Director, R&D Information Systems (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

 

As a Director, R&D Information Systems, at Gilead you will...

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Define and oversee the clinical operational data and analytics strategy for clinical systems (e.g., Veeva, Salesforce, Medidata, custom applications), ensuring alignment with R&D and business objectives.

• Provide strategic leadership across multiple concurrent projects and teams, guiding execution of large-scale, high‑complexity technical workstreams that span multiple business areas.

• Lead and develop a high‑performing organization, including direct people leaders; recruit, grow, and retain diverse top talent; set ambitious goals; and coach individuals on performance, leadership, and career development.

• Shape and drive short‑ and long‑range Clinical Systems strategies and infrastructure plans through deep business, technology, and data expertise.

• Partner with business stakeholders and IT leadership to shape a shared long‑term technical strategy and roadmap for priority capabilities, ensuring strong alignment and coordinated execution across the enterprise.

• Lead solution design and oversee execution of major programs and projects, including assignment of project teams and direction of project leaders; step in as project leader for critical initiatives when needed.

• Ensure on‑time, high‑quality, and within‑budget delivery of the technical roadmap, leveraging strong program governance and proactive risk management.

• Serve as a primary technical and data strategy spokesperson to Clinical Systems, cross‑functional partners, and IT teams, influencing direction and accelerating decision‑making.

• Oversee the design of scalable data architectures across clinical platforms, including data pipelines, APIs, and ETL processes, ensuring secure, interoperable, and analytics‑ready data integration with enterprise systems.

• Partner with Validation and Quality teams to provide oversight for testing, process optimization, and system enhancements, ensuring solutions are aligned with business needs and compliant with GxP and other regulatory requirements.

• Work with business partners and IT teams to optimize R&D applications and clinical systems, driving efficiency, reducing cycle times, and improving overall system performance.

• Provide oversight to ensure timely and accurate delivery of end‑to‑end SDLC project deliverables

• Safeguard data integrity, audit readiness, and compliance across all clinical data and analytics environments.

• Independently create program-level budgets and resource plans; identify cross‑project synergies to enhance efficiency, reduce redundancy, and scale best practices.

• Ensure all work adheres to established policies, processes, and regulatory requirements while driving continuous improvement and operational excellence.

REQUIREMENTS:

We are all different, yet we all use our unique contributions to serve patients. Please see the following for the qualifications and skills we seek for this role.

Basic Qualifications:

• 15+ years of progressive experience in IT data analytics, business intelligence, or related fields, with proven end‑to‑end ownership of complex analytics solutions.

• Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, Data Analytics, or related discipline (or equivalent experience).

• 6+ years of technical project management or relevant leadership experience in a business environment, including multi‑year experience managing project teams.

• Demonstrated excellence in managing complex technical projects and balancing multiple priorities effectively.

• 8+ years of direct people‑management experience.

• 10+ years of experience in the pharmaceutical or healthcare industry, with a deep understanding of data and analytics operations.

• Experience with modern analytics tools, technologies, and cloud‑based platforms, including AWS, AI/ML frameworks, serverless computing, data lakes, and data marts.

• Strong technical expertise in analytics and visualization tools such as Tableau, Power BI, Looker, Qlik, and ThoughtSpot.

• Working knowledge of cloud ecosystems (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) and modern data platforms (data lakes, data warehouses).

• Experience developing and operationalizing standards, critical metrics, and advanced methodologies across analytics programs.

• Exceptional executive

  Exceptional executive‑level communication and influencing skills, combined with a track record of strong project leadership and independent execution.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Has advanced business knowledge, as evidenced by independence in designing, implementing and managing execution against short- and long-range technical strategies and roadmaps.

• Demonstrates expertise in developing and managing project scope, deliverables, risks and resource requirements.

• High degree of organizational awareness and knowledge of change management with the ability to help teams anticipate, plan, and adapt to an evolving environment. 

• Strong leadership presence with demonstrated ability to lead without authority and influence programs, projects and/or initiatives.

• Ability to understand and communicate technical and/or business elements in a clear and concise manner. 

• Strong interpersonal skills and understanding of team dynamics.

• Strong negotiation and conflict resolution skills.

• Strong coaching capabilities to mentor/develop staff.

• Strong quality orientation and attention to detail and accuracy.

• When needed, the ability to travel and freedom to use his/her skills to run their own department, and to contribute to the Business group as a whole.

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 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:

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