Sr Director, Corporate Security

Gilead Sciences•Foster City, CA

2d•$226,185 - $292,710

About The Position

The Senior Director, Corporate Security is responsible for defining, leading, and continuously evolving Gilead’s global corporate security strategy, operating model, and performance outcomes. This role owns the delivery of security operations across a complex, highly regulated global footprint, ensuring the protection of employees, facilities, physical assets, and critical business operations. Reporting to the Vice President, Corporate Operations within the CFO organization, this role serves as both a strategic advisor and operational leader, providing executive‑level guidance during routine operations, periods of transformation, and high‑consequence crisis events. The role leads a globally distributed team and oversees integration of security capabilities across physical, technical, investigative, intelligence, and operational domains. The Senior Director will partner closely with Legal, IT, HR, Facilities, Compliance, Manufacturing, R&D, Finance, and executive leadership to align security strategies with enterprise objectives, regulatory expectations, employee safety, and business continuity requirements. In addition, the role will drive the modernization of the corporate security program through technology enablement, intelligence‑led approaches, data‑driven decision‑making, and continuous improvement, ensuring the function scales to meet evolving risk and business needs.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree and Fourteen Years’ Experience OR Masters' Degree and Twelve Years’ Experience OR PhD and Twelve Years’ Experience

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated success leading enterprise‑scale security operations globally, with accountability for risk outcomes, operational performance, and global consistency.
Experience providing executive‑level counsel and decision support during crises, major incidents, and sensitive investigations in high‑pressure, ambiguous environments.
Experience modernizing security programs through technology enablement, intelligence‑led approaches, data‑driven decision making, and continuous improvement.
Demonstrated financial acumen, including management of significant global budgets and third‑party security providers at scale.
Strong executive communication skills with the ability to influence senior leaders and convey risk insights with clarity and impact.
Proven ability to build, lead, and develop high‑performing global teams, including coaching senior leaders and driving organizational transformation.
Willingness to travel internationally as required.

Responsibilities

Global Corporate Security Leadership & Operations: Own global delivery of corporate security operations globally, providing strategic direction and operational oversight to protect employees, facilities, physical assets, and business continuity. Ensure consistent global standards, governance, and operational execution, while addressing regional risk, regulatory, and business requirements. Integrate physical, technical, investigative, intelligence, and operational security capabilities to anticipate emerging threats and drive proactive, enterprise‑wide risk mitigation. Develop measurable performance metrics, conduct regular risk assessments, and lead continuous operational improvement initiatives.
Organizational Development: Build and sustain a high‑performing global security organization focused on accountability, capability building, and continuous development. Lead organizational design, talent planning, and change management efforts to ensure the security organization evolves in alignment with corporate growth, transformation initiatives, and an evolving risk landscape.
Crisis Leadership & Executive Decision‑Making: Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership during high‑pressure, time‑critical situations such as major incidents, crises, and high‑consequence security events. Own global emergency preparedness, crisis management, and incident response programs, including coordination with executive stakeholders, GSOC and intelligence capabilities, and external agencies such as law enforcement and regulators. Deliver clear, timely, and actionable risk assessments and recommendations to enable informed executive decision‑making and ensure continuity of enterprise operations.
Leadership and Collaboration: Influence senior leaders across Legal, IT, HR, Compliance, Facilities, Manufacturing, R&D, and Finance to embed security considerations into enterprise programs while aligning with business objectives. Own global vendor strategy, third‑party security provider governance, and contract management to deliver scalable, cost‑effective, and high‑quality security services. Maintain strong partnerships with external stakeholders, including law enforcement, intelligence networks, and regulatory bodies, to support investigations, incident response, and regulatory engagement.