• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Building:
• Salary Range: $130,000 - $140,000

Position Summary

The Assistant Director, NCORP, Translational Research and Biobanking is a senior leadership position within the Clinical Protocol & Data Management (CPDM) Office of the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC) at Columbia University. This role provides strategic direction and operational oversight across three critical domains. First, NCORP Administration, which includes leading all aspects of Columbia’s National Cancer Institute (NCI) Community Oncology Research Program, ensuring compliance, driving accrual and quality initiatives, managing affiliate site relationships, and fostering cooperative group partnerships. Second, Translational Biobanking, overseeing biobanking operations and integrating biospecimen resources into clinical research pipelines to support cutting-edge translational research. Third, Affiliate and Satellite Network Oversight, where the Assistant Director manages research operations and relationships with affiliate hospitals, satellite sites, and community partners, ensuring consistency, high-quality standards, and sustainable growth across the network.

Subject to business needs, flexible and hybrid work arrangements may be supported. Options will be discussed during the interview process.

Responsibilities

NCORP Administration & NCI Cooperative Group Engagement

• Serve as the NCORP Administrator and primary liaison with the NCI, cooperative groups, and NCORP network affiliates.
• Lead the strategic growth of NCORP activities, focusing on increasing trial accrual in community populations.
• Manage NCORP grant operations, including:
• Annual and quarterly progress reports to the NCI.
• Grant writing and renewal submissions, ensuring alignment with programmatic and institutional priorities.
• Monitoring budgets, expenses, and reporting deliverables to maintain compliance and financial stability.
• Coordinate annual NCORP audits, site evaluations, and federal inspections, ensuring readiness and successful outcomes.
• Plan, lead, and document regular NCORP program meetings, both internally and with affiliate sites.
• Present NCORP outcomes and innovations at regional and national meetings, including NCI forums, AACI, ASCO, NCORP, and other professional organizations.
• Serve as Columbia’s representative at cooperative group leadership and administrative meetings, fostering collaboration and national visibility.
• Collaborate with finance leadership to manage NCORP-related budgets, contracts, and funding allocations.
• Develop performance dashboards and metrics to track trial activation timelines, accrual by population, and quality indicators.

Translational Research and Biobanking Oversight

• Provide strategic leadership for HICCC’s translational research and biobanking initiatives, ensuring compliance and alignment with institutional and national best practices.
• Oversee standard operating procedures for specimen collection, storage, processing, and distribution to support translational and precision oncology research.
• Partner with investigators and disease-based teams (DBTs) to integrate biobanking into clinical trial design and operational workflows.
• Collaborate with laboratory directors, pathology, and regulatory teams to maintain high biospecimen quality standards and chain-of-custody protocols.
• Support funding proposals and publications leveraging biobanking resources.

Affiliate & Satellite Network Management

• Oversee operations for Columbia’s affiliate hospitals and satellite research sites, ensuring consistent trial conduct across the network.
• Develop training programs and compliance frameworks for community-based research teams.
• Partner with affiliate leadership to evaluate infrastructure needs, staffing, and performance.
• Establish network-wide KPIs and reporting mechanisms, sharing data with leadership and NCI.
• Expand trial access across regional and community settings to increase enrollment in clinical research.

Staff Leadership & Development

• Supervise Coordinators and staff that support NCORP, translational, biobanking, and network programs.
• Lead recruitment, onboarding, mentoring, and performance management for assigned staff.
• Develop career advancement pathways and retention strategies to support growth and engagement.
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and accountability focused on continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Departmental Leadership & Strategic Initiatives

• Serve as a member of the CPDM Leadership Team, contributing to departmental strategy and operational excellence.
• Lead the development, implementation, and oversight of SOPs and guidance documents related to NCORP, biobanking, and affiliate research operations.
• Identify and implement process improvements to reduce trial activation timelines and strengthen sponsor collaborations.
• Collaborate with Quality Assurance and Safety leadership to ensure monitoring coverage for investigator-initiated trials (IITs) and timely reporting of safety and quality metrics.
• Represent CPDM and HICCC during federal audits, NCI site visits, sponsor meetings, and national conferences.

Other Duties

• Lead special projects and additional assignments as requested by the Director of Clinical Research Operations.
• Other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in education and experience plus 5 years of related experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• At least four years supervisory experience in clinical trials.
• Must have worked in a clinical research setting and have experience working with NCORP, Federal Regulations and IRBs required, experience with oncology research protocols. 
• In depth knowledge of federal, state and local laws and regulations and industry requirements and practices regarding the proper conduct of clinical trials.
• Expert working knowledge in ICH-GCP, patient safety standards, and IRB regulations pertinent to clinical research.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and presentation skills.
• Computer Skills: proficiency with MS Word programs and familiarity with Mac and PC platforms
• Proven ability to collaborate with partners in research, investigators and coordinators.
• Master’s degree in management or public health is preferable.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.