Senior Director, Human Resources Public Affairs

Gilead Sciences•Foster City, CA

20d•Remote

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 We are seeking an exceptional, experienced, and strategic senior communications leader to help shape and execute Gilead’s enterprise and Human Resources (HR) communications during key business and organizational moments. This individual will be responsible for developing and executing a proactive, integrated communications strategy that supports Gilead’s talent, culture, and organizational priorities, including transformation initiatives, workforce engagement, and leadership communications. The individual will serve as a key advisor and collaborator with the CHRO, Human Resources and senior business partners across Public Affairs, Corporate Communications, Legal, and other functions to develop and communicate Gilead’s people strategy, culture, and organizational direction. The role will help ensure that communications foster trust, transparency, and engagement across the organization while reinforcing Gilead’s values and leadership principles. The ideal candidate will bring deep experience in executive and internal communications, strong understanding of organizational dynamics and change management, and the ability to translate complex HR and business initiatives into clear, engaging communications. The successful candidate will possess exceptional strategic writing skills and the ability to develop executive-level materials that resonate with diverse internal and external audiences. This role will lead a 360° communications strategy and work cross-functionally to activate through Gilead’s Communications Center of Excellence, supporting executive visibility and employee engagement aligned with enterprise priorities. The role will report to the Executive Director of Employee Engagement, and partner closely with Human Resources leadership.

Requirements

Demonstrated deep experience supporting executive and internal communications within a global and matrixed organization.
Strong understanding of employee engagement, organizational culture, and change management.
Viewed as a subject matter expert capable of influencing senior leaders through credibility, insight, and judgment.
Proven ability to translate complex organizational initiatives into clear, engaging communications.
Experience supporting leadership visibility and employee-facing communications.
Exceptional strategic writing and storytelling skills.
Sound judgment and discretion in managing sensitive workforce and organizational issues.
Outstanding interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
Experience leading through influence and driving alignment across cross-functional teams.
Proven ability to operate independently, manage ambiguity, and deliver high‑impact outcomes.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and complex programs.
Bachelor’s degree and 14+ years of experience, or Master’s degree and 12+ years of experience, or 12+ years of experience in strategic communications, executive communications, corporate affairs, or related roles within a publicly traded company or agency environment; healthcare or biopharmaceutical experience strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Serve as a primary strategic and trusted advisor to the CHRO of Human Resources and HR Leadership Team on business positioning, narrative development, stakeholder engagement, and reputational considerations.
Anticipate risks and opportunities, independently identifying communications needs and proactively shaping executive narratives.
Develop and execute communications strategies that support talent, culture, and organizational priorities, including transformation initiatives and workforce engagement.
Lead the creation, review, and refinement of executive-level materials including speeches, business updates, town halls, talking points, Q&A documents, and external thought leadership that support long-range commercial priorities.
Translate HR strategy, talent priorities, and organizational changes into clear, compelling messaging that supports alignment and engagement.
Partner closely with the Communications Center of Excellence, including Internal Communications, Employee Engagement Media Relations, Digital and Social, and Issues Management, to ensure coordinated execution across all channels.
Lead cross-functional coordination across HR, Public Affairs, Legal, and other functions to ensure alignment and consistency.
Support communications planning and execution during periods of organizational change or sensitive workforce-related issues.
Support executive preparation and coaching for internal and external engagements, including industry events, media interactions, and leadership forums.
Strengthen executive presence and visibility in alignment with HR and enterprise priorities.
Leverage employee feedback, engagement data, and insights to refine communications strategies.
Manage external agencies and advisors supporting communications programs.
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.