At Gilead, we’re creating a healthier world for all people. For more than 35 years, we’ve tackled diseases such as HIV, viral hepatitis, COVID-19 and cancer – working relentlessly to develop therapies that help improve lives and to ensure access to these therapies across the globe. We continue to fight against the world’s biggest health challenges, and our mission requires collaboration, determination and a relentless drive to make a difference.
Every member of Gilead’s team plays a critical role in the discovery and development of life-changing scientific innovations. Our employees are our greatest asset as we work to achieve our bold ambitions, and we’re looking for the next wave of passionate and ambitious people ready to make a direct impact.
We believe every employee deserves a great leader. People Leaders are the cornerstone to the employee experience at Gilead and Kite. As a people leader now or in the future, you are the key driver in evolving our culture and creating an environment where every employee feels included, developed and empowered to fulfil their aspirations. Join Gilead and help create possible, together.
Job Description
Reporting to the VP, Corporate Strategy & Projects, the Executive Director is accountable for leading defined components of Gilead’s enterprise strategy agenda and owning a portfolio of the company’s highest-priority strategic initiatives. The role serves as an enterprise thought partner and strategic agenda driver, helping shape Gilead's long-term direction, influence high-priority enterprise decisions, and advance the company's most important strategic priorities.
This leader drives assigned strategic questions from framing to decision, developing fact-based options, trade-offs, and recommendations while partnering closely with the VP, Gilead Leadership Team, and senior leaders to shape enterprise direction and strategic choices.
Success in this role requires exceptional strategic judgment, executive presence, systems thinking, financial and portfolio acumen, and the ability to lead through influence, connect perspectives across functions, resolve complex trade-offs, and drive outcomes in highly ambiguous environments.
This role is based in Foster City, CA at our global headquarters.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Enterprise Strategy & Insights
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- Own defined components of the enterprise strategy agenda, from problem framing and analysis through executive alignment, decision, and implementation planning.
- Serve as an enterprise thought partner to the VP, GLT, and senior leaders on the company's highest-priority strategic questions.
- Lead development of integrated strategic perspectives that connect portfolio, financial, scientific, commercial, operational, and external considerations.
- Shape enterprise strategy and long-term direction through strategic perspectives, planning, and scenario development and translate long-term ambition into actionable enterprise priorities.
- Anticipate external shifts, risks, and opportunities and determine their implications to inform enterprise priorities and strategic choices.
- Strategic Initiatives & Execution
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- Own and lead a portfolio of senior-sponsored strategic initiatives with significant enterprise value, complexity, or cross-functional impact.
- Design and lead governance for assigned initiatives, including mechanisms that enable effective decision-making, execution, and accountability.
- Drive alignment on complex enterprise issues involving strategic trade-offs and cross-functional dependencies.
- Translate strategic decisions into clear accountabilities, implementation roadmaps, and measurable success indicators; monitor progress and impact, identify barriers to value realization, and drive corrective action or executive escalation as needed.
- Cross-Functional Leadership & Influence
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- Act as the enterprise integrator for assigned priorities, reconciling competing functional perspectives, resolving cross-functional dependencies, and driving enterprise-level alignment on decisions, accountabilities, and execution.
- Lead enterprise-level problem solving and influence outcomes through strategic insight and executive engagement.
- Foster collaboration, shared accountability, and enterprise-first leadership.
- Executive & Board Engagement
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- Own the development and synthesis of decision-ready recommendations, strategic narratives, and materials for GLT and Board consideration within assigned areas.
- Partner with the VP and executive sponsors to define the objectives, decision requirements, and desired outcomes of GLT and Board discussions on long-term strategy, enterprise priorities, and critical business decisions.
- Design and facilitate executive strategy sessions, strategic reviews, and other leadership forums.
- Anticipate executive questions, surface competing perspectives, and ensure recommendations clearly articulate options, trade-offs, risks, and implications.
- Serve as a trusted advisor on assigned enterprise strategic matters.
- Organizational & Talent Development
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- Contribute to a culture of curiosity, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Mentor and develop strategy talent across the Corporate Strategy Office.
- Foster an enterprise mindset and strategic leadership capabilities across the organization.
- Help strengthen the Corporate Strategy Office as an enterprise integrator, trusted advisor, and leadership development platform.
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree and 16+ years of relevant experience; or Master's degree, MBA, PhD, or MD and 14+ years of relevant experience.
- Significant experience in corporate strategy, management consulting, corporate development, business operations, finance, or related fields.
- Demonstrated experience owning major components of strategy and influencing high-impact business decisions.
- Deep understanding of Gilead's portfolio, business model, strategic priorities, and external environment.
Preferred Qualifications
- Deep biotechnology, biopharmaceutical, healthcare, or life sciences expertise.
- Demonstrated success owning major components of corporate, portfolio, or business-unit strategy.
- Proven ability to lead a portfolio of high-impact, cross-functional strategic initiatives from problem definition through executive decision and implementation.
- Experience advising senior leaders and developing decision-ready recommendations for executive and Board-level audiences.
- Strong systems-thinking orientation and enterprise mindset.
- Exceptional ability to frame ambiguous strategic questions and develop rigorous options, trade-offs, and recommendations.
- Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders, challenge assumptions constructively, and generate alignment without formal authority.
- Exceptional executive communication, facilitation, and ability to build strategic narratives.
- Proven ability to mentor talent and develop future enterprise leaders.
- Ability to balance long-term strategic perspective with pragmatic execution and measurable business impact.
The salary range for this position is: $302,005.00 – $390,830.00. Gilead considers a variety of factors when determining base compensation, including experience, qualifications, and geographic location. These considerations mean actual compensation will vary. This position may also be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, discretionary stock-based long-term incentives (eligibility may vary based on role), paid time off, and a benefits package. Benefits include company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans*.
For additional benefits information, visit:
https://www.gilead.com/careers/compensation-benefits-and-wellbeing
* Eligible employees may participate in benefit plans, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans.
For jobs in the United States:
Gilead Sciences Inc. is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment, and is dedicated to fostering an inclusive work environment comprised of diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. Employment decisions regarding recruitment and selection will be made without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, genetic information or characteristic, gender identity and expression, veteran status, or other non-job related characteristics or other prohibited grounds specified in applicable federal, state and local laws. In order to ensure reasonable accommodation for individuals protected by Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Act of 1974, and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, applicants who require accommodation in the job application process may contact ApplicantAccommodations@gilead.com for assistance.
For more information about equal employment opportunity protections, please view the 'Know Your Rights' poster.
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Gilead Sciences will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, (c) consistent with the legal duty to furnish information; or (d) otherwise protected by law.
Our environment respects individual differences and recognizes each employee as an integral member of our company. Our workforce reflects these values and celebrates the individuals who make up our growing team.
Gilead provides a work environment free of harassment and prohibited conduct. We promote and support individual differences and diversity of thoughts and opinion.
For Current Gilead Employees and Contractors:
Please apply via the Internal Career Opportunities portal in Workday.