Associate Director, People Technology

Gilead Sciences • Foster City, CA

1d

About The Position

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 Gilead is seeking an Associate Director Workday leader, to join the People technology team. Reporting to the Senior Director of People Technology, this role acts as a strategic advisor to key stakeholders, ensuring strong alignment between HR, Finance, and IT. This leader will build and execute on roadmap with expertise across Workday ecosystem. The role requires strong strategic thinking, analytical rigor, and operational excellence, with the ability to set direction and deliver results in a dynamic environment.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree and 10+ years of relevant experience; OR Masters' degree and 8+ years of relevant experience; OR PhD and 5+ years of relevant experience

Nice To Haves

• Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, Statistics, or a related field
• 8-10+ years of Workday HRIS experience, with strong hands‑on configuration expertise in Core HCM and additional modules such as Payroll, Time & Absence, Compensation, Benefits, and Security
• Experience with additional Workday capabilities (e.g., Extend, Workday Studio, integrations) strongly preferred
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams and influence stakeholders across HR, IT, and the business
• Strong problem‑solving, project management, and prioritization skills in a fast‑paced, multi‑workstream environment
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to translate technical concepts into business‑friendly language
• Proven ability to operate independently, manage competing priorities, and drive outcomes with minimal direction
• Exceptional leadership and collaboration skills, with a track record of building high‑performing teams and trusted partnerships

Responsibilities

• Partner with HR and business stakeholders to understand priorities and challenges, and develop a clear Workday roadmap that delivers scalable, future‑ready solutions aligned to business needs
• Own the Workday platform end‑to-end, including strategy, roadmap, stability, and long‑term evolution
• Serve as a subject matter expert (SME) across multiple Workday functional areas, providing strategic and hands‑on guidance
• Partner with stakeholders to design end to end process and system design
• Lead the evaluation and deployment of Workday feature releases, identifying opportunities to optimize functionality and improve user experience while ensuring business and compliance requirements are met
• Oversee deployment activities, including regression testing, downstream impact analysis, and validation of system performance and stability
• Provide technical leadership throughout the full lifecycle of initiatives—from design through deployment and ongoing optimization
• Develop and manage comprehensive project plans, including scope, timelines, and budgets, in close partnership with implementation vendors and internal stakeholders
• Establish and maintain HR data governance and reporting standards to enable data‑driven decision‑making
• Serve as the executive escalation point for complex Workday decisions and cross‑functional tradeoffs
• Work with stakeholder to ensure strong adoption of solutions
• Partner with IT and have oversight of Workday integrations and data flows
• Establish governance processes to ensure the integrity, security, and compliance of Workday environments, including the proper management of data, access control, and system configurations
• Lead and mentor a team of 4–5 HRIS specialists across multiple Workday modules
• Support the Change Review Board (CRB) by reviewing and approving configuration changes impacting business processes, workflows, security, and data integrity
• Stay current on HR technology trends and Workday innovations, proactively recommending enhancements and continuous improvements

Benefits

• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director