Clinical Trial Manager (Contract)

Centessa Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company, is a clinical-stage company developing orexin receptor 2 (OX2R) agonists as a new class of medicines for the treatment of narcolepsy and potentially other sleep-wake disorders. Centessa’s lead investigational candidate – cleminorexton (formerly ORX750) – is being developed for narcolepsy type 1, narcolepsy type 2, and idiopathic hypersomnia. Centessa's OX2R agonist portfolio includes additional clinical and preclinical-stage assets with potential utility across a broader range of neurological, neurodegenerative, and neuropsychiatric conditions.
Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Centessa was recognized as a Great Place to Work® in 2026.
Description of Role
Centessa is seeking a (contract to hire) Clinical Trial Manager to lead the execution of mid‑ to late‑stage global clinical studies from study start‑up through close‑out and clinical study report. This role is a temporary position with the potential to convert to a permanent role, responsible for day‑to‑day trial management, coordinating internal cross‑functional teams and overseeing CROs and external vendors to ensure studies are delivered on time, within budget, and in compliance with quality and regulatory standards. This role requires hands‑on involvement in clinical trial execution, proactive identification and resolution of operational issues, and accountability for study performance metrics and deliverable quality. The CTM also contributes to operational planning, risk assessment, and continuous process improvement in collaboration with study team leadership.
Key Responsibilities
Plan and execute mid‑ to late‑stage CNS clinical trials from study start‑up through close‑out, ensuring operational excellence, high data quality, and compliance with protocol, GCP, and global regulatory requirements.
Lead day‑to‑day clinical trial operations, coordinating cross‑functional partners (Clinical Development, Data Management, Biostatistics, Regulatory, Safety) to ensure efficient trial execution and alignment to program objectives.
Oversee CROs and external vendors supporting CNS clinical trials, including co‑monitoring activities, to ensure delivery against scope of work, timelines, budget, and quality expectations.
Drive critical study milestones, including site activation, enrollment progress, patient retention, data cleaning, and database lock, proactively addressing operational challenges common to CNS trials.
Review and approve CRO‑ and vendor‑generated plans and study documentation, ensuring alignment with protocol, regulatory expectations, and Centessa quality standards.
Monitor study progress and performance using operational metrics and tools, maintaining dashboards, timelines, and financial tracking, and providing clear, timely status updates to study teams and management.
Identify, assess, and manage operational risks, proposing practical mitigation strategies and supporting informed decision‑making to minimize impact to timelines, quality, and patient safety.
Ensure inspection and audit readiness, including oversight of Trial Master File (TMF) set‑up, ongoing maintenance, and close‑out for CNS studies.
Contribute to operational planning and regulatory deliverables, supporting preparation of study‑level documentation for Health Authority interactions and continuous improvement of clinical operations proc