Marketing Manager, Patient Recruitment
At Headlands Research, we are dedicated to enhancing clinical trial delivery within our communities. As a leading network of advanced clinical trial sites, we leverage cutting-edge technology and exceptional support services to broaden outreach and participation. Founded in 2018, our rapidly growing company currently operates 20+ sites across the US and Canada, with plans for further expansion.
Marketing Manager, Patient Recruitment
Location: RemoteDepartment: Patient Recruitment & MarketingReports to: VP of Patient Recruitment & Marketing
The Role
The Marketing Manager, Patient Recruitment, is responsible for leading and scaling Headlands Research’s patient acquisition engine across its multi-site network. This role owns the end-to-end recruitment marketing lifecycle, including strategy, execution, performance optimization, budget management, and compliance. This leader will drive measurable improvements in enrollment outcomes, standardize branding and processes, expand into new acquisition channels, and ensure all marketing activities adhere to regulatory and ethical standards. The role requires a balance of strategic leadership, operational execution, and data-driven decision-making.
Responsibilities:
Recruitment Strategy & Scaling
Develop and execute scalable, multi-channel patient recruitment strategies across therapeutic areas and geographies
Build repeatable frameworks to support rapid study start-up, enrollment acceleration, and cross-site deployment
Partner with feasibility and operations teams to align recruitment plans with study timelines and enrollment targets
Identify and activate new acquisition channels, including digital, community outreach, and referral networks
Performance Marketing & Conversion Optimization
Own full-funnel performance (impressions through enrollment)
Optimize campaigns to improve conversion rates, reduce screen failures, and lower cost per randomized patient
Implement structured A/B testing for creatives, messaging, targeting, and landing pages
Build and leverage dashboards and analytics to drive continuous performance improvement
Channel Management & Innovation
Oversee paid and organic channel strategy (Meta, Google, TikTok, programmatic, SEO, email, SMS, etc.)
Evaluate, onboard, and manage marketing vendors and platforms
Drive innovation in patient engagement (video, digital experiences, content strategy)
Expand into underutilized channels such as physician referrals, partnerships, and community-based outreach
Branding & Standardization
Establish and enforce standardized branding, messaging, and creative guidelines across all sites
Ensure consistency in patient-facing materials while enabling localized optimization
Oversee development and approval of marketing assets (ads, landing pages, email campaigns, educational materials)
Partner with internal stakeholders to ensure messaging aligns with protocol requirements and patient needs
Budget Management & Financial Oversight
Own and manage patient recruitment marketing budgets across studies and sites
Allocate spending strategically across channels to maximize ROI and enrollment outcomes
Monitor budget pacing, forecast spending, and adjust allocations based on performance data
Evaluate cost efficiency, including cost per lead, cost per screened patient, and cost per randomized patient
Manage vendor contracts and ensure alignment with financial and performance expectations
Compliance & Regulatory Adherence
Ensure all recruitment materials and campaigns comply with IRB/EC requirements, HIPAA, and applicable regulatory standards
Partner with regulatory and clinical teams to manage submission, approval, and version control of marketing materials
Maintain audit-ready documentation of campaigns, approvals, and consent-related materials
Ensure ethical, patient-centric messaging that aligns with clinical trial guidelines and sponsor expectations
Team Leadership & Management
Lead, mentor, and develop a team of recruitment marketing professionals
Establish clear KPIs, performance expectations, and accountability structures for direct reports
Manage external agencies and vendors, ensuring delivery against defined performance metrics
Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and collaboration
Operational Excellence & Infrastructure
Build scalable processes for campaign launch, tracking, reporting, and optimization
Ensure proper tracking infrastructure (UTMs, CRM integration, attribution models) is implemented and maintained
Partner with technology teams to enhance marketing automation and patient engagement systems
Standardize workflows and reporting across sites to drive efficiency and consistency
Requirements:
Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, or related field required
7+ years of experience in digital marketing, growth marketing, or patient recruitment required
2+ years of people management experience required
Proven experience managing marketing budgets and driving ROI
Strong analytical skills with experience in CRM and marketing analytics platforms (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot)
Experience managing multi-channel paid media campaigns
Data-driven decision making
Financial acumen and budget management
Regulatory awareness and compliance rigor
Growth mindset and innovation
Operational scalability and process optimization
Leadership and team development
Patient-centric communication
Experience in clinical research, healthcare, or patient recruitment environments a plus
Familiarity with HIPAA, IRB processes, and regulatory considerations in healthcare marketing preferred
Experience with marketing automation, CDPs, and attribution modeling highly preferred
Experience in multi-site or network-based organizations a plus
Apply Now
Marketing Manager, Patient Recruitment
Location: RemoteDepartment: Patient Recruitment & MarketingReports to: VP of Patient Recruitment & Marketing
The Role
The Marketing Manager, Patient Recruitment, is responsible for leading and scaling Headlands Research’s patient acquisition engine across its multi-site network. This role owns the end-to-end recruitment marketing lifecycle, including strategy, execution, performance optimization, budget management, and compliance. This leader will drive measurable improvements in enrollment outcomes, standardize branding and processes, expand into new acquisition channels, and ensure all marketing activities adhere to regulatory and ethical standards. The role requires a balance of strategic leadership, operational execution, and data-driven decision-making.
