Senior Research Program Manager (Hybrid) - Emergency Medicine

Senior Research Program Manager

Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, is seeking an experienced, intellectually curious, and highly organized individual with international research experience to serve as a Senior Research Program Manager. The candidate will work with the program Principal Investigator alongside collaborators from institutions across the globe on projects spanning implementation science research, clinical trials, observational studies, and qualitative studies with the overarching goal of improving quality of life for populations in resource-limited settings and domestically.

This role bridges strategic research objectives with tactical delivery, managing timelines, budgets, compliance requirements, and cross-functional coordination across research centers, clinical trial portfolios, and sponsored research programs. The Manager oversees the operational delivery of multi-year, multi-million-dollar research portfolios including award management, multi-site collaboration, budget oversight, and compliance with federal and university policies while working actively with faculty to foster a research-engaged environment, contribute to strategic planning of the research division, and identify new funding opportunities.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

Project Planning & Stakeholder Coordination

• Develop and maintain project timelines and documentation systems integrating all research phases (protocol development, regulatory approval, enrollment, data collection, closeout)
• Organize and facilitate project meetings with investigators, research staff, institutional administrators, and external partners including preparation of all materials, coordination of conference calls, and support for steering, executive, and scientific advisory committee meetings; document action items and ensure follow-through
• Communicate project status, milestones, risks, and outcomes to all stakeholder groups; serve as the primary liaison to granting agencies in coordination with the PI, and between research teams and institutional/external partners
• Collaborate with PIs and research coordinators at all subaward sites; manage required documentation of trial participants and ensure regulatory compliance at each site; track site progress and confirm each site has proper infrastructure to support grant activities, including staffing, enrollment training, and data management
• Authorize site enrollment; develop operating standards for each site and train accordingly; actively participate in site initiation visits and audits; take appropriate steps to mitigate problems related to data management, enrollment, or documentation requirements
• Identify operational obstacles (scheduling conflicts, budget constraints, regulatory delays, staffing challenges) and work collaboratively to resolve issues while maintaining compliance and quality
• Manage and participate in collaborative grant-writing projects; independently initiate new grant proposals, improve existing study protocols, and identify new avenues for funding opportunities
• Provide supervision, technical guidance, and expertise for Research Assistants; may be responsible for recruiting, hiring, and managing staff related to assigned research projects, ensuring appropriate budgetary support
• Work actively with faculty to create a research-engaged environment; suggest strategies for research growth; participate in the strategic planning of the research division

Budget Development & Financial Oversight

• Develop and monitor project budgets across all cost categories; track expenditures, flag variances, and forecast spend in coordination with finance and departmental administrators
• Prepare financial reports for research leadership and sponsors; support budget justifications for grant proposals and renewals in compliance with NIH and federal guidelines
• Manage subaward budgets and third-party invoicing in coordination with post-award administration

Regulatory Compliance & Sponsor Coordination

• Coordinate with regulatory offices (IRB, biosafety, research administration) to ensure timely submissions, approvals, and ongoing protocol compliance with NIH/federal regulations and sponsor requirements
• Manage communications with sponsors (NIH, foundations, industry partners); track and respond to reporting deadlines, budget modifications, no-cost extensions, and other sponsor-required submissions; advise and explain protocols and expectations to participating sites and ensure all granting requirements and deadlines are met
• Read publications, regulations, and directives and take action as appropriate; draft policies and procedures in accordance with University and Department directives
• Assist with preparation of renewal applications and grant proposals that rely on program-level data, publications, and outcomes

Data Management, Analysis, & Reporting

• Maintain databases and tracking systems for grants, awards, milestones, and key performance indicators; analyze project data to identify trends and forecast outcomes (enrollment projections, spending trends, resource utilization)
• Create and maintain REDCap databases including design of data collection forms, extraction and uploading of datasets, and creation of reports
• Assist data managers in monitoring data quality and progress reports; track performance against institutional and sponsor benchmarks
• Prepare progress reports, metrics summaries, and data analyses for research leadership, sponsors, and external committees; use data visualization to communicate findings clearly to diverse audiences and support renewal applications and publications

Research Dissemination & Publications

• Contribute to preparation of manuscripts, abstracts, and conference presentations that communicate research findings and program outcomes to the scientific community
• Support submission of abstracts and posters for national and international conferences; coordinate logistics for conference presentations and participation
• Perform other duties as assigned

More About This Job

• Hybrid position; on-site office work in St. Louis, Missouri as needed
• Occasional evening or weekend work may be required
• Occasional travel to international research sites and scientific conferences may be required
• Open to candidates with U.S. citizenship or a valid work visa
• Target start date: on or about September 1, 2026

Example Research Projects

• A clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of community lay supporters to improve HIV viral suppression for people living with HIV in rural Uganda.
• A clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of community health worker-delivered gestational and postpartum diabetes screening in urban slums of India
• A study to improve adherence to guidelines for dual antiplatelet therapy among Emergency Department patients with transient ischemic attack or minor stroke