Back to jobs
New

Senior Research Budget Specialist - Cardiology

Cambridge, Massachusetts or Ex-US Poland

Iterative Health is a healthcare technology and services company powering the acceleration of clinical research to transform patient outcomes.

We built a leading performance-driven network of 100+ sites across the US, Europe, India, and Australia, conducting research directly in the communities where care is delivered across gastrointestinal, hepatology, obesity, and cardiology. By combining deep clinical trial expertise with cutting-edge AI, we connect sponsors' scientific ambitions with high-performing research teams that expedite and expand access to novel therapeutics for patients in need. Today, Iterative Health is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and New York City with 250+ employees world-wide.

 

The Senior Clinical Research Budgets Specialist is a seasoned, strategic partner to the sites within Iterative Health's growing domestic and international network — taking ownership of the most complex, high-value clinical trial budget negotiations and contract payment terms across the portfolio. This role demands a deep understanding of site-level trial operations, sharp negotiation instincts, and the ability to navigate sophisticated sponsor and CRO relationships across multiple geographies. The ideal candidate brings 4–6 years of hands-on clinical research budgeting experience, a track record of independently resolving complex financial and contractual challenges, and the judgment to operate with confidence where precedent is limited and the stakes are high. 

 

Where You’ll Drive Impact 

  • Lead development, review, and negotiation of site-level clinical trial budgets and payment terms for high-value and complex studies across U.S. and international research sites.
  • Serve as the internal expert on complex budget scenarios — including multi-country studies, novel endpoints, investigational devices, and non-standard sponsor payment structures.
  • Interpret sophisticated study protocols, schedules of assessments, and evolving study requirements to construct accurate, defensible, and competitive site budgets.
  • Proactively identify gaps, inconsistencies, or underrepresented cost considerations and drive resolution with sponsors, CROs, and internal stakeholders.
  • Ensure budgets appropriately capture all site costs including per-patient procedures, startup activities, administrative fees, and pass-through expenses.
  • Review and manage budget and payment amendments as studies evolve, including escalated or disputed items.
  • Account for country-specific considerations such as currency, tax/VAT, payment cadence, and local site practices across geographies.
  • Serve as a senior point of contact for sponsor and CRO budget discussions on complex or high-priority studies.
  • Support alignment between Clinical Trial Agreements (CTAs) and negotiated budget and payment terms.
  • Navigate sponsor pushback, non-standard terms, and escalated disputes with confidence and professionalism.
  • Maintain clear documentation and audit-ready records throughout the budget lifecycle.
  • Collaborate with site leadership, research coordinators, regulatory teams, and finance partners to support timely study start-up across competing priorities.
  • Contribute to the development of scalable budgeting tools, templates, and processes that improve consistency and efficiency across the network.
  • Support and provide informal guidance to junior Budgets Specialists on complex scenarios as needed.
  • Performs related duties 

What You Bring to the Team

  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
  • 4–6 years of site-side clinical research budgeting or trial finance experience, with a focus on complex or high-value negotiations.
  • Deep understanding of site-level clinical trial operations across domestic and international geographies.
  • Proven ability to independently lead complex budget negotiations with sponsors and CROs.
  • Strong judgment in ambiguous situations — able to assess risk, make sound calls, and drive issues to resolution.
  • Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills across internal and external partners.
  • Ability to manage a high-volume, multi-priority workload across regions simultaneously.
  • Self-starter with strong ownership, accountability, and the ability to build or expand on limited structure.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience supporting complex multi-country or international clinical research budgets.
  • Familiarity with VAT, currency exchange, and regional payment norms across European markets.
  • Experience using CTMS platforms, particularly RealTime.
  • Familiarity with Medicare Coverage Analysis (MCA) or billing cmpliance.
  • Experience building or improving budgeting processes or tools in a startup or high-growth environment.

How We Work 

  • Collaborative and low-ego team environment
  • High ownership and accountability culture
  • Fast-paced and highly iterative growth environment
  • Open communication and continuous learning mindset
  • Mission-driven organization focused on improving patient outcomes
  • Comfortable navigating evolving business priorities and opportunities

 

Benefits That Support You 

We believe great teams do their best work when they feel supported — professionally and personally.

