Industry Partnerships Project Manager

The University of Colorado (CU) Anschutz School of Medicine (SOM) Office of Research is seeking a highly skilled Project Manager to support strategic, sponsor-funded collaborations within the Office of Clinical Trials. This role serves as a project manager and industry partnership lead, functioning as the central operational and relationship hub for a designated external partner (e.g., pharmaceutical or biotechnology sponsor). The position is responsible for tracking and coordinating complex, sponsor-supported clinical research activities while ensuring a high-quality, responsive, and solutions-oriented experience for external stakeholders. The nature of this work is fast-paced, highly visible, detail- and service-oriented, and requires independent management of large, complex projects, strong judgment, and the ability to represent CU Anschutz professionally in interactions with industry partners. This position will report to the Research Office Manager. This position is contingent upon anticipated external sponsor funding associated with strategic industry partnerships.

Key Responsibilities:

• Program and Project Management (25%)
  • Lead end-to-end project management for industry-sponsored initiatives, including development and maintenance of project plans, timelines, and deliverables.
  • Track progress across multiple concurrent projects and clinical trials, identifying risks, dependencies, and mitigation strategies.
  • Ensure alignment of project execution with sponsor expectations, contractual obligations, and institutional workflows.
• Industry Partner Relationship Management (25%)
  • Serve as the primary point of contact and relationship manager for assigned external partner(s), ensuring a high-quality, responsive, and solutions-oriented experience.
  • Build strong, trust-based relationships with sponsor representatives, serving as a knowledgeable and reliable liaison.
  • Manage partner communications, expectations, and issue resolution in a proactive and professional manner.
  • Develop and deliver executive-level communications, including sponsor updates, briefings, and presentations tailored to industry audiences.
• Navigation and Intake Coordination (20%)
  • Serve as a navigator for sponsor-initiated projects, coordinating intake, routing, and follow-up to appropriate institutional partners.
  • Ensure seamless handoffs across study teams, research administration, and sponsor stakeholders.
• Cross-Functional Coordination and Stakeholder Engagement (15%)
  • Act as a central coordination hub for sponsors across departments, research teams, hospitals, and external partners.
  • Facilitate alignment among investigators, operational teams, finance, contracting, and sponsor stakeholders.
  • Support governance structures by coordinating meetings, preparing materials, tracking action items, and ensuring follow-through.
• Operations, Reporting, and Continuous Improvement (10%)
  • Develop and maintain operational reports, dashboards, and tracking tools to monitor sponsor-related activity and performance.
  • Support development and refinement of workflows, SOPs, and operating models for sponsor-facing processes.
  • Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, scalability, and overall partnership value.
• Administrative and Data Coordination (5%)
  • Maintain organized records (agreements, budgets, reporting files) and support preparation of routine financial and status summaries.
  • Ensure timely completion of deliverables and compliance with internal and external reporting expectations.
  • Provide administrative support for tracking invoices, payments, and basic financial reconciliation in collaboration with finance teams.

This description summarizes the general nature and level of work being performed and is not intended to be all-inclusive. Duties and responsibilities of this position may change based on business needs. The University reserves the right to add or modify duties and responsibilities at the discretion of the supervisor.

The University of Colorado School of Medicine offers comprehensive, lifelong, interdisciplinary learning for health care professionals. With state-of-the-art laboratories for discovery and innovation, a commitment to decreasing health disparities and increasing health equity, and faculty who provide world-class clinical care, the CU School of Medicine is transforming the health care landscape.

Why work for the University?

We have AMAZING benefits and offer exceptional amounts of holiday, vacation, and sick leave! The University of Colorado offers an excellent benefits package, including:

• Medical: Multiple plan options
• Dental: Multiple plan options
• Additional Insurance: Disability, Life, Vision
• Retirement 401(a) Plan: Employer contributes 10% of your gross pay
• Paid Time Off: Accruals over the year
• Vacation Days: 22/year (maximum accrual 352 hours)
• Sick Days: 15/year (unlimited maximum accrual)
• Holiday Days: 15/year
• Tuition Benefit: Employees have access to this benefit on all CU campuses
• ECO Pass: Reduced rate RTD Bus and light rail service

There are many additional perks & programs with the CU Advantage.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, public health, healthcare administration, project management, or related field.
• Five years of progressively responsible experience in project management; client or stakeholder management; clinical research, healthcare, or related operational environments.

Substitution: A combination of education and related technical/military/paraprofessional experience may be substituted for a bachelor’s degree on a year-for-year basis.

Applicants must meet minimum qualifications at the time of hire.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without requiring sponsorship. We are unable to provide work visa sponsorship or employment authorization for this position now or in the future.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in business, health administration, or related field.

• Experience supporting industry-sponsored clinical trials or research partnerships.

• Experience working in academic medical centers or healthcare systems.

• Experience with clinical trial budgeting, contracting, or sponsor management processes.

• Project Management Professional (PMP), Prosci, or comparable certification.

• Experience in consulting, industry liaison, or executive support roles.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Partnership & Relationship Management: Ability to build and sustain strong relationships with external industry partners. Demonstrated experience providing high-touch, responsive customer service or account management.
• Communication Skills: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex academic or clinical concepts to external stakeholders. Experience preparing executive-level presentations, reports, and briefings.
• Project & Operational Management: Proven ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder projects with competing priorities. Strong planning, organization, and time management skills.
• Interpersonal & Influencing Skills: Ability to work effectively across a highly matrixed organization without direct authority. Strong collaboration and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Adaptability & Problem Solving: Ability to manage ambiguity and rapidly changing priorities. Proactively identifies issues and develops solutions.
• Clinical Research Experience: Understands clinical trial lifecycle, contracting, and sponsor expectations preferred.
• Professionalism & Discretion: Demonstrates sound judgment, professionalism, and discretion in all interactions. Represents CU Anschutz effectively with external partners.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in Microsoft Office and project management tools. Experience with reporting tools, dashboards, client relationship management, and data systems preferred.

For full consideration, please submit the following document(s):

1. A letter of interest describing relevant job experiences as they relate to the listed job qualifications and interest in the position

2. Curriculum vitae / Resume

3. Three to five professional references, including name, address, phone number (mobile number if appropriate), and email address

Questions should be directed to: Lauren Anneberg at lauren.anneberg@cuanschutz.edu

The starting salary range for this position has been established as $71,301 to $95,543.

The above salary range represents the University’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting. This position may be eligible for overtime compensation, depending on the level.

Your total compensation goes beyond the number on your paycheck. The University of Colorado provides generous leave, health plans, and retirement contributions that add to your bottom line.

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Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: