Industry Partnerships Project Manager

Job Summary:

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 an alliance manager and industry partnership lead, functioning as the central operational and relationship hub for a designated external industry 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 internal and 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 Alliance Management (25%)

  • Serve as the primary point of contact and alliance 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, responsive, and reliable liaison.

  • Manage partner communications, expectations, and issue resolution in a proactive, timely, and professional manner.

  • Plan and manage external partner-facing on-site events and meetings, including coordinating logistics, communications, and other event needs.

  • 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 the sponsor across departments, research teams, hospitals, and industry 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/or 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 need. The University reserves the right to add or modify duties and responsibilities at the discretion of the supervisor.

Work Location:

Hybrid – this role is eligible for a hybrid schedule of at least three (3) days per week on campus and as needed for in-person meetings.

Why Join Us:

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.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, public health, life sciences, healthcare administration, project management, or related field.

  • 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.

• Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in project management; client or stakeholder management; clinical research, healthcare, or related operational environments.

Applicants must meet minimum qualifications at the time of hire.

• Preferred Qualifications:

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