Executive Director, Business & Employee Communications

Job description

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’re creating a healthier world for all people. We are seeking a dynamic and strategic communications leader to serve as Executive Director, Internal & Functional Communications. This pivotal role is responsible for developing and executing an integrated business and employee communications strategy that advances Gilead’s enterprise priorities, strengthens employee engagement, and supports senior business leaders and functional organizations across the company. The role will ensure leaders are equipped with strategic communications counsel, compelling storytelling, and coordinated communications support that connects business priorities to the employee experience. As a key member of the Public Affairs function, the Executive Director will shape and lead a comprehensive communications strategy encompassing executive and functional communications, employee engagement, culture communications, enterprise programs, internal channels, editorial planning, and leadership communications. This highly visible leadership role reports to the Vice President, Corporate and Employee Communications. The Executive Director is accountable for enterprise-wide business and employee communications strategy, including setting priorities, making trade-off decisions, and ensuring alignment across functions and geographies. Acting as a strategic partner to Gilead’s senior business leaders and functional teams, the Executive Director will be instrumental in building employee understanding, alignment, and connection to Gilead’s mission, strategy, values, and business priorities. The role will oversee both strategic communications support for business leaders and enterprise employee engagement programs, activating through Gilead’s Communications Centers of Excellence to deliver integrated communications strategies, coordinated storytelling, and aligned execution across internal, executive, digital, and employee-facing channels. This role demands an innovative thinker who can craft a unified strategy, drive seamless execution, and provide enhanced communications support to achieve critical business and culture priorities. The ideal candidate is both a visionary strategist and a hands-on leader capable of coaching and inspiring a high-performing team. They will oversee a team of communications professionals, collaborating closely with internal partners, senior business leaders, centers of excellence, and agency partners. Key Responsibilities Lead & Execute Strategy Drive the development and execution of comprehensive internal and functional communications strategies that align with enterprise priorities, business objectives, and employee engagement goals. Establish clear goals and measurable KPIs in collaboration with internal stakeholders to ensure strategic focus, accountability, and high-performance outcomes. Own prioritization decisions and resource allocation across competing enterprise and functional communications needs. Data-Driven Decision Making Leverage employee insights, engagement data, channel analytics, organizational trends, and feedback mechanisms to inform strategies and provide leaders with timely counsel on employee sentiment, communications effectiveness, and opportunities to improve alignment. Enterprise & Functional Narrative Collaborate with Public Affairs teams, business leaders, Human Resources, and functional partners to shape and deliver compelling enterprise and functional narratives that connect employees to Gilead’s mission, strategy, values, and business priorities. Executive & Functional Communications Lead strategic communications support for senior business leaders and key functional organizations, including executive positioning, leadership messaging, storytelling, employee engagement strategies, and integrated communications planning that supports business priorities and organizational objectives. Employee Engagement & Culture Strategies Design and drive communications initiatives that strengthen employee connection, reinforce Gilead’s culture, support inclusion and belonging, and improve understanding of enterprise priorities across the organization, particularly during periods of enterprise change and transformation. Strategic Advisory Role Provide counsel to senior leaders and cross-functional teams on internal communications, employee engagement, change management, organizational announcements, leadership visibility, and reputational impacts. Serve as the senior strategic communications partner for business and employee communications across the enterprise, helping leaders navigate organizational priorities, employee engagement, business transformation, and reputational considerations. Play a critical leadership role in enterprise transformation initiatives, ensuring employee understanding, leadership alignment, and cultural adoption of change. Voice of Employees Amplify employee perspectives by integrating employee sentiment, engagement insights, and organizational feedback into communications strategies and business decisions. Issue Monitoring & Response Identify internal reputational opportunities and challenges, leading efforts to prepare for and respond effectively to sensitive employee, organizational, or culture-related issues. Cross-Functional Alignment Serve as a bridge between strategic communications leaders, employee engagement, internal channels, culture communications, Human Resources, Legal, and Public Affairs centers of excellence to ensure coordinated planning, aligned messaging, and consistent execution. Internal Channels & Publishing Oversee internal channels, editorial planning, publishing governance, and content strategy to ensure employees receive timely, relevant, and engaging communications across the appropriate platforms. Stakeholder Engagement Build and maintain relationships with senior leaders and key internal stakeholders across Human Resources, Commercial, Pharmaceutical Development & Manufacturing, Legal, Finance, Public Affairs, and other enterprise functions. Team Leadership & Development Lead and support a high-performing team responsible for strategic business leader communications, employee engagement, culture communications, internal channels, and enterprise programs. Lead, coach, and develop managers and senior communication leaders, with accountability for leadership capability, succession, and bench strength across enterprise communications. Develop a future-ready team equipped with modern communications skills, clear priorities, and a strong service mindset. Provide direction through both direct and matrixed teams, ensuring clarity of roles, decision rights, and accountability. Budget Oversight Proactively manage financial resources, agency support, and