, the SVP will have a rare opportunity to assess current capabilities, build a strategic roadmap, and position the organization as a destination of choice for top physicians, principal investigators, patients, academic collaborators, and industry sponsors, establishing a nationally recognized, integrated research program during a period of exceptional growth, with the full backing of leadership . WORK LOCATION Primarily remote position with periodic travel to the health system's New Jersey locations. Regular on-site presence for executive meetings, physician engagement, strategic planning, and key research initiatives. Occasional travel to industry, academic, and professional conferences. COMPENSATION Highly competitive executive compensation package commensurate with experience and qualifications. Performance-based incentive opportunities. Comprehensive executive benefits package. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Develop and execute the strategic vision and roadmap for research across the health system, aligning research initiatives with organizational goals and long-term growth strategies. Assess and optimize existing research infrastructure, capabilities, and strategic assets to build a world-class clinical research organization. Lead the expansion of the clinical research enterprise, increasing research volume across multiple therapeutic specialties with an emphasis on non-oncology clinical trials. Build and strengthen research infrastructure, ensuring operational excellence, scalability, and regulatory compliance. Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with an affiliated Academic Medical Center to support translational research, faculty collaboration, investigator development, and innovation. Partner with physician leaders and service line executives to identify new clinical research opportunities across the health system. Expand relationships with pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology firms, medical device manufacturers, contract research organizations (CROs), and other research sponsors. Provide executive oversight of research operations, including clinical trial management, research administration, budgeting, compliance, quality assurance, and performance metrics. Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and institutional regulations governing clinical research, including FDA regulations, Good Clinical Practice (GCP), Institutional Review Board (IRB) requirements, and human subjects protections. Recruit, develop, and mentor high-performing research leadership and operational teams. Identify opportunities for external funding, grants, strategic partnerships, and sustainable research revenue. Represent the health system with academic institutions, industry partners, sponsors, professional organizations, and national research forums. QUALIFICATIONS Doctoral degree required; PhD (in biomedical sciences, public health, clinical research, healthcare administration, or a related discipline) strongly preferred. Candidates with an MD, DO, PharmD, or other terminal healthcare or scientific degree and significant research leadership experience will also be considered. Minimum of 10 years of progressive executive leadership experience in clinical research within an integrated health system, academic medical center, research institute, or comparable healthcare organization. Demonstrated success leading the growth of complex clinical research programs across multiple specialties. Experience collaborating with executive leadership, physician investigators, and academic institutions. Experience leading research across a multi-hospital or integrated health system. Demonstrated success expanding industry-sponsored clinical trials across diverse therapeutic areas. Experience working in close partnership with an Academic Medical Center. Experience developing research infrastructure during periods of rapid organizational growth. Comprehensive knowledge of clinical research regulations, FDA requirements, GCP, IRB processes, research compliance, and research administration. Strong scientific acumen and a deep understanding of clinical research from the Principal Investigator (PI) perspective. A commitment to staying abreast of research industry trends, emerging methodologies, evolving sponsor expectations, and the changing clinical research landscape. Demonstrated ability to translate research strategy into measurable operational and financial results, knowing what it takes to operationalize ROI while always thinking patients first. Proven ability to build strategic partnerships and successfully lead organizational change. Exceptional leadership, communication, financial management, and relationship-building skills.