Director, Programmatic Media Strategy

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
 

Director, Programmatic Media Strategy

Location: U.S.

Reports to: Head of Media Excellence / Digital Media Strategy

About the Role

At Gilead our pursuit of a healthier world for all people has yielded a cure for hepatitis C, revolutionary improvements in HIV treatment and prevention as well as advancements in therapies for viral and inflammatory diseases and certain cancers.

We set and achieve bold ambitions in our fight against the world’s most devastating diseases, united in our commitment to confronting the largest public health challenges of our day and improving the lives of patients for generations to come. As a Director, Programmatic Media Strategy, at Gilead you will be the the enterprise owner of programmatic media strategy, data enablement, and performance accountability across Gilead’s U.S. Commercial organization. This role sets the direction for how programmatic media is activated, optimized, measured, and evolved—driving disciplined execution today while transforming capabilities for an AI‑enabled future.

This leader operates as a strategic force multiplier across Brands, Media Agencies, Data, Analytics, Privacy, Legal, and Procurement—challenging partners, elevating standards, and ensuring Gilead fully leverages first‑party data, addressability, and automation to deliver measurable patient and business impact.

Key Responsibilities

Enterprise Programmatic Strategy & Governance

• Own enterprise-wide programmatic media strategy across HCP and DTC, ensuring alignment with brand objectives, NBE/NBA priorities, and enterprise governance standards.
• Define and enforce clear performance, data quality, transparency, and optimization expectations with media agencies, holding partners accountable for delivery and outcomes.
• Establish and govern enterprise programmatic operating rhythms including QBRs, deep‑dive performance reviews, joint business plans, innovation roadmaps, and executive readouts.

First‑Party Data, Identity & Activation

• Serve as enterprise lead for the activation of consented first‑party data (CRM, web, engagement signals) within programmatic media, ensuring compliant use for targeting, optimization, and measurement.
• Act as primary liaison for LiveRamp, advising on identity resolution strategy, match rates, data connectivity, and cross‑brand scalability.
• Partner with Data, Analytics, and Platform teams to connect programmatic activation with Salesforce Data Cloud, NBE orchestration, and outcome measurement.
• Guide use of audience signals for PLD reporting, NBA optimization, incrementality testing, and ROI validation.

Performance, Optimization & AI Transformation

• Define success metrics, KPIs, and benchmarks across reach quality, attention, data fidelity, efficiency, and business outcomes—ensuring consistency across brands and partners.
• Lead programmatic testing and optimization strategy, including:
• Audience and data signal experimentation
• Supply path optimization (SPO)
• Outcome‑based buying and bidding strategies
• AI‑enabled optimization, automation, and emerging buying models
• Evaluate how advances in AI, algorithmic decisioning, and predictive analytics should reshape Gilead’s programmatic operating model.

Media Quality, Fraud & Transparency

• Own enterprise brand safety and media quality frameworks, including:
• MFA mitigation and supply quality standards
• Fraud detection and invalid traffic management
• Verification and measurement partner governance
• Drive transparent reporting and diagnostic clarity so brands and leaders understand not just performance, but why it is performing.

Vendor, Agency & Financial Stewardship

• Serve as the primary enterprise point‑of‑contact for DSPs, data providers, identity partners, verification vendors, and media agencies.
• Lead stewardship of core programmatic partners (e.g., The Trade Desk, Amazon DSP, DeepIntent, LiveRamp), including roadmap alignment, escalation management, and innovation planning.
• Partner with Procurement and Finance on contracts, commercial models, transparency initiatives, and enterprise investment oversight.

Enterprise Leadership & Enablement

• Serve as programmatic strategy lead within Next Best Engagement (NBE), advising on audience strategy, sequencing, measurement, and scalability.
• Translate complex performance data and technical concepts into clear, executive‑ready recommendations.
• Provide leadership updates, decision frameworks, and POVs on programmatic performance, risk, and opportunity.

Leadership Expectations

• This role is an enterprise strategist and change agent, not a channel operator.
• Sets the strategic bar and raises standards—pushing agencies and partners beyond “status quo” delivery.
• Brings deep subject‑matter expertise that earns credibility with senior leaders and technical teams alike.
• Influences without authority; leads through clarity, conviction, and data‑backed recommendations.
• Champions innovation, automation, and continuous improvement as programmatic and AI rapidly evolve.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience in programmatic media, digital media strategy, or media operations.
• Deep hands-on expertise with enterprise DSPs, programmatic measurement, identity solutions, and data onboarding and optimization.
• Strong command of first‑party data activation, including consented data use, clean rooms, identity resolution, and interoperability with platforms like LiveRamp.
• Working knowledge of media fraud, MFA landscapes, supply quality controls, and verification methodologies.
• Demonstrated experience adapting media strategies to automation, AI‑driven optimization, and emerging buying models.
• Experience owning vendor relationships, QBRs, contracts, and commercial governance.
• Strong understanding of privacy, compliance, and regulated marketing environments (pharma experience strongly preferred).
• Executive‑ready communicator with a track record of influencing senior stakeholders.

What Success Looks Like

• Success in this role is defined by a scalable, high-quality, and outcome-driven programmatic ecosystem that delivers measurable impact for brands and elevates Gilead’s enterprise media maturity.
• Programmatic media consistently delivers high‑quality, efficient, and measurable outcomes across brands.
• Media agencies operate with elevated standards for data quality, optimization rigor, and transparency.
• First‑party data and identity are fully embedded into programmatic activation and measurement.
• Programmatic is a core, scalable pillar of NBE and future engagement models.
• Leadership has strong confidence in programmatic recommendations, governance, and long‑term roadmap.

People Leader Accountabilities:

• Create Inclusion - knowing the business value of diverse teams, modeling inclusion, and embedding the value of diversity in the way they manage their teams.
• Develop Talent - understand the skills, experience, aspirations and potential of their employees and coach them on current performance and future potential. They ensure employees are receiving the feedback and insight needed to grow, develop and realize their purpose.
• Empower Teams - connect the team to the organization by aligning goals, purpose, and organizational objectives, and holding them to account. They provide the support needed to remove barriers and connect their team to the broader ecosystem.

 

The salary range for this position is: $205,615.00 - $266,090.00. 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.

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Gilead Sciences will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, (c) consistent with the  legal duty to furnish information; or (d) otherwise protected by law.
 

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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.