Director, Corporate Storytelling and Editorial Strategy (United States - California - Foster City)

This job is with Gilead Sciences Inc., an inclusive employer and a member of myGwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community. Please do not contact the recruiter directly.

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 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 aThe Director, Corporate Storytelling & Editorial Strategy at Gilead, you will shape Gilead's editorial strategy and storytelling approach across enterprise content initiatives.

The individual will oversee editorial planning, story development and content programming across the Content Lab while partnering closely with teams across Public Affairs, including Therapeutic Area Communications, Corporate Communications, Social Media, Internal Communications and Corporate Brand, as well as HR and external agency partners.

Overview

Gilead was built to take on serious diseases with serious science. As the company continues to strengthen its corporate brand and storytelling capabilities, we are building a more strategic and scalable approach to content that helps people better understand who we are, what we do and why it matters.

The Content Lab will serve as Gilead's centralized corporate storytelling capability, translating complex science, innovation, culture and impact into compelling stories that audiences can understand, connect with and remember. Working across channels and formats, the team will create content that strengthens corporate reputation, supports enterprise priorities, advances employee engagement and brings Gilead's brand and corporate narrative to life in tangible and meaningful ways.

We are seeking a Director, Editorial Strategy to help lead this effort.

This Leader Will...

• Play a central role in translating Gilead's brand platform and enterprise narrative into an integrated editorial strategy that connects science, culture, innovation and impact through cohesive storytelling

• Help define the stories Gilead tells, how they are told and how they scale across audiences, channels and formats to create a more recognizable and differentiated corporate presence.

The ideal candidate brings strong editorial judgment, experience leading enterprise storytelling programs and a clear understanding of how modern content organizations operate in an increasingly AI-shaped communications environment.

 

Editorial Strategy & Content Leadership

• Help build and operationalize Gilead's enterprise editorial strategy and content planning model

• Translate Gilead's brand platform, enterprise narrative and strategic priorities into integrated storytelling programs and editorial initiatives

• Lead editorial planning aligned to enterprise priorities, cultural moments and reputation opportunities

• Develop compelling, human-centered stories that connect Gilead's science, culture, innovation and impact across long-form, social, video, executive communications and employee engagement

• Establish and maintain a distinctive, consistent corporate voice and high editorial standards across channels and formats

• Create scalable storytelling approaches that strengthen audience understanding, employee pride and recognition of the Gilead brand

 

Content Lab Operations & Story Development

• Help establish intake, prioritization and editorial governance processes for the Content Lab

• Lead enterprise story sourcing, editorial development and content programming in partnership with teams across the enterprise

• Develop repeatable workflows that support efficient content creation, adaptation, distribution and performance measurement

• Partner with creative, social and production teams to extend stories across channels and formats

• Serve as the editorial owner of Gilead's corporate storytelling hub across owned channels

 

Audience, Reputation & AI-Era Storytelling

• Apply audience insights, social listening and reputation intelligence to inform editorial priorities and content development

• Help ensure content is optimized for discoverability, consistency and understanding in AI-driven search and information environments

• Monitor storytelling trends and peer activity to identify opportunities for innovation and differentiation

• Partner with analytics and insights teams to evaluate performance and refine strategy over time

 

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Serve as a strategic editorial partner across Public Affairs, including Therapeutic Area Communications, Corporate Communications, Social Media, Internal Communications and Corporate Brand teams

• Collaborate with subject matter experts, researchers, scientists and communicators to shape accurate and compelling stories

• Manage external agency and freelance partners as needed

• Help educate internal stakeholders on editorial standards, storytelling approaches and content development best practices

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree and 12+ years of experience required OR

• Masters degree and 10+ years of experience required OR

• PhD and 8+ years of experience required

• 'Experience' is defined as a background in editorial strategy, journalism, content strategy, corporate storytelling and/or communications

• Must have experience leading enterprise storytelling and editorial programs within healthcare, biopharma, technology, media or other large, matrixed organizations, including influencing cross-functional and senior stakeholders across the enterprise

 

Preferred Experience

• Strong editorial instincts and experience identifying compelling stories within complex organizations

• Ability to create compelling content in both high-production and agile production environments, with strong instincts for capturing effective stories using lightweight, fast-moving formats when appropriate

• Experience building integrated storytelling programs, editorial calendars and multi-channel content strategies

• Ability to translate scientific, technical or policy-driven topics into accessible and engaging narratives

• Strong understanding of digital storytelling formats including long-form editorial, video, social-first content and executive thought leadership

• Experience working within highly regulated or matrixed organizations

• Familiarity with audience analytics, modern content operations and AI-influenced content discovery trends

• Strong writing, editing, stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration skills

• Collaborative, entrepreneurial mindset with comfort building new processes and capabilities

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: $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 po