Exec Director, PDM Due Diligence Leader

Gilead Sciences•Foster City, CA

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 Reporting to the Vice President, Pharmaceutical Development and Manufacturing (PDM) Product Strategy, and operating within the broader PDM organization, the Executive Director, PDM Due Diligence Leader will serve as the PDM representative for corporate development–related due diligence activities, including acquisitions, mergers, licensing, and strategic partnerships. The successful candidate will bring deep and broad CMC expertise across different modalities, multiple therapeutic areas (including oncology, virology, and inflammation), and the evolving biopharma technology landscape. They will be responsible for synthesizing complex technical, operational, quality and regulatory information from data rooms and expert discussions into clear, executive-level insights. A critical aspect of the role is translating technical findings into business impact—informing value proposition, risk tolerance, and integration planning. This person will coach and mentor part-time Due Diligence leads. This role requires strong executive presence, sound judgment, and the ability to influence senior leaders by presenting balanced, data-driven recommendations under tight timelines.

Requirements

Advanced degree (PhD, PharmD, MD, or MS) in a scientific or engineering discipline.
15+ years of experience in biopharmaceutical development and/or manufacturing.
Strong expertise in biologics, including advanced therapeutics, and/or small molecule development and manufacturing.
Experience with due diligence, corporate development, or portfolio strategy.
Broad knowledge of the biopharma landscape, including small, mid-size, and large companies.
Strong business acumen with the ability to connect technical assessments to strategic and financial outcomes.
Exceptional communication skills and executive presence.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with diverse stakeholders across Gilead

Responsibilities

Be the accountable representative from PDM in due diligence assessments for potential acquisitions, mergers and strategic partnerships.
Partner closely with Corporate Development to define diligence scope, priorities, timelines, and decision criteria.
Identify the functional competencies required for each diligence and work closely with Product and Project Management to assemble high-performing diligence teams with the appropriate SMEs across technical development, manufacturing, quality, regulatory, and supply chain.
Evaluate development, manufacturing, and supply capabilities for biologics (eg, Mabs, ADCs, and advanced therapeutics) and small molecules, including internal and external (CDMO) operating models.
Lead the review and synthesis of large, complex data room materials, identifying key strengths, gaps, dependencies, and execution risks.
Translate technical and operational findings into clear business implications, including cost, timelines, scalability, probability of success, and value proposition.
Identify and articulate technical, regulatory, quality, and supply risks, along with practical and value-preserving mitigation strategies.
Prepare and deliver concise, decision-ready diligence summaries for the various governance forums.
Maintain awareness of the external biopharma landscape, emerging companies, and cutting-edge development and manufacturing technologies.
Serve as a trusted advisor to senior PDM and Corporate Development leadership throughout the deal lifecycle.