PUMA Research Program Manager, Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine
Clayton, VIC, AU, 3168
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About Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine
The Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine at Monash Health is a large, clinically diverse and academically active department delivering high-quality perioperative care across Monash Health. The department has a growing research program spanning cardiac anaesthesia, perioperative medicine, clinical trials, physiology, quality improvement and patient-centred outcomes.
Based at the Victorian Heart Hospital, this role will support the delivery of PUMA, a major international, multicentre clinical trial evaluating pulmonary artery catheter use in adults undergoing low- and intermediate-risk cardiac surgery. The successful applicant will join a collaborative research team working with local, national and international investigators, clinical trial networks, consumer partners and academic collaborators.
About the Role
Reporting to the Head of Research and Service Medical Director, the PUMA Research Program Manager is a senior clinical trial operations and research management role responsible for the implementation, coordination and delivery of the PUMA Trial.
The role provides operational leadership across the full trial lifecycle, including site start-up, site activation, trial governance, project planning, risk-based monitoring, trial documentation, budget tracking, stakeholder engagement, reporting, data quality oversight and coordination of the central trial team.
The PUMA Research Program Manager will work closely with the Chief Investigator, Trial Steering Committee, Data Safety Monitoring Committee, participating sites, institutional stakeholders, vendors, collaborators and consumer partners to ensure that PUMA is delivered to a high standard, on time, on budget and in accordance with the approved protocol, ICH-GCP, ethics approvals and relevant governance requirements.
The role will also provide occasional participant-facing trial support at the Victorian Heart Hospital site, including screening, recruitment, consent support, randomisation and follow-up activities, where appropriately delegated, trained and operating within scope of qualifications and experience.
Key Responsibilities include:
- Leading day-to-day operational delivery of the PUMA Trial across participating sites
- Coordinating site start-up, activation, training, governance documentation and trial-readiness activities
- Monitoring recruitment, randomisation, protocol adherence, intervention delivery, follow-up completion, data quality and safety reporting
- Supporting risk-based monitoring, protocol deviation tracking, serious adverse event reporting and corrective action processes
- Maintaining trial systems, reports, dashboards, project plans, committee papers and audit-ready documentation
- Coordinating with finance, procurement, legal and contracts teams regarding site agreements, vendor agreements, invoices, site payments and budget reporting
- Supporting communication with participating sites, investigators, trial committees, funders, sponsors, vendors and partner organisations
- Providing operational leadership, task allocation and day-to-day guidance to trial staff, students and research assistants, where applicable
What you need
You are an experienced clinical research professional with strong project management skills, excellent attention to detail and the ability to work effectively in a complex, multi-stakeholder clinical trial environment.
You will bring:
- A tertiary qualification in health science, clinical research, public health, project management, nursing, medical science, health services research or a related discipline
- Demonstrated experience managing or coordinating complex clinical research projects, preferably multicentre clinical trials
- Strong understanding of clinical trial governance, ethics, informed consent, privacy, safety reporting, data quality, research integrity and ICH-GCP
- Demonstrated ability to manage complex project timelines, competing priorities, risks, dependencies and deliverables
- Experience working with investigators, research coordinators, clinicians, governance offices, funders, vendors, sponsors and external collaborators
- High-level written and verbal communication skills, including preparation of reports, committee papers, briefing documents, correspondence and trial documentation
- Strong data and systems literacy, including use of eCRF systems, CTMS or project management tools, Microsoft Office, spreadsheets and web-based research platforms
- Demonstrated ability to identify operational risks and implement practical mitigation strategies
- Demonstrated ability to maintain accurate, organised and audit-ready documentation
- ICH-GCP training, or willingness to complete this prior to commencement
- Valid right to work in Australia and ability to meet Monash Health employment screening requirements
Highly regarded experience includes:
- Investigator-initiated clinical trials
- ANZCA Clinical Trials Network or other clinical trials network studies
- International or national multicentre trials
- Risk-based monitoring
- Trial budgets, contracts, site payments and vendor relationships
- ResearchPath, REDCap, Castor, OpenClinica, Smartsheet or equivalent platforms
- Cardiac surgery, anaesthesia, intensive care or perioperative medicine research
- Postgraduate qualification in clinical research, public health, health services research, project management, epidemiology, biostatistics, health management or a related field
- Project management certification or formal project management training
What we offer
- Salary packaging
- Onsite discounted staff parking
- Discounted banking (BankVic)
- Onsite Gym
- Access to professional development courses and seminars
- The opportunity to help deliver a major international clinical trial from the Victorian Heart Hospital
- A senior research operations role in a growing academic anaesthesia and perioperative medicine program
- Collaboration with leading clinicians, researchers, clinical trial networks and national/international partners
- Exposure to all aspects of investigator-initiated multicentre trial delivery
- A supportive, collegiate and purpose-driven research environment
- Access to Monash Health professional development opportunities, salary packaging and employee benefits.
For a confidential discussion and to explore this opportunity further, please reach out to Dr Luke Perry, Head of Research, Anaesthetics and Perioperative Medicine via Luke.Perry2@monashhealth.org
Position Description can be found here
Our Culture and Values
At Monash Health, our people are at the heart of everything we do. Our culture is inclusive, supportive and future-focused, underpinned by clear values and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Our teams play a critical role in bringing our new strategy to life, challenging traditional approaches, embracing innovation, and ensuring every appointment reflects our commitment to equity, transparency and excellence.
You’ll be encouraged to share ideas, contribute to improvement initiatives, and grow alongside experienced professionals who are passionate about what they do.
We are Full Hearted, Open Minded and All In, enabling excellent service delivery and a positive candidate and employee experience every time.
We recognise the value of equal employment opportunity. We are committed to patient safety, promoting fairness, equity and diversity in the workplace and to Child Safe Standards.
How to Apply
Applications are accepted via the Monash Health online EHub system. For information including how to apply and probity check requirements, please click here for the ‘Application Guide’
Applications will be screened upon receipt and selection activity may commence prior to the closing date.
Applications close: 10 June 2026