"Participant Recruitment Program Manager"

Overview

The Participant Recruitment Program Manager leads participant recruitment, retention, and navigation strategies within Yale Center for Clinical Investigation (YCCI) clinical research programs. Reporting to the Associate Director of Community Engagement and Participant Recruitment, this role oversees program design, operations, and evaluation with a focus on improving participant engagement and retention. The Program Manager supervises a team of recruitment specialists and research navigators, ensuring alignment with Yale and federal regulations while promoting innovation in community engaged, participant-centered research support. The Program Manager also coordinates the participant recruitment activities of the Cultural Ambassadors with the leadership of the Cultural Ambassadors. The role also oversees call center operations, outreach efforts, and use of participant databases to strengthen retention outcomes.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and manage both project-specific and non-project-specific recruitment and retention strategies across clinical research studies. Lead reporting and evaluation of participant accrual in aggregate and specific studies as well as measures of the participant experience, ensuring continuous improvement and participant-centered practices.
• Supervise, mentor, and manage a team of recruitment staff, research coordinators, and navigators, fostering a collaborative and high-performing culture. Together with the leadership of the Cultural Ambassador program, coordinate the recruitment and retention activities of the Cultural Ambassadors to optimize recruitment and retention activities with YCCI recruitment staff.
• Oversee call center operations, ensuring timely, professional, and effective communication with research participants.
• Plan and coordinate outreach and community events to promote study awareness and engagement. Work with the marketing and communication team to coordinate outreach and community events to promote study awareness and engagement. Serve as a primary resource for addressing participant barriers, coordinating services, and closing gaps in systems to improve research accessibility for all members of the community.
• Manage and leverage databases such as Help Us Discover and All of Us to support recruitment, retention, and participant navigation.
• Oversee scheduling and coordination of services, consultations, and study support between participants, PIs, and research teams.
• Utilize Salesforce and other electronic systems to track participant engagement, consultations, call center activity, outreach efforts, and retention outcomes.
• Collaborate with investigators, sponsors, and institutional partners to design and implement innovative recruitment and retention strategies. Ensure program operations comply with Yale, state, and federal guidelines for human research participant protection. Monitor and report program performance to leadership, providing data-driven insights and recommendations.
• May perform other related duties as assigned.

Required Skills and Abilities

1. Demonstrated experience in recruitment, retention, or patient navigation within healthcare or research. Proven ability to design, implement, and evaluate participant recruitment and retention programs. Demonstrated leadership and problem-solving skills to address barriers and improve participant retention outcomes.
2. Experience supervising and managing staff in a team-based setting.
3. Strong organizational and analytical skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously. Exceptional communication, outreach, and customer service skills.
4. Proficiency in Salesforce, call center systems, and electronic data capture tools for scheduling, tracking, and reporting.
5. Ability to build and maintain relationships with participants, investigators, and community partners. Ability to innovate and adapt strategies to diverse populations and study types.

Preferred Skills and Abilities

1. Bilingual (Spanish/English or other languages) strongly preferred.
2. Experience in patient navigation, community engagement, and outreach program management.
3. Knowledge of clinical research regulatory requirements and participant protections.
4. Certification in clinical research coordination or program management a plus.

Principal Responsibilities

1. Oversees the advancement and growth of the program. Gives direction and leadership supporting the philosophy, mission, strategy, and annual goals and objectives. Assumes primary accountability for disseminating and publishing all program information to create public awareness and support of the program.
2. Works closely with leadership, internal and external colleagues, and community residents to further develop and implement strategic plans.
3. Identifies, solicits, and cultivates community partnerships and collaborations to assist in the development and growth of the program. Develops the metrics to identify and measure the success of the program. Responsible for measurements of grant success and related evaluation.
4. Assists in identifying and evaluating potential future funding sources, and contributes to the submission of grants and contracts supporting the program, including the annual submission and writing of all content areas and budgetary sections of grant applications. Develops and manages the program’s operating budget.
5. Develops the administrative infrastructure of the program. Manages human resource and administrative functions of the program, including staffing and hiring, supervision, performance development, counseling and discipline, if warranted. Oversees and manages information systems, facilities, and space needs.
6. Investigates, identifies, implements, and oversees the maintenance of systems to gather, track, and report information to support the initiatives of the program. Tracks all program activities and regularly informs leadership of progress on each initiative. Recommends structural or programmatic adjustments, changes or additions based on full knowledge of missions, goals, and objectives.
7. Initiates, designs, and manages the compilation of program communications; identifying outreach potential, and promoting philanthropic and collaborative support of the program. Contributes to the development and assists in the management of content on the program’s website and monitors all changes and additions to the editorial content.
8. Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

Minimum requirement of Bachelor’s Degree in a related field and four years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Salary Range

$68,000.00 - $120,500.00

Location

2 Church Street South, New Haven, Connecticut