Senior Director, Gilead Global Patient Solutions (GPS) Public Affairs

Gilead Sciences•Foster City, CA

22d•$243,100 - $314,600•Onsite

About The Position

At Gilead, our pursuit of a healthier world for all people has yielded a cure for hepatitis C, revolutionary improvements in HIV treatment and prevention as well as advancements in therapies for viral and inflammatory diseases and certain cancers. We set and achieve bold ambitions in our fight against the world’s most devastating diseases, united in our commitment to confronting the largest public health challenges of our day and improving the lives of patients for generations to come. As the Senior Director, Gilead Global Patient Solutions (GPS) Public Affairs, you will lead globally integrated advocacy and communications strategies that advance access to innovation, strengthen Gilead’s reputation, and support sustainable impact across low‑ and lower‑middle‑income countries. Reporting to the Executive Director, Intercontinental Region and GPS, and based at Gilead’s headquarters in Foster City, CA, this role operates with a distinctly global mandate, partnering closely with regional, market, and functional leaders as well as international NGOs, patient organizations, and multilateral stakeholders. The Senior Director, Gilead Global Patient Solutions (GPS) Public Affairs is responsible for shaping and executing global advocacy, NGO engagement, and communications strategies that support Gilead’s GPS priorities across diverse geographies. This leader establishes the frameworks, insights, and governance required to align global teams, manage risk, and deliver measurable outcomes in complex external environments.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree and fourteen (14) years of relevant experience OR Master’s Degree and twelve (12) years of relevant experience OR PhD and twelve (12) years of relevant experience

Nice To Haves

Significant global public affairs leadership experience, preferably within pharmaceutical and biotechnology. or global health organizations.
Proven success leading global communications, advocacy, and reputation management strategies in complex, matrixed environments.
Deep experience in global health and engaging international NGOs, patient organizations, and advocacy coalitions to advance access and public health objectives.
Demonstrated experience working across multiple regions, including low‑ and lower‑middle‑income countries outside North America and Western Europe.
Strong leadership presence with the ability to influence without direct authority and develop talent across diverse teams.
Expertise in executive communications, crisis management, and digital and social media strategy.
Strong analytical capability with experience applying data and insights to measure impact and inform decision‑making.
Ability to travel approximately 30–40%.

Responsibilities

Advance Gilead’s leadership and credibility globally by shaping advocacy and public affairs strategies that support access to medicines and health system strengthening in low‑ and lower‑middle‑income countries.
Design and lead global NGO engagement strategies, including partnerships with international NGOs, patient organizations, and community‑based groups to address unmet patient and public health needs.
Build and sustain long‑term, values‑aligned relationships with advocacy organizations and external stakeholders, informed by deep understanding of their priorities, capacity, and influence across regions.
Develop and execute integrated external engagement plans that align patient advocacy, NGO collaboration, media, trade associations, and global influencers.
Lead global advisory boards, community forums, and co‑develop education and capacity‑building initiatives with patient and NGO partners.
Ensure alignment and message consistency across policymakers, patient groups, healthcare providers, manufacturers, suppliers, and multilateral stakeholders.
Enable and support regional teams in planning and executing public affairs activities, conferences, and external events across multiple geographies.
Lead the GPS region’s global external communications strategy, including media relations, thought leadership, storytelling, reputation management, and issues and crisis readiness.
Translate global narratives into regionally relevant approaches while maintaining message discipline and alignment with enterprise priorities.
Integrate policy, market, and therapeutic area communications to deliver cohesive global impact.
Design and execute digital and content strategies that amplify advocacy outcomes and reinforce Gilead’s commitment to global access.
Partner with global corporate and internal communications teams to integrate GPS priorities into enterprise narratives and employee engagement efforts.
Scale global messaging, narratives, FAQs, and toolkits to support consistent execution across regions and markets.
Enable leaders and managers to activate communications and advocacy strategies locally while reinforcing global alignment.
Proactively identify and manage potential global and regional issues; establish governance, protocols, and response frameworks.
Embed reputation management into program design and apply data‑driven insights to monitor risk and sentiment across geographies.
Define objectives, KPIs, and leading indicators across advocacy, NGO engagement, and communications programs.
Build and apply dashboards using qualitative and quantitative insights to inform continuous improvement.
Lead cross‑functional governance, manage budgets with fiscal discipline, and oversee agency and external partner performance.
Create Inclusion - knowing the business value of diverse teams, modeling inclusion, and embedding the value of diversity in the way they manage their teams.
Develop Talent - understand the skills, experience, aspirations, and potential of their employees and coach them on current performance and future potential. They ensure employees are receiving 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. They provide the support needed to remove barriers and connect their team to the broader ecosystem.