Executive Director, U.S. Public Affairs

Job Description

Gilead Sciences is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and commercializes innovative therapeutics in areas of unmet medical need. The company's mission is to advance the care of patients suffering from life-threatening diseases worldwide. Headquartered in Foster City, California, Gilead has operations in North, South and Central America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Gilead makes it a priority to increase access to its medicines for people who can benefit from them, regardless of where they live or their economic status.

Executive Director, U.S. Public Affairs

Gilead recognizes the development of innovative medicines for life-threatening diseases is only one aspect of improving public health. We also invest in programs that promote prevention, strengthen healthcare infrastructure, and provide education and financial support for the most marginalized communities. By challenging existing assumptions and collaborating with partners worldwide, we have launched strategic initiatives that have the potential to improve health access, eliminate the barriers to healthcare encountered by underserved populations, advance education among healthcare professionals and support the local communities in which we operate.

We are seeking an exceptional and inspirational communications leader to head Gilead’s U.S. Public Affairs team. This role is responsible for setting and executing the public affairs strategy for our U.S. business, including overseeing therapeutic area communications, developing patient advocacy and community engagement plans, and playing a pivotal role in enhancing our corporate reputation across all current and future business operations in the United States.

A critical link between the Public Affairs and U.S. teams, you will work cross-functionally, serving as a strategic communications advisor and trusted business partner. As a bold and strategic thinker, you will be actively involved in the business and will lead the development of a clear vision for shaping the understanding of our mission, innovative science, and engagement with community and patient advocacy groups. Your work will drive to advance public health and help eliminate health inequities in the U.S.

Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, this role is based in Foster City, CA or Parsippany NJ, and leads a team of communications and patient advocacy professionals. The U.S. ED Public Affairs is an integral member of both the public affairs and U.S. affiliate leadership teams.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Communications and Engagement

• Drive the creation and implementation of an integrated external communications plan, ensuring timely and accurate information delivery to media, patient advocacy organizations, trade associations, and other relevant groups.
• Shape our reputation and brand by customizing the global narrative for U.S.-specific audiences, delivering corporate and therapeutic area narratives across channels and audiences.
• Align with and mobilize cross-functional leaders to communicate consistent messaging to policymakers, patient groups, physicians, and payers.
• Lead strategic issues management initiatives, ensuring proactive identification, assessment, and mitigation of potential risks and crises to protect organizational reputation and enhance stakeholder trust.

Stakeholder Relations and Advocacy

• Cultivate relationships with key external stakeholders and represent Gilead’s positions and perspectives for the U.S. business.
• In partnership with the broader Public Affairs function, promote recognition of Gilead as an employer of choice, emphasizing diversity, equity, and inclusion, and fostering a culture of agility and representation.

Collaboration and Coordination/ Internal Communications and Employee Engagement

• Collaborate on U.S.-specific work with global Public Affairs centers of expertise, including corporate communications, employee engagement, global community engagement & advocacy, global therapeutic area communications, corporate citizenship, and initiatives advancing health and equity.
• Actively contribute to the internal communications and employee engagement strategy by driving initiatives that support culture evolution and workforce engagement.

Leadership and Team Development

• Lead the U.S. Public Affairs team, responsible for developing and executing the U.S. market's external communications strategy to drive business objectives, product portfolio priorities, and community & patient advocacy engagement.
• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing Public Affairs function for the U.S. business.
• Create a vision and strategy to meet evolving business needs, define objectives and priorities, and improve efficiency and cross-functional decision-making.
• Actively coach direct reports to build competencies in areas like community engagement and advocacy, digital and social media, and therapeutic area communications.
• Attract top talent and create an enriching, energizing work environment.

Data-Driven Insights and Financial Management

• Apply data and insights to drive key objectives and establish reputational KPIs across public affairs programs. Leverage data and social listening insights to inform and influence business and reputation decisions in real-time.
• Manage the U.S. Public Affairs budget in a cost-effective manner.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree with a minimum of 16 years of experience (or master's degree with 14 years) in public affairs leadership, ideally within the pharmaceutical or biotech industries, with significant U.S. market experience.
• Prior experience in HIV and/or Oncology communications, advocacy, government affairs, marketing, or medical affairs preferred.
• Familiarity with regulations governing communications for publicly traded biopharmaceutical companies.
• Proven experience in crafting and implementing communications plans that align with business priorities.
• Proven ability to build and lead high-performing public affairs teams, including the development of individuals and leaders.
• Demonstrated success in achieving strategic objectives.
• Expertise in media relations, corporate reputation, issues management, and patient advocacy.
• Strong awareness of the political and social landscape and its impact on achieving communications and business goals, with a passion for public health engagement.
• Ability to manage complex and ambiguous projects, influence stakeholders without direct authority, and network effectively across the organization.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in communicating with senior leaders in a dynamic commercial environment.
• Competence in interacting with academic experts, patients, and patient advocates, with confidence, empathy, and ease.
• Comprehensive experience and knowledge specific to the U.S. market and its unique challenges in the healthcare sector.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Specific knowledge of Oncology or HIV therapeutic areas strongly preferred.
• Master's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Public Affairs, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Expertise in digital communications and social media strategies, particularly in leveraging these platforms for public affairs and advocacy.
• Experience leading initiatives that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within an organization or the public sphere.
• Proficiency in using data analytics and social listening tools to inform communications strategies and measure the impact of public affairs initiatives.
• Established network within the healthcare industry, including connections with key opinion leaders, policymakers, and advocacy groups.