Executive Director, Global Site Payment Strategy & Services
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Parexel
Southport, NC, US
Summary
The Executive Director will lead a global organization responsible for investigator payment services, overseeing strategy, operational excellence, and digital transformation. They will partner with cross-functional teams to modernize financial systems and ensure accurate, timely payments to clinical research sites.
Job Description
When our values align, there's no limit to what we can achieve.
At Parexel, we all share the same goal - to improve the world's health. From clinical trials to regulatory, consulting, and market access, every clinical development solution we provide is underpinned by something special - a deep conviction in what we do.
Each of us, no matter what we do at Parexel, contributes to the development of a therapy that ultimately will benefit a patient. We take our work personally, we do it with empathy and we're committed to making a difference.
Parexel is looking for changemakers who are driven by curiosity, passion, and optimism. Come join us in keeping the Patient at the Heart of Everything We do.
Job Introduction
At Parexel, we are united by one purpose: putting patients at the heart of everything we do. Every day, our teams help bring life-changing therapies to patients around the world, and clinical research sites play a critical role in making that possible.
As Executive Director, Global Site Payment Strategy & Services, you will lead a global organization responsible for delivering investigator payment services across multiple regions, therapeutic areas, and client portfolios. You will oversee a critical function that directly impacts site satisfaction, operational efficiency, and study execution, ensuring sites are paid accurately, transparently, and on time.
This is a highly visible leadership opportunity for an experienced executive who is passionate about operational excellence, organizational transformation, and innovation. You will help shape the future of Site Payment Services through process improvement, automation, technology enablement, and AI-driven solutions while leading a global team through its next phase of growth and evolution.
Reporting to senior leadership within Parexel's Site Activation Center of Excellence, you will partner across Operations, Finance, Technology, Project Leadership, and Commercial teams to create a more connected and scalable investigator financial ecosystem.
Why This Role Matters
Investigator payments are essential to the success of clinical trials. Sites rely on timely and accurate payments to continue conducting research and caring for patients.
As Executive Director, Global Site Payment Strategy & Services, you will have the opportunity to:
- Lead a global function with enterprise-wide impact
- Influence strategy and decision making across multiple business areas
- Drive digital transformation through automation, analytics, and AI
- Improve the experience of clinical research sites around the world
- Build and develop high-performing global teams
- Position Site Payment Services as a strategic differentiator for Parexel
Who We Are Looking For
We are seeking a collaborative and results-oriented leader with deep expertise in investigator financial operations and a proven ability to lead large-scale operational organizations.
The ideal candidate combines strategic vision with operational discipline and thrives in fast-paced, evolving, and complex global environments. They are skilled at influencing senior stakeholders, navigating organizational change, developing talent, and delivering measurable business outcomes. Success will require resilience, adaptability, and a willingness to lead transformation at scale.
You bring a passion for continuous improvement and a demonstrated track record of leveraging technology, automation, and innovative operating models to drive efficiency, quality, and scalability.
What You'll Do
Strategic Leadership
- Define and execute the long-term vision and strategy for Site Payment Services
- Evaluate and evolve operating models, organizational structures, and service delivery approaches
- Partner with executive leadership to identify opportunities that enhance operational performance and client value
- Serve as a key leader within the Site Activation Center of Excellence
- Anticipate industry trends and evolving site needs to inform future service strategy
Operational Excellence
- Lead a global Site Payment Services organization responsible for investigator payment operations, budget setup, reconciliation, reporting, and site-facing support
- Establish performance metrics and accountability measures to drive operational excellence
- Ensure timely, accurate, compliant, and efficient delivery of site payment services
- Identify opportunities to simplify processes and improve scalability across the organization
Transformation and Innovation
- Lead the modernization of Site Payment Services through automation, digital solutions, analytics, and AI-enabled capabilities
- Drive continuous improvement efforts that improve efficiency, quality, and stakeholder experience
- Champion innovation and foster a culture that embraces change and new ways of working
- Partner closely with Technology teams to modernize systems, processes, and data capabilities
Stakeholder Engagement
- Collaborate with Finance, Project Leadership, Commercial, Contracts, Site Activation, and Technology teams to optimize the investigator financial lifecycle
- Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders
- Influence decision making through data-driven insights and strategic recommendations
- Serve as an executive escalation point for complex operational and stakeholder challenges
Talent Development
- Lead, coach, and develop a diverse global leadership team
- Foster a culture of accountability, inclusion, collaboration, and continuous learning
- Guide teams through organizational growth and transformation initiatives
Experience and Qualifications
Required
- 10+ years of progressive leadership experience within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, CRO, or healthcare services industry
- Significant experience leading global operational teams and complex business functions
- Deep understanding of investigator financial operations and the broader clinical trial ecosystem
- Demonstrated experience driving large-scale transformation, process improvement, or organizational change initiatives
- Strong executive presence with proven stakeholder management and influencing skills
- Experience managing cross-functional initiatives that span multiple geographic regions and business functions
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience
Preferred
- Experience with investigator payment technologies, financial systems, or site-facing operational platforms
- Track record of implementing automation, digital transformation, analytics, or AI-enabled solutions
- Advanced degree in business, healthcare, finance, or related field
- Lean, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement experience
Why Join Parexel
At Parexel, your work has real impact. Every improvement we make helps accelerate clinical research and ultimately supports patients waiting for new therapies.
