
Senior Director, Digital Strategy, Governance & Operations
United States - California - Foster CityPublic Affairs/CommunicationsRegularArbeitsbeschreibung
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
At Gilead, we are driven by our mission to discover, develop, and deliver therapies that change lives. Public Affairs plays a critical role in shaping and elevating Gilead’s global narrative through clear, credible, and modern communications.
The Senior Director, Digital Strategy, Governance & Operations is a senior enterprise leader responsible for shaping and executing Gilead’s channel and platform strategy across all owned and paid channels — both external and internal. This role defines how Gilead shows up in digital spaces: which platforms we activate, how we govern and publish across them, and how we measure and report on performance.
Critically, this role is the operational backbone of the Public Affairs digital team. The Senior Director builds and owns the governance model and operating system that drives cross-functional collaboration, project workflow, measurement, and resource accountability — ensuring the team executes with clarity, consistency, and speed. Content creation and editorial direction remain owned by the Senior Director, Content Strategy; this role is accountable for channel activation, governance, and performance — not content production.
This role reports to the Executive Director, Omnichannel Strategy & Digital Transformation, and serves as a point of integration between communications, brand, marketing, and enterprise functions on digital content initiatives.
Key Responsibilities
Channel & Platform Strategy
- Own Gilead’s channel and platform strategy across external channels (LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, X, Meta, and emerging platforms) and internal channels (intranet, employee platforms) — defining where the brand shows up, with what frequency, and to which audiences.
- Guide publishing cadence, channel governance, and platform activation for enterprise social and web properties, ensuring clarity of purpose and consistency of voice across all channels.
- Translate corporate narrative and messaging priorities into platform-appropriate execution plans, working in partnership with the Senior Director, Content Strategy.
- Serve as an expert advisor on digital platform best practices, innovation, and evolving trends — internally and externally.
- Partner with brand, design, and communications teams to ensure visual and verbal coherence across all digital executions.
Governance & Operating Model
- Design and own the team’s operating model — defining how work is briefed, staffed, reviewed, approved, and published across the digital team.
- Build and enforce governance frameworks for cross-functional digital projects, including stakeholder alignment, decision rights, and escalation paths.
- Lead operating committees in partnership with the Public Affairs Strategy and Operations team, driving structured collaboration across communications, marketing, brand, and enterprise functions.
- Develop and manage budgeting proposals for digital infrastructure, agency support, and platform investments.
- Proactively identify process inefficiencies and implement scalable workflow solutions that reduce bottlenecks and increase team velocity. First 90-day priority: audit current workflows and design a clear team operating model.
Measurement & Performance
- Partner with analytics teams to define KPIs, build reporting frameworks, and continuously refine channel strategy based on data and insights.
- Own the measurement narrative for the Public Affairs digital team — translating platform data into strategic insights and executive-ready reporting.
- Establish a test-and-learn culture, ensuring channel and platform decisions are informed by performance data.
Team Leadership & Capability Building
- Manage and inspire direct reports including the Director of International Channel Strategy & Publishing.
- Continuously up-skill the digital team, improving efficiency, collaboration, and digital fluency across functions.
- Proactively identify and integrate compliant AI tools into Public Affairs digital workflows, partnering with the Strategy and Operations team on rollout and training.
- Oversee integrated digital campaigns in close collaboration with the content team, subject matter experts, creative agencies, and media partners.
Basic Qualifications:
High School Degree and Eighteen Year's Experience
OR
Associates Degree and Sixteen Years Experience
OR
Bachelor's Degree and Fourteen Years’ Experience
OR
Masters' Degree and Twelve Years’ Experience
OR
PhD and Twelve Years’ Experience
Preferred Qualifications
- 12 years of experience in digital communications, channel strategy, digital marketing, or digital operations — preferably in a corporate, agency, or matrixed environment.
- Demonstrated ability to design and implement team operating models, governance frameworks, and cross-functional workflow systems at scale.
- Expertise in platform strategy and publishing across LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, X, Meta/Facebook, intranets, and/or emerging platforms.
- Proven ability to translate corporate or business strategy into channel activation and publishing plans.
- Experience building measurement and reporting frameworks that connect digital performance to business outcomes.
- Comfortable navigating complex, matrixed organizations — aligning stakeholders and working cross-functionally with executives, creative teams, and agency partners.
- Deep understanding of SEO, GEO, audience engagement, and content lifecycle management.
- Experience with paid media strategy and oversight is a plus.
- Familiarity with AI tools and their compliant application in regulated or corporate communications environments preferred.
For additional benefits information, visit:
https://www.gilead.com/careers/compensation-benefits-and-wellbeing
* Eligible employees may participate in benefit plans, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans.
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