Natalia Aballay
Madrid
Summary
Dynamic Senior Clinical Operations and Project Management professional with over a decade of experience in the pharmaceutical, financial, and technology sectors. Expertise in leading global studies across APAC, LATAM, and EMEA regions, particularly in Japan, Korea, and China, ensures seamless transitions from business to clinical handover through execution. Proficient in vendor oversight, site readiness, and clinical systems enablement, consistently driving process improvements while effectively managing budgets. A strong track record of delivering patient-focused outcomes through collaborative cross-functional leadership underscores a commitment to excellence in clinical operations.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Lead Project Specialist – Global Clinical Trials & RWLP
Syneos Health
09.2023 - Current
- Led and facilitated critical stakeholder calls (internal, sponsor, project health assessments, and commercial-to-clinical handovers), ensuring cross-functional alignment; successfully navigated complex discussions that improved sponsor satisfaction scores.
- Partnered with Regulatory and Site Activation Managers to optimise activation timelines and enrollment projections, mitigating operational risks and achieving a 40% reduction in study start-up delays.
- Developed and maintained Power BI dashboards tracking KPIs, site status, and milestone forecasts, driving real-time decision-making and ensuring 100% data compliance across global teams.
- Streamlined vendor onboarding and performance monitoring, ensuring contract compliance and timely delivery, while proactively identifying financial risks—contributing to accurate forecasting and avoiding overruns.
Senior Project Specialist – Global Clinical Trials & RWLP
Syneos Health
04.2022 - 09.2023
- Monitored project progress, identified risks and took corrective action as needed.
- Sourced, vetted and managed vendors needed to accomplish project goals.
- Achieved consistent 100% data compliance across sponsor and internal platforms, supporting high-quality study execution.
- Mentored junior specialists in digital systems, data compliance, and global trial operations.
Project Management Analyst - Patient Centered Solutions
IQVIA
08.2021 - 01.2022
- Led Lean Six Sigma initiatives to streamline project workflows and reduce operational inefficiencies, cutting cycle times by 15–20%
- Co-developed project budgets and timelines, supporting cost-effective delivery and ensuring 95% of projects were completed on time and within ±5% of budget forecasts.
- Designed executive-facing Power BI dashboards enabling leadership to make faster, data-driven decisions with 100% compliance to data accuracy standards.
- Launched and analysed customer satisfaction surveys, implementing targeted process improvements that enhanced operational responsiveness and increased satisfaction scores to 95% within one year.
Strategic Operations Project Manager
Redler Ltd.
05.2020 - 07.2021
- Delivered agile transformation projects, reducing operational delays by 25% through workflow redesign and process optimisation.
- Defined and prioritised system requirements with cross-functional teams, streamlining claims and reporting processes.
- Improved customer conversion and retention by leading analytics-driven solution development and business process enhancements.
- Acted as liaison between business and technical teams, facilitating adoption of updated platforms, tools, and systems.
Digital Operations & Systems Enablement Lead
FERCHAU
11.2019 - 04.2020
- Led a team of 6 analysts to implement digital transformation initiatives, improving project delivery success by 30%.
- Developed a regional data quality strategy and digital roadmap, boosting operational efficiency by 15%.
- Drove continuous improvement through cross-functional collaboration and platform enhancements.
- Skilled at working independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
Business Systems Project Manager – Data & Digital Enablement
Alantra
06.2019 - 11.2019
- Directed CRM and process optimisation projects across global teams, improving workflow efficiency and operational alignment.
- Integrated Dynamics 365 CRM with digital marketing tools, enhancing client tracking, reporting, and stakeholder visibility.
- Developed scalable workflows that reduced rework by 30% and delivered training that increased adoption while decreasing support requests by 25%.
- Provided actionable insights for cross-regional operations through documentation, change management, and process facilitation.
B2B Account & Operations Manager – Strategic Client Engagement
IBM
11.2017 - 04.2019
- Improved key customer retention by 15% and negotiated aged debt recovery, reducing liabilities by 70%.
- Collaborated with internal teams to identify operational efficiencies and uncover business growth opportunities.
- Cultivated and strengthened lasting client relationships using strong issue resolution and dynamic communication skills.
Senior Market Intelligence Analyst - Pharma & Biotech
S&P Global Market Intelligence
09.2011 - 08.2017
- Provided market intelligence and financial analysis across 20+ EMEA and LATAM markets, supporting global clients with strategic planning and competitive benchmarking.
- Collaborated with stakeholders to identify business needs and data sources.
- Developed complex dashboard and reporting tools to track business performance metrics.
- Identified patterns and trends in large data sets and provided actionable insights.
Scientific Program Manager – Research & International Collaboration
Tel Aviv University
09.2007 - 08.2011
- Managed internationally funded research programs, coordinating multidisciplinary teams and ensuring alignment with project goals and timelines.
- Directed data collection efforts from academic publications, databases, and fieldwork to support complex scientific investigations.
- Authored 60+ technical reports, 15 peer-reviewed journal articles, and co-authored two scientific books.
- Presented research at international conferences and contributed to two National Geographic science documentaries, representing university-led projects globally.
Education
MBA - Business and Project Management
Universidad Camilo José Cela
Madrid, Spain01.2020
Skills
- Cross-functional Team Leadership
- Strategic Planning
- Project Delivery
- Customer Engagement
- Cross-cultural Communication
- Performance monitoring
Certification
- Executive Project Management
- Lean Six Sigma Certifications
- Leadership Enrichment Agility Program
Languages
Spanish – Native (C2)
English – Bilingual / Fluent (C2)
Hebrew - High Proficiency (C1)
Awards
- MA, Ignatz-Bubis-Scholarship., Final Research Award
- MBA, Empower Women in Business Scholarship
Additional Information
- Clinical Systems: Medidata RAVE, Synopsis Clinical, Veeva Vault, CTMS
- Data & Reporting: Power BI, Excel (Advanced)
- Project Management: MS Project, JIRA, Smartsheet
- Collaboration: MS Teams, Zoom, SharePoint
Timeline
Senior Lead Project Specialist – Global Clinical Trials & RWLP
Syneos Health
09.2023 - Current
Senior Project Specialist – Global Clinical Trials & RWLP
Syneos Health
04.2022 - 09.2023
Project Management Analyst - Patient Centered Solutions
IQVIA
08.2021 - 01.2022
Strategic Operations Project Manager
Redler Ltd.
05.2020 - 07.2021
Digital Operations & Systems Enablement Lead
FERCHAU
11.2019 - 04.2020
Business Systems Project Manager – Data & Digital Enablement
Alantra
06.2019 - 11.2019
B2B Account & Operations Manager – Strategic Client Engagement
IBM
11.2017 - 04.2019
Senior Market Intelligence Analyst - Pharma & Biotech
S&P Global Market Intelligence
09.2011 - 08.2017
Scientific Program Manager – Research & International Collaboration
Tel Aviv University
09.2007 - 08.2011
MBA - Business and Project Management
Universidad Camilo José Cela
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