Director, Vendor Performance Management (Development Operations)

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 experienced and dynamic Director of Vendor Performance Management within Development Operations. This role is accountable for portfolio-level vendor performance across the clinical development lifecycle, including performance analytics, issue trending, escalation management, and performance improvement strategies for assigned vendors. The Director partners closely with internal development teams and external vendor leadership to drive performance transparency, continuous improvement, enabling data-driven decision-making across a complex outsourced ecosystem. This role will sit in Foster City, CA.

Core Responsibilities

The Director, Vendor Relationship and Performance Management is accountable for providing strategic oversight and leadership of vendor performance management across Development Operations. Core responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Provide portfolio-level leadership and accountability for vendor performance management across multiple outsourced service areas within Development Operations, ensuring alignment with development strategy, delivery expectations, and business objectives.

• Define, own, and govern vendor performance management frameworks for the assigned vendor portfolio, including performance metrics, issue management, escalation pathways, and performance improvement strategies across functional teams.

• Oversee the development, maintenance, and ongoing optimization of departmental performance management tools and systems, including the KPI dashboard and the Vendor Issue Management System, ensuring data integrity, relevance, and usability.

• Lead performance analytics and reporting strategy for the assigned vendor base, ensuring consistent interpretation and effective use of performance data to generate actionable insights, inform governance discussions, and drive continuous improvement.

• Partner with cross‑functional development leaders to proactively identify vendor performance risks, gaps, and trends; assess business impact; and define and oversee execution of performance improvement plans.

• Lead and facilitate vendor performance governance and escalation processes, representing Development Operations at operational and leadership-level forums, and driving timely resolution of complex portfolio-level issues in collaboration with internal and vendor executive stakeholders.

• Serve as a strategic advisor to internal stakeholders and vendor partners, translating complex performance data into clear, decision‑ready insights and recommendations for portfolio and vendor governance meetings.

• Contribute to the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of vendor performance management processes, standards, and ways of working across the Development organization.

• Build organizational capability in vendor performance management by leading or enabling training, knowledge sharing, and adoption of best practices across teams.

• Lead complex, cross-functional initiatives related to vendor performance and governance, engaging and influencing a broad range of stakeholders across Development Operations and partner functions.

• Champion innovation and advanced analytics, including the use of AI-enabled tools, to enhance predictive vendor performance insights, automate manual analysis where appropriate, and strengthen proactive, data-driven governance.

Core Competencies & Behavioral Attributes

Demonstrates Boldness in Aspiration & Agility in Execution

• Operates with a strat