Avania is hiring - Safety Services Manager – EU

About the role

As a Safety Services Manager at Avania, you will play a key leadership role in supporting the growth, performance, and operational direction of the European safety team. This is a player-coach position that combines people leadership with project oversight, making it well suited to someone who enjoys developing others while also staying connected to study delivery. A significant part of the role will focus on managing and supporting a small team of direct reports across Europe, helping them succeed through coaching, training, performance oversight, and clear expectations around quality and billable contribution. Alongside these management responsibilities, you will also provide strategic oversight on a select number of lower-complexity studies and serve as a trusted partner to senior safety leadership on day-to-day operational matters. This role offers the opportunity to contribute to team development, study strategy, operational planning, and broader leadership discussions within a growing clinical research environment. It is especially well suited to someone who brings strong managerial capability, sound judgment, and enough clinical or safety understanding to guide work effectively and step in where needed.

What you'll be doing – Safety Services Manager

• Lead and support members of the EU safety team through day-to-day people management, including coaching, training, performance feedback, and ongoing development conversations

• Oversee a group of direct reports and help ensure they are meeting expectations related to quality of work, utilization, delivery, and professional growth

• Conduct core managerial activities such as evaluations, objective setting, goal reviews, and follow-up on development plans across the team

• Provide strategic and operational oversight for selected lower-complexity studies, helping guide study approach while remaining connected to delivery needs

• Partner closely with senior safety leadership to monitor team workload, billability, and resourcing needs, and help identify where support or adjustments may be required

• Act as a leadership presence within the function by participating in the Global Operational Leadership Team and contributing to broader operational discussions

• Serve as a backup contributor in bidding activities when needed, helping support business development efforts with functional input and operational perspective

• Help strengthen team capability by supporting onboarding, mentoring, and readiness of safety staff as the European group continues to grow

• Maintain visibility into team performance and process execution, ensuring that people, workflows, and priorities remain aligned with departmental expectations

• Step in with hands-on support when appropriate, particularly where clinical or safety context is needed to help guide decisions or support study strategy

Candidates who offer a combination of the skills, knowledge and experience listed below are encouraged to apply. With our continued growth we are hiring talent to join us on our journey and grow with us.

What we're looking for – Safety Services Manager

• Proven strength in people management, with the ability to engage, develop, and support team members in a way that promotes accountability and growth

• Experience balancing leadership responsibilities with operational involvement in a player-coach environment

• A background in clinical research, safety operations, or a related area that provides the context needed to guide team delivery effectively

• Strong judgment and the ability to assess performance, prioritize team needs, and make practical decisions in a growing operational setting

• Confidence working with cross-functional stakeholders and senior leaders, with the communication skills to represent the team clearly and professionally

• A thoughtful leadership style that puts people first while also maintaining focus on process, quality, and business needs

• Comfort managing through change and helping a team adapt as structures, priorities, and workload evolve

• Ability to coach individuals with different levels of experience and help them build capability over time

• Clinical training such as nursing, physician, or other health sciences background is preferred, but equivalent industry experience may also be a strong fit

• Prior CRO experience is highly valuable for understanding delivery expectations, study dynamics, and the operational realities of a client-facing environment

What you'll need – Safety Services Manager

• Demonstrated experience in a managerial or team leadership role with responsibility for direct reports, performance oversight, and employee development

• Ability to support staffing, utilization, and operational planning in a billable delivery environment

• Experience contributing to or overseeing study-related work in clinical safety or a closely related function, ideally with exposure to strategic study support

• Sufficient technical or clinical understanding to guide safety-related work, advise team members, and step in as needed on lower-complexity projects

• Experience setting goals, conducting evaluations, and managing core people processes in alignment with organizational expectations

• Familiarity with working in a CRO or similarly matrixed environment where collaboration, responsiveness, and quality execution are essential

• Ability to support leadership discussions beyond direct line management, including participation in functional planning or operational leadership forums

• Readiness to contribute to bid support or related pre-award activities when functional backup is needed

• Flexibility to work across European locations, with Spain and the Netherlands as preferred hiring markets and openness to other European locations where appropriate

• Capability to succeed in a role that combines hands-on oversight, team leadership, and partnership with senior management as the European safety organization expands

What we offer – Safety Services Manager

We offer the opportunity to step into a meaningful leadership role where you can help shape the development of Avania's European safety team while remaining close to operational delivery. In this position, you will work in close partnership with senior safety leadership and have real influence on how team capability, study support, and functional consistency continue to evolve. The role provides a strong mix of people leadership and practical oversight, making it an excellent fit for someone who wants to broaden their impact without moving too far away from the work itself. You will also gain exposure to wider business and operational topics through participation in leadership discussions and selective involvement in bidding support. As the team grows, this role offers the chance to mentor talent, strengthen regional operations, and contribute to a collaborative environment that values sound judgment, adaptability, and leadership presence. Avania is seeking the right person for this role across Europe, with flexibility on location to support finding the strongest fit for the team and the business.

We look forward to receiving your application!

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