Senior Director, Strategic Communications

Gilead Sciences • Foster City, CA

20h

About The Position

As a Senior Director, Strategic Communications at Gilead, you will be an exceptional, experienced, and strategic senior communications leader responsible for shaping and executing executive communications and enterprise narratives during high-impact business moments. This role involves developing and executing proactive, integrated communications strategies that advance the priorities of a Gilead Leadership Team (GLT) leader and support enterprise objectives, organizational alignment, and executive visibility across diverse business, scientific, and technical domains. You will serve as a senior advisor and trusted partner to a GLT leader and their leadership team, collaborating closely with partners across Public Affairs, Legal, Finance, Government Affairs, Human Resources, Research and Development, Policy, and other functions. Operating with a high degree of autonomy, you will act as a strategic consultant, shaping and advancing executive narratives, business messaging, and stakeholder engagement strategies, ensuring alignment with enterprise priorities, scientific and business realities, and Gilead’s long-term strategy. The role requires translating complex business, scientific, technical, and operational topics into clear, compelling executive-level communications and driving a coordinated 360-degree communications approach in partnership with the Communications Center of Excellence. This position reports to the Vice President, Corporate Communications.

Requirements

• Demonstrated expertise supporting executive, strategic, or enterprise communications within a global, matrixed organization.
• Viewed as a credible subject matter expert with the ability to influence senior leaders through judgment, insight, and trust.
• Proven ability to translate complex scientific, business, or operational topics into clear and effective executive communications.
• Demonstrated ability to quickly learn and operate credibly across diverse executive portfolios, including science‑led, development‑driven, regulatory, or business‑focused functions.
• Strong experience operating in ambiguity and providing solutions to complex, non-routine communications challenges.
• Exceptional strategic writing and editing skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information quickly and clearly.
• Sound judgment and composure in managing sensitive, high-impact, or reputationally significant situations.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build effective working relationships across functions.
• Proven ability to lead through influence rather than authority and drive alignment in a highly collaborative environment.
• Experience managing agency partners and complex communications programs.
• Bachelor’s degree and 14+ years of experience, or Master’s degree and 12+ years of experience, or equivalent experience in strategic communications, executive communications, corporate affairs, or related roles.

Nice To Haves

• Experience within a global organization, publicly traded company, or agency environment strongly preferred.
• Healthcare, biopharmaceutical, scientific, or innovation-driven industry experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute integrated communications strategies that support the priorities of a GLT leader during business-critical moments, including strategy execution, scientific or portfolio milestones, organizational change, and emerging issues.
• Apply a consistent executive communications approach that adapts to the distinct operating models, stakeholder expectations, and regulatory or scientific complexity of different GLT functions.
• Serve as a primary strategic advisor to a GLT member and their leadership team on narrative development, positioning, stakeholder engagement, and reputational considerations.
• Anticipate risks and opportunities, identifying communications needs independently and proactively shaping executive narratives.
• Lead the creation, review, and refinement of executive-level materials including speeches, leadership updates, town halls, talking points, Q&A documents, and thought leadership content.
• Translate enterprise strategy, functional priorities, and complexity into clear, concise, and compelling communications aligned with business objectives.
• Partner with Internal Communications, Media Relations, Digital and Social, Issues Management, and other Communications Center of Excellence teams to ensure coordinated execution across channels.
• Act as a central liaison across functions to drive alignment, consistency, and clarity.
• Support communications strategy and execution during sensitive, high-visibility, or business-critical situations with potential enterprise or reputational impact.
• Support executive preparation and coaching for internal and external engagements, including leadership forums, industry events, employee forums, and media interactions.
• Leverage data, feedback, and stakeholder insights to assess communications effectiveness and refine strategies.
• Manage external agencies and advisors supporting executive communications and strategic initiatives as needed.
• 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.

Benefits

• discretionary annual bonus
• discretionary stock-based long-term incentives (eligibility may vary based on role)
• paid time off
• company-sponsored medical insurance plans
• company-sponsored dental insurance plans
• company-sponsored vision insurance plans
• company-sponsored life insurance plans

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior