Associate Director of Statistical Programming

Job Summary

Reporting directly to the Director of Biostatistics and Programming, the Associate Director of Statistical Programming is responsible for leading the statistical programming efforts for a busy research center. The individual will be responsible for collaborating with CBAR Leadership, project PI's, biostatisticians, and Core programmers as well as the CBAR Quality Management Team, IT professionals, Internal Resource Committees, external collaborators, and other colleagues in the creation, implementation, and maintenance of statistical programming infrastructure and deliverables. The Associate Director will lead the effort to continuously improve programming processes to conform to evolving industry standards and participate in the ongoing review and development of quality systems and processes, including CDISC implementation and other internal/external initiatives.

The Associate Director will manage the priorities and expectations of the CBAR Programming Core comprised of approximately 10 programmers who design and implement expert applications (including SAS macros and BASH scripts) supporting protocol-specific statistical programming and project priorities for Advancing Clinical Therapeutics Globally for HIV/AIDS and Other Infections (ACTG) and the International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials Group (IMPAACT). This includes high-level programming projects, including SAS, BASH, and Python, and ad hoc protocol-specific programming requests. As the process owner for Core Applications, the Associate Director is responsible for timely review and final approval of program specifications and requirements.

The Associate Director will directly supervise three programming managers and other senior Core programming staff. Responsibilities include personnel decision making at all levels of the Core, including hiring, promotion recommendations, and disciplinary actions. This position mentors programming staff and coordinates with CBAR Training Committee with respect to the training needs of masters and doctoral-level statisticians and epidemiologists.

This individual must possess extensive experience and proven skills in the use of SAS within a Statistical Programming environment and complete knowledge and understanding of the statistical programming processes, procedures, and roles. This individual will use knowledge of CDISC SDTM and ADaM standards to provide support Biostatistics in statistical analysis, both directly, and in the development of programming tools to streamline study-specific programming. Additionally, the successful candidate will use their strong people management skills and supervisory skills to provide direct line management to the statistical programmers, identify training needs and opportunities for optimizing staff utilization and employing the most efficient practices.

Position Description

Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Signatory for CBAR Programming SOPs with responsibility for document revisions, CAPA management, response to internal audit, statistical programming representative for external audit / inspection
• Lead Programming Core priorities and commitments, including assessment of new applications, needs of statistics and requirements, allocation of resources including for ad-hoc projects, review, and final approval of program specifications and requirements
• Manage, cultivate, and establish requirements for a pipeline of statistical programming projects. Projects may include macro and script development to support the work of biostatistics teams, study-specific work, standardization efforts, ad-hoc projects, etc.
• Directly supervise the Manager of Programming Systems, the Manager of Programmer Development, and the Chief Data Administrator providing oversight for advanced application design and planning, Core programmer training, and clinical data standardization, respectively
• Collaboration with the CBAR IT team to ensure thorough and smooth testing associated with critical hardware and software updates
• Primary liaison with the ACTG/IMPAACT Data Management Center in Amherst, NY; responsible to ensure the harmonization of programming systems and deliverables between the two organizations
• Supporting statisticians and epidemiologists with external collaborators to ensure efficient and secure data transfer
• Coordination with the CBAR Training Committee with respect to the training needs of master- and doctoral-level statisticians and epidemiologists
• Other duties as assigned

This position is located in the Center for Biostatistics in AIDS Research (CBAR) within the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts. Since 1989, CBAR and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health have provided a strong program for growth and professional development of its managers -- including a defined career path and opportunities for continuing education and attendance of professional meetings.

Please attach the following when applying: 1) Resume, 2) Cover letter, 3) Sample of SAS code (solely created by the applicant - preferably utilizing macro language), and 4) Names and email contact information for three (3) professional references.

PLEASE NOTE: This position has a term date of November 30, 2027 with a strong likelihood of extension.

Basic Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years' post-secondary education or relevant work experience is required
• Supervisory experience is required

Please attach the following when applying: 1) Resume, 2) Cover letter, 3) Sample of SAS code (solely created by the applicant - preferably utilizing macro language), and 4) Names and email contact information for three (3) professional references.