Responsibilities:
Recruitment Strategy & Scaling
Develop and execute scalable, multi-channel patient recruitment strategies across therapeutic areas and geographies
Build repeatable frameworks to support rapid study start-up, enrollment acceleration, and cross-site deployment
Partner with feasibility and operations teams to align recruitment plans with study timelines and enrollment targets
Identify and activate new acquisition channels, including digital, community outreach, and referral networks
Performance Marketing & Conversion Optimization
Own full-funnel performance (impressions through enrollment)
Optimize campaigns to improve conversion rates, reduce screen failures, and lower cost per randomized patient
Implement structured A/B testing for creatives, messaging, targeting, and landing pages
Build and leverage dashboards and analytics to drive continuous performance improvement
Channel Management & Innovation
Oversee paid and organic channel strategy (Meta, Google, TikTok, programmatic, SEO, email, SMS, etc.)
Evaluate, onboard, and manage marketing vendors and platforms
Drive innovation in patient engagement (video, digital experiences, content strategy)
Expand into underutilized channels such as physician referrals, partnerships, and community-based outreach
Branding & Standardization
Establish and enforce standardized branding, messaging, and creative guidelines across all sites
Ensure consistency in patient-facing materials while enabling localized optimization
Oversee development and approval of marketing assets (ads, landing pages, email campaigns, educational materials)
Partner with internal stakeholders to ensure messaging aligns with protocol requirements and patient needs
Budget Management & Financial Oversight
Own and manage patient recruitment marketing budgets across studies and sites
Allocate spending strategically across channels to maximize ROI and enrollment outcomes
Monitor budget pacing, forecast spending, and adjust allocations based on performance data
Evaluate cost efficiency, including cost per lead, cost per screened patient, and cost per randomized patient
Manage vendor contracts and ensure alignment with financial and performance expectations
Compliance & Regulatory Adherence
Ensure all recruitment materials and campaigns comply with IRB/EC requirements, HIPAA, and applicable regulatory standards
Partner with regulatory and clinical teams to manage submission, approval, and version control of marketing materials
Maintain audit-ready documentation of campaigns, approvals, and consent-related materials
Ensure ethical, patient-centric messaging that aligns with clinical trial guidelines and sponsor expectations
Team Leadership & Management
Lead, mentor, and develop a team of recruitment marketing professionals
Establish clear KPIs, performance expectations, and accountability structures for direct reports
Manage external agencies and vendors, ensuring delivery against defined performance metrics
Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and collaboration
Operational Excellence & Infrastructure
Build scalable processes for campaign launch, tracking, reporting, and optimization
Ensure proper tracking infrastructure (UTMs, CRM integration, attribution models) is implemented and maintained
Partner with technology teams to enhance marketing automation and patient engagement systems
Standardize workflows and reporting across sites to drive efficiency and consistency
Requirements:
Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, or related field required
7+ years of experience in digital marketing, growth marketing, or patient recruitment required
2+ years of people management experience required
Proven experience managing marketing budgets and driving ROI
Strong analytical skills with experience in CRM and marketing analytics platforms (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot)
Experience managing multi-channel paid media campaigns
Data-driven decision making
Financial acumen and budget management
Regulatory awareness and compliance rigor
Growth mindset and innovation
Operational scalability and process optimization
Leadership and team development
Patient-centric communication
Experience in clinical research, healthcare, or patient recruitment environments a plus
Familiarity with HIPAA, IRB processes, and regulatory considerations in healthcare marketing preferred
Experience with marketing automation, CDPs, and attribution modeling highly preferred
Experience in multi-site or network-based organizations a plus
Apply Now