What does a clinical data manager do?
A clinical data manager is primarily responsible for recording and managing the data and results from various clinical trials and projects. Their duties revolve around establishing and maintaining a database, coordinating with team members and other departments to gather relevant information, developing different strategies for data management, mentoring less experienced colleagues, and monitoring the workforce's progress to ensure the accuracy of every data. Furthermore, as a manager, it is crucial to ensure that all processes comply with the state's laws and regulations and the company's policies.
Clinical data manager responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real clinical data manager resumes:
- Manage online survey execution and SPSS database for child substance abuse prevention program.
- Manage all of the operational aspect of clinical trials in compliance with GCP regulations and Merck policy.
- Lead training for new hire nurses and physicians in EMR system: develop training handouts and learning objectives
- Manage CRO data management activities for the oncology clinical study.
- Manage the biannual MedDRA upgrade implementation and the auto encoding optimization project
- Manage accounting operations, accounting close, account reporting and reconciliations.
- Implement CDISC: CDASH compliant CRF's, SDTM and ADaM standards.
- Involve in meeting with the FDA to explain the quality of the data management and QC steps taken during the project.
- Organize and delegate project work to CDC staff during data transfers.
- Monitor patients on experimental FDA approve cancer treatments.
- Review CRF completion guidelines, monitoring plans and clinical monitoring reports for accuracy and completeness.
- Collaborate with team on development and data management enhancement; resolve queries for FDA approval of pharmaceutical drugs.
- Test ERT's EDC, EDMD, and EDMR applications.
- Investigate HIPAA complaints and breaches.
- Lead multidisciplinary group to improve CMS core measure goals.
Clinical data manager skills and personality traits
We calculated that 13% of Clinical Data Managers are proficient in Patients, Data Collection, and Data Management. They’re also known for soft skills such as Math skills, Analytical skills, and Problem-solving skills.
We break down the percentage of Clinical Data Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 13%
Reconciled study assessments to determine patients' tumor response to medication.
- Data Collection, 7%
Instituted data collection and retention practices for study documents, including informed consent and authorization forms.
- Data Management, 5%
Supported business development for data management time and cost estimates and prepare and present to potential clients on data management capabilities.
- CRF, 4%
Reviewed CRF completion guidelines, monitoring plans and clinical monitoring reports for accuracy and completeness.
- QC, 4%
Review and Resolve listings of errors/inconsistencies identified during QC.
- Database Development, 4%
Work closely with clinical database programmers to provide specifications at the time of study database development.
"patients," "data collection," and "data management" are among the most common skills that clinical data managers use at work. You can find even more clinical data manager responsibilities below, including:
Math skills. The most essential soft skill for a clinical data manager to carry out their responsibilities is math skills. This skill is important for the role because "mathematicians and statisticians use statistics, calculus, and linear algebra to develop their models and analyses." Additionally, a clinical data manager resume shows how their duties depend on math skills: "provided clinical data management support to clinical operations team, clinical data management team and biostatistics team. "
Analytical skills. Many clinical data manager duties rely on analytical skills. "mathematicians and statisticians use mathematical techniques and models to evaluate large amounts of data.," so a clinical data manager will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways clinical data manager responsibilities rely on analytical skills: "coordinated an fda mandated safe medical devices study which included collection of clinical patient data and medical device tracking"
Problem-solving skills. clinical data managers are also known for problem-solving skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to clinical data manager responsibilities, because "mathematicians and statisticians must devise solutions to problems encountered in science, engineering, and other fields." A clinical data manager resume example shows how problem-solving skills is used in the workplace: "collaborated with team on development and data management enhancement; resolved queries for fda approval of pharmaceutical drugs. "
Communication skills. A big part of what clinical data managers do relies on "communication skills." You can see how essential it is to clinical data manager responsibilities because "mathematicians and statisticians must be able to explain technical concepts and solutions in nontechnical ways." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical clinical data manager tasks: "developed and maintained good communications and working relationships within hits cdm staff and government research team. "
The three companies that hire the most clinical data managers are:
- QuintilesIMS211 clinical data managers jobs
- Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.92 clinical data managers jobs
- Advanced Clinical15 clinical data managers jobs
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Compare different clinical data managers
Clinical data manager vs. Data management specialist
