Manager, Study Start Up - Poland, Czechia, Ireland, Portugal - homebased - contract management expertise required

ICON plc is a world-leading healthcare intelligence and clinical research organization. We’re proud to foster an inclusive environment driving innovation and excellence, and we welcome you to join us on our mission to shape the future of clinical development.

We are currently seeking a Manager, Study Start-Up to join our diverse and dynamic team. As a Manager of Study Start-Up at ICON, you will lead and oversee the start-up activities for clinical trials, ensuring that all processes are completed efficiently and in compliance with regulatory requirements. Your role will involve managing a team of professionals, working closely with cross‑functional departments, and liaising with sponsors to ensure successful and timely study initiation.

What You Will Be Doing:

• Lead and manage the full study start‑up lifecycle, including feasibility, site identification, regulatory submissions, and site activation, ensuring every trial is positioned for a successful and timely launch.
• Provide strategic leadership and mentorship to the study start‑up team, fostering a high‑performance environment where individuals feel supported, empowered, and equipped to deliver exceptional results.
• Collaborate closely with sponsors and cross‑functional teams to align on regulatory and operational expectations, driving compliance and ensuring seamless study initiation across all regions.
• Oversee study start‑up timelines, metrics, and budgets, using data‑driven insights to maintain project predictability, efficiency, and operational excellence.
• Identify risks and anticipate operational challenges early, implementing effective solutions that maintain study momentum and strengthen stakeholder confidence.
• Drive continuous improvement across processes, tools, and best practices, elevating overall efficiency and contributing to a more agile and scalable study start‑up function.

Your Profile:

• Bachelor’s degree in Law, Life Sciences, Clinical Research, or a related field. A Master’s degree or project management certification is an advantage.

• Extensive, hands‑on experience in clinical trial study start‑up with a primary focus on contracts management. Candidates without proven contracts management experience will not be considered for this role.

• Strong understanding of global regulatory frameworks, clinical operations, and study start‑up processes.

• Demonstrated leadership experience, including managing and mentoring teams in a fast‑paced, deadline‑driven environment.

• Exceptional organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple studies and shifting priorities simultaneously.

• Exceptional organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple studies and shifting priorities simultaneously.

• Proven track record of process optimization, driving efficiencies, and implementing best practices within study start‑up.

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What ICON can offer you:

Our success depends on the quality of our people. That’s why we’ve made it a priority to build a diverse culture that rewards high performance and nurtures talent.

In addition to your competitive salary, ICON offers a range of additional benefits. Our benefits are designed to be competitive within each country and are focused on well‑being and work life balance opportunities for you and your family.

Our benefits examples include:

• Various annual leave entitlements
• A range of health insurance offerings to suit you and your family’s needs.
• Competitive retirement planning offerings to maximize savings and plan with confidence for the years ahead.
• Global Employee Assistance Programme, LifeWorks, offering 24‑hour access to a global network of over 80,000 independent specialised professionals who are there to support you and your family’s well‑being.
• Life assurance
• Flexible country‑specific optional benefits, including childcare vouchers, bike purchase schemes, discounted gym memberships, subsidised travel passes, health assessments, among others.

Visit our careers site to read more about the benefits ICON offers.

At ICON, inclusion & belonging are fundamental to our culture and values. We’re dedicated to providing an inclusive and accessible environment for all candidates. ICON is committed to providing a workplace free of discrimination and harassment. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, or in order to perform the essential functions of a position, please let us know or submit a request here

Interested in the role, but unsure if you meet all of the requirements? We would encourage you to apply regardless – there’s every chance you’re exactly what we’re looking for here at ICON whether it is for this or other roles.

Are you a current ICON Employee? Please click here to apply