Associate Director Projects

About Us
Southern Star Research is a full-service Contract Research Organization (CRO) dedicated to navigating the complexities of bringing new medical products to market. With a legacy of excellence that began 14 years ago in Sydney, we have grown from a small, passionate team into a global network of experts committed to delivering high-quality services in medical writing, clinical monitoring, project management, biostatistics, data management, safety and medical monitoring, and quality assurance.

Southern Star Research has been recognized for its outstanding contributions to the field, winning prestigious awards such as the Frost and Sullivan 2024 Asia-Pacific Competitive Strategy Leadership Award and being named as Great Place to Work in Australia in 2024 and 2025. Our international team continues to deliver innovative clinical trial solutions across diverse therapeutic areas, ensuring the success of every study we manage.

The role
Due to the continued growth of Southern Star Research, we have an exciting new leadership position within the project management team. Working as an
Associate Director Projects
you will combine your extensive project leadership, client-oriented approach, and passion for developing others to excel in this role.

Our office is located in Gordon, on Sydney's North Shore. This role has flexibility to be either office based, hybrid, or remote anywhere in Australia.

Reporting to the Head of Projects, you'll be responsible for:

• Leading, training and mentoring a team of Senior/Project Managers; identifying development needs across the team to support career development and enable high-performance
• Working as project lead on studies with higher complexity, proactively mitigating risk, solving complex problems and providing excellence in service to our clients
• Providing oversight support to Senior/Project Managers on their allocated studies, assisting in strategic planning and acting as escalation pathway for clients
• Leadership of strategic initiatives that support the growth of the team, identifying opportunities to optimise processes and continuously improve ways of working and client delivery

To be successful in the role, we're looking for candidates with:

• Appropriate tertiary qualifications in medical, pharmaceutical or healthcare disciplines.
• A minimum of 8 years' project management experience, ideally within a CRO environment
• Demonstrable knowledge and experience working in early phase clinical trials
• Previous experience in a team leadership or oversight role
• High emotional intelligence, with the ability to lead with empathy, listen to others and steer the team toward achieving client outcomes
• Advanced capabilities in strategic thinking, with the ability to anticipate and mitigate risk
• Excellent knowledge of managing project finance, with the ability to develop that skill set in others
• A commercial mindset, committed to driving team outcomes aligned to business strategy
• A collaborative approach, partnering with internal and external stakeholders to realise better results

Why Southern Star?

• Join a passionate team committed to our shared purpose to create brighter futures, one study at a time.
• Exciting growth phase, creating ongoing career development opportunities for our teams
• Competitive remuneration
• Flexible work environment, with hybrid and fully remote options
• Ongoing opportunities for learning and development
• STAR day - an extra day leave day for you to recharge.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
At Southern Star Research, we are committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and respectful workplace where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute. We celebrate the diversity of our team and recognise the strength that comes from different perspectives, backgrounds, and lived experiences.

We are dedicated to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process and providing equal opportunities for all applicants, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or cultural background.