Lead Clinical Trials Coordinator

Lead Clinical Trials Coordinator – Private Ophthalmic Institute

Salary: Up to £55,000 (dependent on experience)
Contract: Full-time, Permanent

About the Role

We’re seeking an experienced and proactive Lead Clinical Trials Coordinator to take ownership of our expanding ophthalmic clinical trials programme. This is a pivotal position in one of the Institute’s most important growth areas, with responsibility for study delivery, team leadership, and sponsor relationships.

You’ll oversee a small, high-performing team and work closely with pharmaceutical and medical device partners to ensure our trials meet recruitment, compliance, and quality targets. This is an exceptional opportunity for a driven professional to lead from the front and shape the direction of a growing research portfolio.

Key Responsibilities

Programme Leadership & Governance

• Lead the end-to-end delivery of all clinical studies, ensuring adherence to ICH-GCP, protocol, ethics, and data protection standards.
  
  
• Manage study timelines, milestones, and risk mitigation across all active and upcoming trials.
  
  
• Support investigators with medical oversight, protocol clarifications, and safety communications.
  
  
• Maintain audit readiness through meticulous document control and process compliance.
  
  Study Start-Up & Feasibility
  
  
• Lead feasibility assessments and communicate site capabilities to sponsors and CROs.
  
  
• Drive rapid study start-up including contracts, budgets, and submissions.
  
  
• Develop efficient site workflows and patient pathways to accelerate recruitment and optimise data quality.
  
  Recruitment & Retention
  
  
• Deliver study recruitment targets through effective referral networks and patient engagement.
  
  
• Monitor screen-fail rates and implement data-driven recovery strategies.
  
  Operations & Data Management
  
  
• Oversee day-to-day site operations, ensuring smooth clinic flow and accurate, timely data entry.
  
  
• Maintain all logs, trackers, and study databases with strong version control.
  
  
• Coordinate data queries, interim analyses, and database lock activities.
  
  Sponsor & CRO Liaison
  
  
• Act as the main point of contact for sponsors and CROs.
  
  
• Lead site visits and monitoring interactions with professionalism and clarity.
  
  
• Provide concise progress reports and performance updates to stakeholders.
  
  Financial Oversight
  
  
• Work with the Accounts team on study budgets, invoicing, and financial tracking.
  
  
• Support contract negotiation, milestone payments, and cost control.
  
  People Leadership
  
  
• Line-manage and mentor clinical trials staff, providing clear goals and feedback.
  
  
• Lead onboarding, training, and professional development initiatives.
  
  Imaging & Clinical Duties
  
  
• Learn and perform patient imaging using advanced ophthalmic diagnostic equipment.
  
  
• Ensure patient experience and data integrity remain at the forefront of all trial activities.
  
  Publications & Research Support
  
  
• Assist in data analysis and the preparation of abstracts, posters, and manuscripts for conferences and journals.
  
  About You
  
  
• Minimum 5 years’ experience managing or coordinating clinical trials, ideally within ophthalmology or medical devices.
  
  
• Demonstrated success in meeting recruitment targets and reducing study start-up timelines.
  
  
• Strong working knowledge of ICH-GCP, ethics, and regulatory requirements.
  
  
• Proficient with EDC systems and confident analysing performance metrics.
  
  
• Excellent communication, organisational, and leadership skills, with a compassionate approach to patients