Director Study Start-Up

Company: RBW Consulting
Location: Covington
Posted on: January 11, 2026

Job Description:

Job Description Job Title: Director Study Start Up and Process Improvement Location: Hybrid in Covington, KY Company: Mid-sized CRO RBW Consulting is excited to announce a senior-level opportunity with one of our most valued CRO clients. They’ve earned industry recognition for outstanding patient recruitment and engagement as well as their overall quality of service. The CRO is well-regarded for its client retention, positive culture, and deep therapeutic expertise. This is a strategic position reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer, with a strong focus on process improvement and operational excellence. Job Purpose The Director of Study Start-Up & Process Improvement will lead initiatives to streamline and enhance processes that support site activation. Acting as the key point of accountability for reducing activation timelines, this position works closely with teams across Regulatory, Feasibility, Contracts, Budgets, and Project Management to ensure smooth and timely study initiation. Responsibilities Oversee and coordinate all study start-up activities across internal teams and external partners Serve as the senior contact for site selection and activation timelines Design and implement process improvements to accelerate site activation Develop and maintain performance metrics to monitor efficiency and identify areas for improvement Collaborate cross-functionally to align objectives and deliverables for start-up activities Troubleshoot and resolve issues impacting activation timelines Provide strategic input to enhance compliance and operational performance This position does have supervisory responsibility Requirements In-depth knowledge of CRO operations and clinical trial processes Proven expertise in process improvement methodologies (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma) Strong leadership experience managing teams across regions Minimum 3 years in a role focused on process optimization within clinical research Minimum 3 years in the CRO environment with hands-on experience in study start-up and site activation Excellent organizational and project management skills To apply Please click ‘apply’ or contact Joe Pearce for any further information About RBW Consulting RBW Consulting is a life sciences talent & strategic consultancy with purpose, delivered through what we call Human Intelligence. We help life sciences businesses change the world by giving them the people, insight & networks to innovate and scale. We are proud of our role in helping companies deliver better health and wellbeing outcomes for patients We give back by playing an active role in funding initiatives that change lives We’ve created a culture rooted in support, transparency and mutual commitment. We lead with our values from the inside; empowering and investing in our people is more important than short-term commercial gain. We are an equal opportunities Recruitment Business and Agency RBW Consulting is an equal opportunity workplace. We prioritize talent (both current and potential) over resumes, challenge the status quo, and value people as our most important asset. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, colour, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, marital status, visible or invisible disability, medical condition, national origin, veteran status, or any other protected status. We strive to be a diverse workforce that is representative at all levels and are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills.

Keywords: RBW Consulting, Roanoke , Director Study Start-Up, Executive , Covington, Virginia