Additional Qualifications and Skills

The following job-specific skills and competencies are preferred:

• Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, or related field
• Experience working with all levels of management and consulting with key business stakeholders
• An ability to influence for greater outcomes
• Proven leadership skills with prior management and extensive supervisory experience
• Proven history of managing programming capability and projects in a research setting
• Experience with SAS, Bash, Linux, and Python are highly desirable
• At least seven years of high-level statistical programming skills in a clinical data environment or research setting, preferably with clinical trial data
• Proven skills in the use of SAS and a scripting language within a Statistical Programming environment preferably with clinical trial data (knowledge of R is desirable)
• Strong team player that has a customer service approach and is solution-oriented
• Strong attention to detail
• Experience working individually, within a multi-disciplinary team, as well as with external partners and vendors
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; technical writing experience is desirable

The following cultural competencies are also preferred:

• Awareness of and aptitude to appropriately and effectively understand, respect, and adapt to cultural and identity-based difference within group environments
• Knowledge of and commitment to concepts and issues tied to social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Skills related to creating and supporting an environment that allows for inclusion, effective intercultural engagement, and personal humility and authenticity
• Experience fostering and reinforcing an environment that values unique experiences, cultures, backgrounds, and goals

Additional Information

Join the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health to support our mission of health research and education, and to be a part of the oldest institution of higher learning in the country!

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• The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health does not provide visa sponsorship, now or in the future, for staff positions.
• Harvard University requires pre-employment reference checks and background screenings.
• This position has a 180 day orientation and review period.

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The health of our workforce is a priority for Harvard University. With that in mind, we strongly encourage all employees to be up to date on CDC-recommended vaccines.

Work Format Details

This is a hybrid position that is based in Massachusetts. Additional details will be discussed during the interview process. All remote work must be performed within one of the Harvard Registered Payroll States, which currently includes Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Washington, and California (CA for exempt positions only). Certain visa types and funding sources may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.

About Us

The Center for Biostatistics in AIDS Research (CBAR), an organization within the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, is responsible for the design, monitoring and statistical analysis of clinical trials and observational studies for several major national and international NIH-funded clinical research networks. CBAR employs over 100 statisticians and epidemiologists including Harvard faculty, research scientists and staff. Investigators within CBAR have provided statistical leadership and support for clinical research networks for thirty-five years. Currently this includes infectious disease networks such as: Advancing Clinical Therapeutics Globally for HIV/AIDS and Other Infections (ACTG), the International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials Network (IMPAACT), and the Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study (PHACS). Results from studies have helped to establish the paradigm for the treatment and prevention of HIV and other infectious diseases, and contributed to international treatment and prevention guidelines. CBAR has a hybrid work environment which includes a combination of on-campin-person work and remote work.

Benefits

We invite you to visit Harvard's Total Rewards website ( ) to learn more about our outstanding benefits package, which may include:

• Paid Time Off: 3-4 weeks of accrued vacation time per year (3 weeks for support staff and 4 weeks for administrative/professional staff), 12 accrued sick days per year, 12.5 holidays plus a Winter Recess in December/January, 3 personal days per year (prorated based on date of hire), and up to 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents who are primary care givers.
• Health and Welfare: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, disability and life insurance programs, along with voluntary benefits. Most coverage begins as of your start date.
• Work/Life and Wellness: Child and elder/adult care resources including on campus childcare centers, Employee Assistance Program, and wellness programs related to stress management, nutrition, meditation, and more.
• Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with contributions from 5% to 15% of eligible compensation, based on age and earnings with full vesting after 3 years of service.
• Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive program including $40 per class at the Harvard Extension School and reduced tuition through other participating Harvard graduate schools.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Program that provides 75% to 90% reimbursement up to $5,250 per calendar year for eligible courses taken at other accredited institutions.
• Professional Development: Programs and classes at little or no cost, including through the Harvard Center for Workplace Development and LinkedIn Learning.
• Commuting and Transportation: Various commuter options handled through the Parking Office, including discounted parking, half-priced public transportation passes and pre-tax transit passes, biking benefits, and more.
• Harvard Facilities Access, Discounts and Perks: Access to Harvard athletic and fitness facilities, libraries, campus events, credit union, and more, as well as discounts to various types of services (legal, financial, etc.) and cultural and leisure activities throughout metro-Boston.