The Aixial Group is an International Contract Research Organization (CRO), a member of the ALTEN Group, with offices located in France, UK, US, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Romania, and India.

The CRO occupies a unique position in the clinical research industry, supporting biotech in clinical trials across all phases (Ph. I - IV) and non-interventional studies, as an expert in the operational delivery of clinical trials. Our vision is to conduct clinical trials better than anyone else, to help patients and ultimately save lives. We have earned a strong reputation for successfully delivering complex, demanding and innovative clinical trials, with specialist therapeutic expertise in oncology, cell & gene therapy, radiopharmaceuticals and rare diseases.

Role Overview

We are seeking a Head of Global Functions (Head of Global Line Management) to lead and develop the company’s global functional organization within a classical matrix structure. This role reports directly to the CEO and is responsible for all operational resources across the company, supporting consulting, Functional Service Provider (FSP) models, and full-service clinical trial delivery.

The organization is distributed globally, with staff and functional expertise based across the US, UK, Europe, and India.

The company’s therapeutic focus is Oncology (core strength), with additional specialization in CNS and rare diseases.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Structure

•        Lead the Global Line Management (GLM) organization, overseeing globally distributed teams across all major functions: Clinical Operations, Clinical

Monitoring, Data Management, Biostatistics, Medical Writing,

Safety/Pharmacovigilance, Regulatory Affairs, Medical Monitoring, and Site Management.

•        Ensure a lean, scalable structure with single line accountability per function and no unnecessary hierarchy.

•        Report directly to the CEO with full accountability for functional management and organizational staffing.

Resource Management & Forecasting

•        Own end-to-end staffing and allocation of resources across consulting, FSP, and full-service models.

•        Ensure that the organization is staffed with exactly the right number of FTEs per skillset — covering both immediate needs and a rolling 3-month forecast.

•        Manage recruitment triggers (new studies, expansions, FSP growth, dedicated staffing services) and validate profitability before resourcing.

•        Maintain global oversight of utilization, availability, and pipeline to ensure agility without overcapacity.

Talent Development & Retention

•        Lead global functional heads and ensure strong talent management across geographically spread teams.

•        Drive recruitment, onboarding, training, mentoring, and succession planning.

•        Build career development programs and therapeutic specialization tracks to support Oncology, CNS, and rare disease expertise.

Functional Excellence

•        Maintain and advance technical standards across all CRO service areas.

•        Safeguard functional quality and ensure expertise remains aligned with client and study needs.

•        Promote consistent training and mentoring to build depth across all global hubs.

•        Own functional and inter-functional processes, systems, and tools to maximize efficiency, staff motivation/retention, and quality.

Collaboration in the Matrix Model 

•        Work alongside the Clinical Delivery Office (CDO), which owns project execution.

•        Provide the CDO with the right resources and technical expertise but retain functional responsibility for staff development and performance.

•        Support business development when functional expertise is required in presales or client capability presentations (consulted role only).

•        Together with the other members of the senior management team, set and drive strategic organisational business aspects of geography, technology use, therapeutic areas/emphasis, analysis styles, and areas of emerging interest in the industry in order to maintain market prominence and client attractiveness.        

Rapid-Response & Agility 

•        Lead resource ramp-ups for fast-track staffing projects (5–10 hires within tight timelines).

•        Ensure pre-approved candidate pools, streamlined onboarding, and proactive coordination with HR, Finance, and IT.            

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will have:

•        Broad, multi-functional leadership experience across the major service areas of a CRO (Clinical Operations, Biometry, Data Management, Safety, Regulatory, Medical Writing, etc.).

•        Proven ability to balance staffing precision with financial discipline — staffing “just right” both for immediate delivery and 3-month forecasts.

•        Experience managing globally distributed teams and leading functional heads across multiple regions.

•        Strong understanding of Oncology trials; exposure to CNS and rare diseases is highly desirable.

•        Excellent skills in forecasting, utilization tracking, and margin validation.

•        Executive-level credibility, with a hands-on ability to manage organizational staffing and technical standards.

Why This Role Matters

The Head of Global Functions ensures that the company is always prepared with the right mix of skills, at the right scale, at the right time, and across the right geographies. This leader protects delivery capability and profitability by owning functional excellence, global resource precision, and forward-looking talent development.

For more information on Aixial Group recruitment and consideration for other opportunities, please review the recruitment statement on our careers page - https://www.aixialgroup.com/join-us/

Please be aware that we do not accept resumes from outside agencies or recruiters unless specifically requested by Aixial Group CRO Talent Acquisition. Unsolicited agency or recruiter resumes will not be eligible for referral fees and will be considered candidates Aixial may directly contact for employment application.