Director of Activations Strategy and Operations

As Director of Activations Strategy & Operations, you will own the end-to-end activation operating model -  diagnosing where time is being lost, designing the processes and systems that compress it, and driving cross-functional execution across Site Operations, Regulatory, Legal, and Commercial to make activation faster, more predictable, and more repeatable at scale. 

You’ll lead the strategy, processes, and cross-functional execution to achieve a 75 day goal from trial award to site activation needed to achieve that target consistently and sustain it as our portfolio grows.

This is an ideal role for a strategic, operationally minded leader who wants to own a business-critical outcome, build scalable infrastructure, and operate at the intersection of strategy, process design, cross-functional alignment, and performance management.

Where You'll Drive Impact

Activation Performance Ownership

• Own the end-to-end activation performance framework: setting targets, tracking milestones, and holding the function accountable to the 75-day activation goal.
• Monitor performance against targets, surface risks early, and lead the response before delays compound.
• Lead portfolio and site sequencing decisions that maximize revenue opportunity across the activation pipeline.

Process Design & Systems Thinking

• Diagnose where time is being lost across the activation lifecycle — regulatory, legal, site readiness, study startup — and identify the highest-leverage opportunities to compress timelines.
• Design and implement scalable, repeatable activation processes that reduce variability and make performance predictable across a growing portfolio of trials and sites.
• Develop and maintain activation playbooks that can be operationalized across new trials, new sites, and new therapeutic areas.
• Work with Product and Technology to build the systems and tooling that give leadership and operational teams real-time visibility into activation status, milestone risk, and portfolio sequencing.

Cross-Functional Alignment & Stakeholder Management

• Define roles, responsibilities, and handoffs across the functions involved in activation — ensuring clarity on ownership and accountability at every stage.
• Partner with Site Operations, Regulatory, Legal, Commercial, and Study Success to align on activation priorities and resolve cross-functional bottlenecks.
• Develop creative approaches to vendor partnerships that accelerate activation timelines — thinking beyond traditional procurement toward relationships that are flexible, performance-oriented, and give IH a competitive advantage.

Team & Function Development

• Build and develop the activations team as the function scales.
• Establish the operating cadence, reporting structures, and accountability mechanisms that enable the team to perform consistently as volume grows.

What You Bring to the Team

• 7+ years in strategy and operations, management consulting, or a related function — with a track record of designing and implementing operational systems that improve efficiency and scale.
• Demonstrated ability to diagnose process inefficiencies, design solutions, and drive cross-functional execution in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.
• Strong systems thinking — you see how the pieces fit together and build processes that hold up as volume grows.
• Experience defining roles, responsibilities, and operating models across functions; comfortable having the accountability conversation and driving alignment.
• High ownership mindset with clear accountability for outcomes.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills — able to influence without authority across legal, regulatory, clinical, and commercial functions.
• Experience with vendor identification, evaluation, and management in an operational context; comfortable building the framework for how a company selects and works with external partners.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-moving, ambiguous environment where the playbook is still being written.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in healthcare, clinical research, or a regulated industry where process design carries compliance implications.
• Experience building or managing small teams.
• Strong analytical instincts — able to use data to diagnose problems and measure the impact of process changes.
• Proficiency in Google Workspace and/or Microsoft Office tools (Excel, Word, Power

How We Work

• Collaborative and low-ego team environment
• High ownership and accountability culture
• Fast-paced and highly iterative growth environment
• Open communication and continuous learning mindset
• Mission-driven organization focused on improving patient outcomes
• Comfortable navigating evolving business priorities and opportunities

Benefits That Support You

We believe great teams do their best work when they feel supported — professionally and personally.

• Hybrid work environment with in-office collaboration two days per week in either our NYC, Boston or Southlake office
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, with up to 80% of premiums covered by Iterative Health
• Mental health and wellness support through Spring Health
• Health HSA or FSA options, and commuter FSA contributions supported by Iterative Health
• Unlimited PTO, 12 company holidays, and a company-wide shutdown between Christmas and New Years
• 401(k) program with a company match of up to 3% (up to $3,000 annually)
• Weekly in-office lunch benefit every Tuesday
• 100% company-paid short-term and long-term disability coverage
• Annual wellness and professional development stipend to support your health and growth
• And more!

New York pay range 160000 - 220000 USD