  • Hybrid work environment with in-office collaboration two days per week in either our NYC, Cambridge or Southlake office
  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, with up to 80% of premiums covered by Iterative Health
  • Mental health and wellness support through Spring Health
  • Health HSA or FSA options, and commuter FSA contributions supported by Iterative Health
  • Unlimited PTO, 12 company holidays, and a company-wide shutdown between Christmas and New Years
  • 401(k) program with a company match of up to 3% (up to $3,000 annually)
  • Weekly in-office lunch benefit every Tuesday
  • 100% company-paid short-term and long-term disability coverage
  • Annual wellness and professional development stipend to support your health and growth
  • And more!

At Iterative Health, we’re actively working towards creating an environment that is representative of the diversity of patients our technology serves. We are focused on building an equitable and inclusive culture, and by extension, hiring process. If you require any accommodations to make the application process or interviewing experience more accessible to you, please contact CandidateAccommodations@iterative.health.

Create a Job Alert

Interested in building your career at Iterative Health? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email.

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Select...
Select...
Select...

 

Please read the following statement carefully and please type your full name above to agree to this statement.

By providing your electronic name, you acknowledge that you have read and understand this statement. DO NOT AGREE UNTIL YOU HAVE READ THE BELOW STATEMENT IN FULL. 

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Iterative Health (the “Company”) is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to actual and/or perceived: race; color; national origin; religion; age; sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions); gender identity or expression (including transgender status); affectional or sexual orientation; disability (mental and physical); atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait or genetic information (including family medical history); uniform service member and veteran status; participation in legally protected conduct or making a complaint relating to unlawful conduct; and any other characteristic or conduct protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Applicant’s Statement 

     I certify that the answers given to the questions and the statements made (including statements on the attached resume, and inserted forms, if any) on this application and in the hiring process are true. I understand that a false statement, a false answer, an omission, or a misleading statement may result in a decision not to hire me, the withdrawal of any offer of employment, or the termination of my employment with Company regardless of when such false, misleading, or erroneous information is discovered.

     I understand that if hired, unless I am employed under a specific written contract or collective bargaining agreement, my employment will be "at will" and that my employment may be terminated at any time with or without cause and with or without notice. I understand that no representative of the Company has any authority to make any assurances, representations or promises contrary to the "at-will" nature of my employment unless it is in writing signed by an authorized officer of Iterative Health. I understand that I may terminate my employment with or without cause and with or without notice at any time. I further agree that Company reserves the right to make unilateral changes to the terms and conditions of my employment.

 

     I authorize Company to investigate my references and communicate with my former employers concerning my employment unless specifically stated otherwise in this application. I authorize all individuals, schools, and employers named, and all financial institutions, law enforcement agencies, and all persons except as specifically limited on this application to provide information requested about me, and I promise I will not bring any legal claims or actions against my current or former employers due to their responses to any job reference request.

     I further understand that the completion of an application is a preliminary step to employment. It does not obligate Company to offer employment to me, or for me to accept employment. I further acknowledge that if offered employment, any offer of employment may be a conditional offer of employment pending successful completion of a drug screening and/or background check. Any consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

 

FOR MARYLAND APPLICANTS: UNDER MARYLAND LAW, AN EMPLOYER MAY NOT REQUIRE OR DEMAND, AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT, PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYMENT OR CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT, THAT AN INDIVIDUAL SUBMIT TO OR TAKE A LIE DETECTOR OR SIMILAR TEST. EMPLOYER WHO VIOLATES THIS LAW IS GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR AND SUBJECT TO A FINE NOT EXCEEDING $100.

FOR MASSACHUSETTS APPLICANTS:  IT IS UNLAWFUL IN MASSACHUSETTS TO REQUIRE OR ADMINISTER A LIE DETECTOR TEST AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT OR CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT. AN EMPLOYER WHO VIOLATES THIS LAW SHALL BE SUBJECT TO CRIMINAL PENALTIES AND CIVIL LIABILITY.

FOR MONTANA APPLICANTS: THE EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP IS GOVERNED BY THE WRONGFUL DISCHARGE FROM EMPLOYMENT ACT, AND THE COMPANY’S PROBATIONARY PERIOD IS 18 MONTHS. MONT. CODE ANN. § 39-2-901, AS AMENDED.

FOR RHODE ISLAND APPLICANTS:  IF YOU PROVIDE FALSE INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR ABILITY TO PERFORM THE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE JOB, WITH OR WITHOUT ACCOMMODATIONS, YOU MAY BE BARRED FROM FILING A CLAIM UNDER the provisions of the Workers’ Compensation Act of the State of Rhode Island.

U.S. Standard Demographic Questions

We invite applicants to share their demographic background. If you choose to complete this survey, your responses may be used to identify areas of improvement in our hiring process.
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Iterative Health’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...