Senior Implementation Science Program Director

RTI Health Solutions (RTI-HS), a business unit of RTI International, is an independent and internationally recognized research organization. We provide healthcare consulting and research expertise to optimize decision-making for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device products across the development and marketing life cycle. Clients rely on our expertise, quality standards, and integrity to guide their product development and regulatory and market access strategies. Our service groupings include Value, Access, and HEOR; Patient-Centered and Outcomes Research; Epidemiology and Biostatistics; Medical Communications; Global Business Operations; and Strategic Consulting and Growth. RTI-HS has office locations in the US, UK, Spain, France, and Sweden.

The Patient-Centered and Outcomes Research (PCOR) team consists of accredited researchers who aim to produce evidence that empowers patients and healthcare providers to make informed decisions that optimize health outcomes, enhance patient-centered care, and improve the overall quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery.

Our PCOR team is made up of 5 practice areas:

• Health Economics Database Studies
• Health Preference Assessment
• Patient-Centered Outcomes Assessment
• Surveys and Observational Studies
• Implementation Science

We are seeking a motivated Implementation Science Research Program Director to support the growth and execution of RTI-HS's accelerating Implementation Science Practice Area. This role requires a strategic thinker with a strong background in implementation science, research methodologies, and project management. You will have advanced knowledge and experience in implementation science theories models and frameworks to guide strategy,as well as experience in designing and managing complex research projects.

In this role, you will work closely with the Head of the Implementation Science Program to build a strong pipeline of work, partnering with multiple practice areas within Health Solutions as well as with other RTI business units with subject matter expertise and to advance RTI's industry leadership in Implementation Science application. It also requires research study design and leadership, managing operational excellence, mentoring staff, and helping advance the group's scientific credibility, business development, and strategic growth.

Program & Research Support

• Design and execute research projects, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and industry best practices.
• Serve as a reviewer for proposals, protocols, analysis plans, and deliverables, ensuring methodological rigor, consistency, and quality.
• Develop and share technical expertise in implementation science with team members.
• Ensure compliance with all regulatory and ethical standards in the conduct of research.
• Contribute to the design, implementation, and evaluation of implementation science projects across the RTI-HS portfolio.
• Conduct landscape assessments, literature reviews, and environmental scans using implementation science theories, models, and frameworks.
• Assist in developing logic models, implementation plans, evaluation measures, and study protocols.
• Support data collection and analysis using qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods approaches.
• Draft summaries, reports, presentations, and other deliverables for internal and external audiences.

Scientific & Research Leadership

• Foster relationships with external stakeholders, including industry partners, academic collaborators, and regulatory organizations.
• Raise the profile of implementation science as an important strategy for improving patient outcomes and advancing health equity through internal and external presentations and publications.
• Monitor and evaluate the impact of implementation science projects, providing regular updates and reports to senior leadership.
• Stay abreast of advancements in implementation science and integrate innovative approaches into program development.

Operational & People Leadership

• Support the Head in managing day-to-day operations of the practice, including project resourcing, prioritization, and staff assignments.
• Coach, mentor, and develop researchers, project managers, and analysts; provide real-time feedback and support career development plans.
• Help identify staffing needs, hiring priorities, and cross-training opportunities to ensure coverage and scalability of project demands.
• Strengthen operational processes by identifying gaps and contributing to new SOPs, templates, and best practices across proposal development, study execution, and reporting.

Business Development & Client Engagement

• Partner with the Head to support business development activities, including writing proposal sections, supporting bid defenses, and meeting with new and existing clients.
• Maintain strong client relationships by providing scientific expertise, problem-solving, communication, and project leadership.
• Identify opportunities to expand client partnerships, enhance service offerings, and grow revenue.
• Represent RTI-HS at industry meetings and contribute to conference abstracts, manuscripts, and thought leadership.

Strategic Growth & Collaboration

• Work closely with leaders in Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, as well as HEOR, Value & Access, Epidemiology, Medical Communications, and Biostatistics, to deliver integrated solutions.
• Support implementation of strategic initiatives within the practice and across PCOR related to innovation, new service offerings, team capability-building, and operational efficiency.
• Leverage knowledge of trends in RWE, digital engagement, data privacy, and regulatory expectations to inform strategic planning and future investments.

Financial & Project Performance

• Manage budgets, timelines, and resource plans for assigned projects; support financial stewardship of the practice, including project profitability and utilization goals.
• Monitor project KPIs and identify risks early, escalating or resolving issues to maintain operational excellence.
• Provide guidance to teams in interpreting financial metrics such as Direct Project Rate (DPR), margins, and revenue forecasting.

• Master's level degree in Implementation Science, Translational Health Science, Public Health, Health Services Research, or a related field, and 10 years of directly related experience, or a PhD in a related field and 6 years of directly related experience.
• Demonstrated experience in implementation science research particularly within the pharmaceutical, academia, or healthcare consulting industry, with a strong track record of managing complex projects.
• Demonstrated expertise using qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods.
• Demonstrated experience in business development and proposal writing.
• Demonstrated project management skills, with the ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a focus on data-driven decision-making.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and maintain relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Understanding of and experience with practical application of implementation science theories and quality improvement methods to address complexities of drug and medical device treatment.
• Knowledge of regulatory and ethical standards in health care and pharmaceutical research.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously while ensuring quality and methodological rigor.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary teams and influence without authority.
• Proficiency in MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel; familiarity with qualitative or quantitative analysis tools preferred.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-growth consulting environment.

Preferred

• Experience working in a consulting, pharmaceutical, academic, or applied research environment.
• Exposure to business development or proposal contributions.
• Experience preparing scientific presentations, posters, or manuscripts.
• Familiarity with quality improvement methods (e.g., PDSA, Lean, Six Sigma).

For San Francisco, CA USA Job Postings Only: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Further information is available here.

RTI accepts applications to our job openings from candidates with criminal histories or conviction records in accordance with all applicable laws, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.

The anticipated pay range for this role is listed below. Our pay ranges represent national averages and may vary by location as a geographic differential may be applied to some locations within the United States. RTI considers multiple factors when making an offer including, for example: established salary range, internal budget, business needs, and education and years of work experience possessed by the applicant. Further, salary is merely one element to our offer.

At RTI, we demonstrate our commitment to rewarding individual and team achievement through a total rewards package. This package includes (among other things) a competitive base salary, a generous paid time off policy, merit based annual increases, bonus opportunities and a robust recognition program. Other benefits include a competitive range of insurance plans (including health, dental, life, and short-term and long-term disability), access to a retirement savings program such as a 401(k) plan, paid parental leave for all parents, financial assistance with adoption expenses or infertility treatments, financial reimbursement for education and developmental opportunities, an employee assistance program, and numerous other offerings to support a healthy work-life balance.