Executive Director, Business & Employee Communications

Gilead Sciences•Foster City, CA

About The Position

At Gilead, we’re creating a healthier world for all people. We are seeking a dynamic and strategic communications leader to serve as Executive Director, Internal & Functional Communications. This pivotal role is responsible for developing and executing an integrated business and employee communications strategy that advances Gilead’s enterprise priorities, strengthens employee engagement, and supports senior business leaders and functional organizations across the company. The role will ensure leaders are equipped with strategic communications counsel, compelling storytelling, and coordinated communications support that connects business priorities to the employee experience. As a key member of the Public Affairs function, the Executive Director will shape and lead a comprehensive communications strategy encompassing executive and functional communications, employee engagement, culture communications, enterprise programs, internal channels, editorial planning, and leadership communications. This highly visible leadership role reports to the Vice President, Corporate and Employee Communications. The Executive Director is accountable for enterprise-wide business and employee communications strategy, including setting priorities, making trade-off decisions, and ensuring alignment across functions and geographies. Acting as a strategic partner to Gilead’s senior business leaders and functional teams, the Executive Director will be instrumental in building employee understanding, alignment, and connection to Gilead’s mission, strategy, values, and business priorities. The role will oversee both strategic communications support for business leaders and enterprise employee engagement programs, activating through Gilead’s Communications Centers of Excellence to deliver integrated communications strategies, coordinated storytelling, and aligned execution across internal, executive, digital, and employee-facing channels. This role demands an innovative thinker who can craft a unified strategy, drive seamless execution, and provide enhanced communications support to achieve critical business and culture priorities. The ideal candidate is both a visionary strategist and a hands-on leader capable of coaching and inspiring a high-performing team. They will oversee a team of communications professionals, collaborating closely with internal partners, senior business leaders, centers of excellence, and agency partners.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree and Fourteen Years’ Experience OR Masters’ Degree and Twelve Years’ Experience OR PhD and Twelve Years’ Experience
Global or enterprise communications leadership experience, preferably in pharmaceutical, biotech, healthcare, or another highly regulated industry, with significant experience leading internal, executive, and functional communications teams.
Deep expertise across the communications spectrum, including internal communications, executive communications, employee engagement, culture communications, change communications, and digital/internal channel strategy.
Demonstrated experience shaping integrated communications strategies that align with business priorities, employee engagement goals, and reputation objectives.
Proven ability to advise senior executives and functional leaders on communications strategy, employee sentiment, leadership messaging, and organizational change.
Strong understanding of the employee experience and the role communications plays in building trust, clarity, inclusion, and engagement.
Track record of effective stakeholder engagement and relationship-building across senior leadership, Human Resources, Legal, Public Affairs, and business functions.
Strong executive presence and ability to influence senior leaders and cross-functional teams.
Experience in issue management, change communications, employee engagement, and internal reputation management.
Proven ability to develop and lead high-performing communications teams, individuals, and leaders.
Demonstrated experience leading leaders and building high-performing, multi-layered teams in complex, matrixed organizations.
Master’s Degree and Twelve years of experience in corporate communications, internal communications, employee communications, public affairs, or related fields.
Strong understanding of internal communications platforms, digital channels, social media, and modern employee engagement strategies.
Experience leading communications in a publicly traded pharmaceutical, biotech, healthcare, or highly regulated company.
Demonstrated ability to translate complex business, scientific, operational, and organizational topics into clear, compelling communications.
Prior experience supporting senior executives, enterprise transformation, culture initiatives, and employee engagement programs is preferred.
Create Inclusion - Know the business value of diverse teams, model inclusion, and embed the value of diversity in the way they manage their teams.
Develop Talent - Understand the skills, experience, aspirations, and potential of employees and coach them on current performance and future potential. Ensure employees receive the feedback and insight needed to grow, develop, and realize their purpose.
Empower Teams - Connect the team to the organization by aligning goals, purpose, and organizational objectives and holding them to account. Provide the support needed to remove barriers and connect the team to the broader ecosystem.

Responsibilities

Lead & Execute Strategy: Drive the development and execution of comprehensive internal and functional communications strategies that align with enterprise priorities, business objectives, and employee engagement goals.
Establish clear goals and measurable KPIs in collaboration with internal stakeholders to ensure strategic focus, accountability, and high-performance outcomes.
Own prioritization decisions and resource allocation across competing enterprise and functional communications needs.
Data-Driven Decision Making: Leverage employee insights, engagement data, channel analytics, organizational trends, and feedback mechanisms to inform strategies and provide leaders with timely counsel on employee sentiment, communications effectiveness, and opportunities to improve alignment.
Enterprise & Functional Narrative: Collaborate with Public Affairs teams, business leaders, Human Resources, and functional partners to shape and deliver compelling enterprise and functional narratives that connect employees to Gilead’s mission, strategy, values, and business priorities.
Executive & Functional Communications: Lead strategic communications support for senior business leaders and key functional organizations, including executive positioning, leadership messaging, storytelling, employee engagement strategies, and integrated communications planning that supports business priorities and organizational objectives.
Employee Engagement & Culture Strategies: Design and drive communications initiatives that strengthen employee connection, reinforce Gilead’s culture, support inclusion and belonging, and improve understanding of enterprise priorities across the organization, particularly during periods of enterprise change and transformation.
Strategic Advisory Role: Provide counsel to senior leaders and cross-functional teams on internal communications, employee engagement, change management, organizational announcements, leadership visibility, and reputational impacts.
Serve as the senior strategic communications partner for business and employee communications across the enterprise, helping leaders navigate organizational priorities, employee engagement, business transformation, and reputational considerations.
Play a critical leadership role in enterprise transformation initiatives, ensuring employee understanding, leadership alignment, and cultural adoption of change.
Voice of Employees: Amplify employee perspectives by integrating employee sentiment, engagement insights, and organizational feedback into communications strategies and business decisions.
Issue Monitoring & Response: Identify internal reputational opportunities and challenges, leading efforts to prepare for and respond effectively to sensitive employee, organizational, or culture-related issues.
Cross-Functional Alignment: Serve as a bridge between strategic communications leaders, employee engagement, internal channels, culture communications, Human Resources, Legal, and Public Affairs centers of excellence to ensure coordinated planning, aligned messaging, and consistent execution.
Internal Channels & Publishing: Oversee internal channels, editorial planning, publishing governance, and content strategy to ensure employees receive timely, relevant, and engaging communications across the appropriate platforms.
Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain relationships with senior leaders and key internal stakeholders across Human Resources, Commercial, Pharmaceutical Development & Manufacturing, Legal, Finance, Public Affairs, and other enterprise functions.
Team Leadership & Development: Lead and support a high-performing team responsible for strategic business leader communications, employee engagement, culture communications, internal channels, and enterprise programs.
Lead, coach, and develop managers and senior communication leaders, with accountability for leadership capability, succession, and bench strength across enterprise communications.
Develop a future-ready team equipped with modern communications skills, clear priorities, and a strong service mindset.
Provide direction through both direct and matrixed teams, ensuring clarity of roles, decision rights, and accountability.
Budget Oversight: Proactively manage financial resources, agency support, and operational priorities to ensure effectiveness, efficiency, and alignment with core strategic priorities.