Sr Director, Public Affairs

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
 

The Senior Director, Public Affairs (GPS Region) leads integrated advocacy and communications strategies that amplify GPS priorities, strengthen reputation, and expand access to innovation in low- and lower-middle-income countries. This leader builds strategic partnerships with patient organizations and advocacy groups, drives message discipline and storytelling across external and internal channels, and establishes the frameworks, insights, and governance needed to manage issues, align global teams, and deliver measurable impact. The position is based at Gilead’s headquarters in Foster City, CA, reporting to the Executive Director, Intercontinental Region and GPS.

Responsibilities include:

Advocacy & External Affairs

• Advance Gilead’s leadership and credibility across regions and therapeutic areas to shape environments and strengthen our access operations. 

• Build and strengthen strategic partnerships with patient organizations, community groups, and key stakeholders to address patient/community needs and advance corporate objectives.

• Develop and execute an integrated external engagement plan with patient groups, media, trade associations, and influencers shaping public discourse.

• Maintain insight into advocacy groups’ priorities, capacity, and influence to guide collaboration.

• Drive global NGO engagement strategies to expand access to medicines in low- and lower-middle-income countries.

• Lead advisory boards and community forums; co-develop education and capacity-building initiatives with patient communities.

• Ensure alignment and consistent messaging across policymakers, patient groups, healthcare providers, manufacturers, and suppliers.

• Support regional teams in planning and executing public affairs activities, conferences, and events.

External Communications

• Oversee the GPS region’s external communications strategy (media relations, storytelling, thought leadership, reputation management, issues and crisis readiness, content/channel planning).

• Drive execution across priority geographies and regions, tailoring approaches while reinforcing the global narrative.

• Maintain message discipline and consistency across earned, owned, and shared channels.

• Unify policy, market and therapeutic area communications to deliver impact.   

• Design and execute integrated digital strategies that build belief and amplify impact.

Internal Communications & Employee Engagement

• Partner with and contribute to global corporate/internal communications strategy; drive GPS content, stories, and programs to reinforce the corporate narrative and foster workforce engagement.

• Integrate GPS priorities and milestones across internal channels; enable leaders and managers to activate messaging.

• Serve as a trusted leader/collaborator across GPS and cross-functional teams.

Issues, Crisis & Reputation Management

• Proactively identify, plan for, and manage potential issues and crises across geographies; establish protocols, roles, and response plans.

• Embed reputation management in program design; monitor risk signals and sentiment to inform proactive mitigation.

• Apply data and insights to define and track reputational KPIs and continuously improve strategies.

Global Alignment & Enablement

• Scale GPS messaging, narratives, and FAQs to global teams; ensure consistent integ