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
Role Overview:
The Director HR, Employee Experience (EX) will be responsible for leading global, cross-functional initiatives focused on improving how employees interact with HR programs, technology, content, and communications—ensuring seamless, consistent, and engaging experiences. This role will also define and implement a scalable framework that enhances the overall employee experience by developing principles, best practices, and tools for HR teams to leverage. As part of the HR PMO & Operational Excellence team, this role will take direct ownership of initiatives to drive key employee-centric outcomes while also influencing and shaping the EX without direct ownership of individual HR processes. This role will work closely with HR Centers of Excellence (COEs), People Technology & Digital Experience teams, as well as Content Owners, ensuring that HR programs, processes and platforms are intuitive, accessible, and aligned with employee needs.
This role requires a strategic leader who can operate independently in a fast-paced environment, manage shifting priorities, and effectively build relationships across a matrixed organization. The ideal candidate has a proven track record of managing large-scale, global EX initiatives, consensus-building, partnering and collaborating with program/process owners and delivering transformational change in a highly organized and structured manner.
This is a site based role at our Foster City, CA headquarters.
Essential Duties and Job Functions:
EX Project Ownership & Enablement
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Lead cross-functional EX efforts e.g., content strategy, HR communications, digital platform experience
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Establish and maintain EX content governance models that ensure HR content and messaging are consistent, engaging, and easy to navigate.
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Partner with People Technology & Digital Experience teams to optimize employee-facing platforms and improve usability.
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Influence how HR processes and services are designed, delivered, and communicated, ensuring a user-centered approach.
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Manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment, ensuring EX initiatives align with business and HR strategies.
EX Leadership & Framework Development
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Develop employee experience principles, practices, and toolkits that enable HR teams to integrate EX best practices into their programs, projects and initiatives.
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Drive consensus-building efforts, ensuring buy-in from HR leaders and cross-functional teams to support EX transformation.
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Act as a key EX subject matter expert (SME), embedding design thinking, persona development, and journey mapping into HR transformation projects.
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Build strong relationships and collaborate effectively across all levels with HR COEs, business leaders, and cross-functional teams.
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Serve as an internal consultant, coaching HR teams on how to integrate EX methodologies into their work.
Measurement, Insights & Continuous Improvement
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Partner with People Analytics to design and implement a centralized EX measurement approach, leveraging engagement surveys, employee feedback loops, and experience analytics.
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Use data to drive recommendations, measure ROI, and continuously improve EX programs.
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Gain a solid understanding of operational challenges across HR and solve problems without requiring deep domain expertise in each functional area.
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Benchmark industry best practices in EX bringing innovative solutions to the organization.
Qualifications:
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Bachelor’s degree and 12 years of experience required; MBA or Master’s degree with 10+ years of experience. Degree in HR is a plus.
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12+ years experience in Consulting and/or Program / Project Management managing large-scale, global employee experience initiatives focused on improving employee engagement, service delivery, and digital interactions.
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Proven track record of operating independently, thinking outside the box, and delivering structured, results-driven solutions in a fast-paced environment.
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Strong background in design thinking, user-centered design, journey mapping, and persona development.
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Experience effectively building relationships, collaborating with, and motivating cross-functional teams across all levels.
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Effective communication skills, with the ability to define and simplify complex concepts and communicate them to stakeholders.
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Experience managing EX-related technology implementations, digital adoption strategies, and process improvement efforts.
Desired Skills & Competencies:
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Strategic Thinking: Ability to define long-term EX strategies while executing on near-term initiatives.
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Influence & Collaboration: Comfortable working cross-functionally with HR, IT, and business leaders to drive EX initiatives.
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User-Centered Design: Deep understanding of persona development, journey mapping, and digital experience best practices.
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Communication Excellence: Strong ability to simplify complex concepts and deliver clear, compelling messaging across multiple channels.
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Technology Acumen: Familiarity with Workday, ServiceNow, content management systems, and employee experience tools.
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Change Management & Agility: Skilled at navigating organizational complexity and driving adoption of EX principles.
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Data-Driven Mindset: Ability to leverage employee insights, survey data, and analytics to inform decision-making.
The salary range for this position is: $210,375.00 - $272,250.00. Gilead considers a variety of factors when determining base compensation, including experience, qualifications, and geographic location. These considerations mean actual compensation will vary. This position may also be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, discretionary stock-based long-term incentives (eligibility may vary based on role), paid time off, and a benefits package. Benefits include company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans*.
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.
For jobs in the United States:
Gilead Sciences Inc. is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment, and is dedicated to fostering an inclusive work environment comprised of diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. Employment decisions regarding recruitment and selection will be made without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, genetic information or characteristic, gender identity and expression, veteran status, or other non-job related characteristics or other prohibited grounds specified in applicable federal, state and local laws. In order to ensure reasonable accommodation for individuals protected by Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Act of 1974, and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, applicants who require accommodation in the job application process may contact [email protected] for assistance.
For more information about equal employment opportunity protections, please view the 'Know Your Rights' poster.
NOTICE: EMPLOYEE POLYGRAPH PROTECTION ACT
YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THE FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT
PAY TRANSPARENCY NONDISCRIMINATION PROVISION
Our environment respects individual differences and recognizes each employee as an integral member of our company. Our workforce reflects these values and celebrates the individuals who make up our growing team.
Gilead provides a work environment free of harassment and prohibited conduct. We promote and support individual differences and diversity of thoughts and opinion.
For Current Gilead Employees and Contractors:
Please apply via the Internal Career Opportunities portal in Workday.
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What We Do
The way we see it, the impossible is not impossible. It’s simply what hasn’t been achieved yet. For more than 30 years, we’ve pursued it, chased it down, tackled it for answers and surrounded it for a way in. We have worked tirelessly to bring forward medicines for life-threatening diseases. Creating Possible drives everything we do. It’s evident in our mission and core values. This is how we built a culture of excellence that is fueled by a passion for improving lives of people around the world. For us, nothing is impossible – because of the people we work with, the communities we stand with and the partners we push forward with. Our ~12,000 employees band together through science, grit, compassion and courage to prove the impossible wrong. At Gilead, the tangible results of your contributions are evident. Where every individual matters. Where all employees can enhance their skills through ongoing development. And where we start every day with one question: “What’s next?” Social Media Guidelines: https://gilead.inc/3t1m7d5
