Head of Global Benefits

Gilead Sciences•Foster City, CA

15h•Onsite

About The Position

The Head of Global Benefits is accountable for the enterprise strategy, governance, design, delivery, and continuous improvement of Gilead’s global benefits and wellbeing portfolio. Reporting to the Vice President, Total Rewards, the role is a member of the Total Rewards Leadership Team and oversees a global team responsible for health and welfare, retirement and savings, financial wellbeing, leave and absence programs, wellbeing initiatives, and related employee experience programs across multiple countries. The role partners with Human Resources, Finance, Legal, Compliance, Procurement, Payroll, HR Shared Services, and business leaders to align programs with business priorities, regulatory requirements, and employee needs. It is onsite in Foster City, California, with core collaboration days Tuesday through Thursday; relocation is provided. The leader develops and executes a global benefits and wellbeing strategy; oversees program design, governance, implementation, communication, and improvement; and promotes a competitive, compliant, scalable, cost-effective portfolio. The role also improves employee experience and service delivery, leads operational transformation, uses analytics and technology to inform decisions, stewards significant global investments and vendor relationships, manages compliance and risk, and leads benefits due diligence and integration for enterprise transactions. The position leads, develops, and inspires a high-performing global Benefits and Wellbeing team.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and 16 or more years of relevant Human Resources, Total Rewards, Benefits, or related experience; or a Master’s degree and 14 or more years of relevant experience.
Ability to lead and develop a high-performing global Benefits and Wellbeing team.
Ability to work onsite in Foster City, California, with core collaboration days Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

Nice To Haves

Life sciences or pharmaceutical global benefits experience.
Experience managing global mobility and expatriate programs.
In-depth knowledge of Total Rewards and benefits practices within biotechnology, pharmaceutical, life sciences, or healthcare organizations.
Experience leading large-scale operating model transformations and service delivery improvements.
Experience using analytics, automation, AI-enabled tools, and digital solutions to improve benefits operations and employee experience.
Experience supporting mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, or other enterprise transactions.
Experience leading globally distributed and remote teams.

Responsibilities

Contribute to enterprise-wide Total Rewards strategy, governance, priorities, and operating practices as a member of the Total Rewards Leadership Team.
Develop and execute a global benefits and wellbeing strategy aligned with business objectives, talent priorities, employee value proposition, and Total Rewards philosophy.
Provide strategic guidance on workforce wellbeing, benefits investment priorities, employee experience, governance, and risk management.
Partner with senior HR and business leaders to anticipate workforce needs and support attraction, retention, engagement, and productivity.
Monitor external market trends, regulatory developments, leading practices, and workforce expectations, incorporating relevant insights into recommendations and decisions.
Lead the strategy, design, governance, implementation, communication, and continuous improvement of global benefits and wellbeing programs.
Oversee health and welfare, retirement and savings, financial wellbeing, leave and time off, wellbeing, employee assistance, mobility, expatriate, and employee support programs.
Maintain programs that are competitive, compliant, scalable, cost-effective, and aligned with business and employee needs; balance enterprise consistency with local market and regulatory requirements.
Improve awareness, accessibility, utilization, communication, and engagement related to global benefits and wellbeing programs; use workforce insights and employee feedback to inform enhancements.
Simplify processes and improve service delivery and the employee experience.
Lead transformation initiatives that strengthen the partnership between the Benefits Center of Excellence and HR Shared Services; establish governance, accountability, decision-making frameworks, and service ownership models.
Drive operational excellence through process improvement, scalability, service quality, compliance, and measurable outcomes.
Use analytics, benchmarking, workforce insights, and vendor data to evaluate program effectiveness, employee impact, financial outcomes, and organizational value.
Identify opportunities to apply automation, digital capabilities, and emerging technologies to improve efficiency and employee experience, translating market innovations into practical, sustainable solutions.
Oversee global benefits investments with a focus on sustainability, value creation, and responsible financial management.
Manage strategic relationships with brokers, consultants, carriers, wellbeing providers, and other external partners; establish vendor governance, performance expectations, service standards, and accountability measures.
Partner with Finance, Procurement, Legal, Payroll, HR Shared Services, and regional stakeholders to manage investments and risk.
Ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, governance requirements, and internal policies, and manage legal, operational, financial, employee relations, and reputational risks associated with benefits programs.
Lead benefits due diligence, integration planning, and harmonization related to mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and other enterprise transactions.
Support crisis management and employee assistance efforts where benefits and wellbeing resources are required.
Lead, develop, and inspire a high-performing global Benefits and Wellbeing team; build organizational capability, leadership depth, and succession readiness.
Foster an inclusive, accountable, collaborative culture and coach leaders in business judgment, governance discipline, employee focus, and data-informed decision-making.
Model inclusion, develop talent through coaching and feedback, and empower teams by aligning goals and removing barriers.