A data management specialist is responsible for performing administrative functions related to data processing operations, such as updating the information in the database, proper disposal of outdated documents, and ensuring the security of confidential information in the system. Data management specialists collect data and manage data flow and disseminate information across the organization. They also sort files according to business requirements and send information to the senior management and other departments for business operations as required.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, clinical data manager responsibilities require skills like "patients," "database development," "gcp," and "pharmaceutical industry." Meanwhile a typical data management specialist has skills in areas such as "data entry," "database systems," "data integrity," and "visualization." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Data management specialists earn the highest salaries when working in the pharmaceutical industry, with an average yearly salary of $101,442. On the other hand, clinical data managers are paid more in the pharmaceutical industry with an average salary of $109,980.data management specialists tend to reach lower levels of education than clinical data managers. In fact, data management specialists are 5.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.9% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Clinical data manager vs. Data management associate
A data management associate is responsible for maintaining and updating databases, spreadsheets, documents, and other data storage systems while adhering to company standards and protocols. Their daily tasks usually include gathering and organizing data, conducting reviews to identify errors or inconsistencies, taking corrective measures, and producing regular reports, presenting them to managers. They may also participate in troubleshooting issues, planning data migration procedures, and enforcing data security protocols. Moreover, a data management associate must be proactive at dealing with issues to maintain an optimal workflow.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, clinical data manager responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "patients," "crf," "qc," and "database development." Meanwhile, a data management associate has duties that require skills in areas such as "powerpoint," "data entry," "clinical data," and "commercial banking." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Data management associates may earn a higher salary than clinical data managers, but data management associates earn the most pay in the media industry with an average salary of $127,370. On the other hand, clinical data managers receive higher pay in the pharmaceutical industry, where they earn an average salary of $109,980.In general, data management associates achieve similar levels of education than clinical data managers. They're 2.5% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Clinical data manager vs. Clinical data management associate director
Clinical data management associate directors manage a customer relationship management system in PHP and MySQL. They hold staff meetings, manage staff, and evaluate performances. It is their responsibility to develop department standard operating procedures, create practical practices for data architecture, and instigate executive sponsorship across the domain and business district. They create procedures in an environment where no previous data management support is available. These directors should be equipped with leadership, analytical, and mathematical skills.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, clinical data managers are more likely to have skills like "patients," "qc," "gcp," and "study start-up." But a clinical data management associate director is more likely to have skills like "oversight," "data governance," "master data," and "data warehouse."
Clinical data management associate directors make a very good living in the insurance industry with an average annual salary of $130,051. On the other hand, clinical data managers are paid the highest salary in the pharmaceutical industry, with average annual pay of $109,980.Most clinical data management associate directors achieve a similar degree level compared to clinical data managers. For example, they're 2.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.9% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Clinical data manager vs. Clinical data specialist
Clinical data specialists offer data management support for clinical trials and pharmaceutical research. These specialists review the research study and trial data. They determine the trends of data trends and verify data entry. Their job includes providing suggestions for improvement and generates reports. They disseminate information on paper into electronic data systems. They supervise the conversion process and work closely with their clients ensuring accurate and accessible data--also, the research data sources for information validity verification.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between clinical data managers and clinical data specialists, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a clinical data manager might have more use for skills like "database development," "pharmaceutical industry," "study start-up," and "data validation." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of clinical data specialists require skills like "patient care," "medical terminology," "regulatory agencies," and "epic. "
In general, clinical data specialists earn the most working in the health care industry, with an average salary of $73,821. The highest-paying industry for a clinical data manager is the pharmaceutical industry.The average resume of clinical data specialists showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to clinical data managers. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 3.9% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.0%.Types of clinical data manager
Updated January 8, 2025
