Gurgaon, Haryana, India
Posted: Aug 15, 2026
On-siteFull-time
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Job Description

Job Description

Associate Director, Clinical Research Associate Manager

This role will be key to ensure strong monitoring in our clinical trials. Under the oversight of the
CRD the person is responsible to manage a team
of 6-14 CRAs and to ensure excellent study and site performance with strict adherence to local
regulations, company SOPs and ICH GCP.
As line manager the role is critical to continuously develop key talents by providing training,
support and mentoring to the CRAs and properly manage situation of low or non-performance.
The role will work at country level with other local stakeholder e.g. CRM to ensure alignment and
development of the country capabilities. The role will collaborate with country PLMs to ensure
alignment across all monitoring functions. The person contributes to HQ capacity/resource
planning activities to ensure efficient allocation of resources and work.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:


• Work allocation, staff development and performance appraisal.
• Provides input for capacity planning, including reporting of current manpower and forecasting
of CRA capacity and needs, to provide efficient use of resources.
• Work with CRAs, PLMS and other functions to ensure consistency of processes and protocol
implementation across the country, to reduce variability and provide predictability.
• Interacts with sites as needed to resolve site or CRA operational issues to meet
commitments in a timely manner in coordination with the study CRM.
• Attend local Investigator Meetings if requested to.
• Interface with GCTO partners on clinical trial execution.
• Escalates site performance issues to CRM and Clinical Research Director CRD.


• People and Resource Management:


o Manage CRA – career development, performance reviews, etc., including
addressing low performance situations, and taking appropriate actions.
o Support and resolve escalation of issues from CRAs.
o Liaise with local HR and finance functions as required.
o Contribute to HQ capacity/resource planning activities to ensure efficient allocation of
resources and work. Manage local conflicts between resource and work.
o Provides training, support and mentoring to the CRA to ensure continuous
development.
o Ensures CRA compliance to corporate policies, procedures and quality standards

CORE Competency Expectations:


• Ability to work independently and in a team environment
• Excellent people management, time management, project management and organizational
skills
• History of strong performance
• Skills and judgment required to be a good steward/decision maker for the company
• Fluent in Local Language and business proficient in English (verbal and written)
• Excellent working knowledge of all applicable ICH/GCP regulations and Good
Documentation Practices and ability to work within these guidelines
• Expertise in and excellent working knowledge of core trial management systems and tools

Behavioral Competency Expectations:


• High emotional intelligence
• Strong leadership skills with proven success in people management
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, conflict management
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships and to communicate effectively with external
customers (e.g. sites and investigators)
• Influencing skills

Required Skills:

Adaptability, Adaptability, Capacity Planning, Clinical Research, Clinical Research Management, Clinical Trial Documentation, Clinical Trial Management, Clinical Trial Planning, Clinical Trials, Clinical Trials Monitoring, Clinical Trials Operations, Conflict Resolution, Cross-Cultural Awareness, Decision Making, Ethical Standards, Good Clinical Practice (GCP), Interpersonal Communication, Oncology Trials, Organizational Management (OM), People Leadership, People Management, Project Management, Relationship Building, Stakeholder Management, Team Management {+ 1 more}

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.

Employee Status:

Regular

Relocation:

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Job Posting End Date:

08/21/2026

*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.


Requisition ID:R411276

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Additional Info
Min. Experience
-
Job Location Type
On-site
Job Type
Full-time
Predicted Seniority Level
-
Job Duration
-
Language(s)
-
Est. Budget/Pay Rate
To be discussed
Est. hrs
-
Optimal Job Start
-
Job Industry
-
Job Function
Clinical
Employer
MSD
Preferred Applicant Countries
Global
Job Ref
J26AF6B128290
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