Senior Director, Human Resources – Public Affairs

Gilead Sciences

Senior communications leader executing enterprise and HR communications at Gilead. Developing integrated strategies to enhance talent, culture, and organizational engagement.

Posted 5/22/2026full-timeFoster City • California, New Jersey • 🇺🇸 United StatesSenior💰 $243,100 - $314,600 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Serve as a primary strategic and trusted advisor to the CHRO of Human Resources and HR Leadership Team on business positioning, narrative development, stakeholder engagement, and reputational considerations.
Anticipate risks and opportunities, independently identifying communications needs and proactively shaping executive narratives.
Develop and execute communications strategies that support talent, culture, and organizational priorities, including transformation initiatives and workforce engagement.
Lead the creation, review, and refinement of executive-level materials including speeches, business updates, town halls, talking points, Q&A documents, and external thought leadership that support long-range commercial priorities.
Translate HR strategy, talent priorities, and organizational changes into clear, compelling messaging that supports alignment and engagement.
Partner closely with the Communications Center of Excellence, including Internal Communications, Employee Engagement Media Relations, Digital and Social, and Issues Management, to ensure coordinated execution across all channels.
Lead cross-functional coordination across HR, Public Affairs, Legal, and other functions to ensure alignment and consistency.
Support communications planning and execution during periods of organizational change or sensitive workforce-related issues.
Support executive preparation and coaching for internal and external engagements, including industry events, media interactions, and leadership forums.
Leverage employee feedback, engagement data, and insights to refine communications strategies.
Manage external agencies and advisors supporting communications programs.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s degree and 14+ years of experience, or Master’s degree and 12+ years of experience, or 12+ years of experience in strategic communications, executive communications, corporate affairs, or related roles within a publicly traded company or agency environment; healthcare or biopharmaceutical experience strongly preferred.
Demonstrated deep experience supporting executive and internal communications within a global and matrixed organization.
Strong understanding of employee engagement, organizational culture, and change management.
Proven ability to translate complex organizational initiatives into clear, engaging communications.
Experience supporting leadership visibility and employee-facing communications.
Exceptional strategic writing and storytelling skills.
Sound judgment and discretion in managing sensitive workforce and organizational issues.
Outstanding interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
Experience leading through influence and driving alignment across cross-functional teams.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and complex programs.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Health insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Life insurance
Paid time off
Discretionary annual bonus
Discretionary stock-based long-term incentives

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

strategic communicationsexecutive communicationscorporate affairscommunications strategiesnarrative developmentchange managementemployee engagementstorytellingwritingstakeholder engagement

Soft Skills

interpersonal skillsrelationship-buildingstrategic thinkinginfluencealignmentjudgmentdiscretionprioritizationprogram managementcoaching