When you join Parexel, you'll find:
- Meaningful work that contributes to better patient outcomes
- Opportunities to lead high-impact global initiatives
- A culture that values collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning
- Flexible work arrangements that support work-life balance
- Access to professional growth and career development opportunities
- The ability to help shape the future of clinical trial operations
At Parexel, we take our work personally. We act with empathy, lead with purpose, and strive to make a difference every day.
EEO Disclaimer
Parexel is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to legally protected status, which in the US includes race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.
Parexel is a leading global clinical research organization (CRO) providing insights-driven Clinical and Consulting solutions to the world’s life sciences industry. Leveraging deep local knowledge and a global breadth of clinical, regulatory and therapeutic expertise, our 22,000+ global employees work in partnership with biopharmaceutical leaders, emerging innovators and sites to design and deliver clinical trials with patients in mind — broadening access and making clinical research a care option for anyone, anywhere. Our proven track record spans 40+ years and drives us forward, advancing clinical research in healthcare’s most complex areas while harnessing innovation to drive efficiencies across every phase of the clinical development process. Our insights-driven approach, proven delivery and trusted execution are accelerating the delivery of life-changing treatments to patients — With Heart.™ We continue to earn recognition industrywide, including the 2025 Scrip Award for “Best Contract Research Organization – Full-Service Provider,” 2024 Fierce Biotech CRO Award for "Innovative Approaches to Patient-Centric Research" and the 2024 and 2023 Society for Clinical Research Sites Eagle Award.
Community Guidelines
Because Parexel’s social media channels are open to the general public and employees, we are not responsible for views expressed other than our own. However, we do not tolerate posts that are:
• Abusive, harassing or threatening to others.
• Defamatory, offensive, obscene, vulgar or depicting violence.
• Hateful targeting by race/ethnicity, age, color, creed, religion, gender,
sexual preference or orientation, nationality or political beliefs.
• Sexually explicit or pornographic.
• Fraudulent, deceptive, libelous, misleading or unlawful.
• Referencing criminal or illegal activity.
• Spamming.
We reserve the right to remove any comments that do not adhere to our guidelines as well as report users who violate the rules of our page.
Company size
10,001+ employees
Industry
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Org type
Privately Held
Headquarters
Raleigh, North Carolina
Parexel is a leading global clinical research organization (CRO) providing insights-driven Clinical and Consulting solutions to the world’s life sciences industry. Leveraging deep local knowledge and a global breadth of clinical, regulatory and therapeutic expertise, our 22,000+ global employees work in partnership with biopharmaceutical leaders, emerging innovators and sites to design and deliver clinical trials with patients in mind — broadening access and making clinical research a care option for anyone, anywhere. Our proven track record spans 40+ years and drives us forward, advancing clinical research in healthcare’s most complex areas while harnessing innovation to drive efficiencies across every phase of the clinical development process. Our insights-driven approach, proven delivery and trusted execution are accelerating the delivery of life-changing treatments to patients — With Heart.™ We continue to earn recognition industrywide, including the 2025 Scrip Award for “Best Contract Research Organization – Full-Service Provider,” 2024 Fierce Biotech CRO Award for "Innovative Approaches to Patient-Centric Research" and the 2024 and 2023 Society for Clinical Research Sites Eagle Award.
Community Guidelines
Because Parexel’s social media channels are open to the general public and employees, we are not responsible for views expressed other than our own. However, we do not tolerate posts that are:
• Abusive, harassing or threatening to others.
• Defamatory, offensive, obscene, vulgar or depicting violence.
• Hateful targeting by race/ethnicity, age, color, creed, religion, gender,
sexual preference or orientation, nationality or political beliefs.
• Sexually explicit or pornographic.
• Fraudulent, deceptive, libelous, misleading or unlawful.
• Referencing criminal or illegal activity.
• Spamming.
We reserve the right to remove any comments that do not adhere to our guidelines as well as report users who violate the rules of our page.
Company size
10,001+ employees
Industry
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Org type
Privately Held
Headquarters
Raleigh, North Carolina