-
Director, US Medical Affairs Agile Innovation
- Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Parsippany, NJ)
-
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
Position Summary:
The Director of US Medical Affairs Agile Innovation is a strategic leader responsible for agile acceleration of innovation across the US Medical Affairs function by deploying transformative capabilities in reimagining scientific engagement, digital engagement, real-world insight generation, and data-driven decision making. This role is ideal for someone with business consulting experience in healthcare or life sciences who can bring fresh thinking, drive cross-functional change, and reimagine how Medical Affairs can deliver greater impact and agility in a complex US healthcare environment.
_This role is based either in our Foster City CA office or our Parsippany NJ office._
Key Responsibilities:
Design and lead implementation of modern, multi-channel strategies to enhance scientific engagement with US healthcare professionals. Partner with Field Medical, Scientific Communications, and Digital teams to implement customizable tools and platforms that improve reach and relevance. Use analytics, behavioral insights, and digital listening to personalize engagement and content delivery.
Work with cross functional stakeholders to innovate advisory boards, congresses, and peer-to-peer education formats with hybrid, virtual, and interactive approaches. Initiate projects that modernize Medical Affairs through digital platforms, real-world evidence tools, AI/ML applications, and automation.
Translate external innovation trends into scalable internal solutions, leveraging partnerships with vendors, startups, or tech partners. Pilot new ideas using agile frameworks and rapidly iterate based on feedback and impact.
Support the development of a Medical Affairs innovation roadmap aligned with U.S. business objectives. Drive adoption of real-world data tools and internal knowledge platforms to improve strategic planning.
Have oversight of innovative integration of qualitative and quantitative data from multiple sources (field insights, HCP feedback, scientific trends) into actionable differentiated strategies for US Medical Affairs.
Act as a trusted advisor and strategic partner, influencing leaders and facilitating alignment on innovation priorities. Foster a culture of experimentation, agility, and customer-centric design within the Medical Affairs organization.
Minimum** **Required Education and Years of Experience:
Bachelor's Degree and Twelve Years’ Experience
OR
Masters' Degree and Ten Years’ Experience
OR
PhD and Eight Years’ Experience
Preferred Qualifications:
+ Bachelor’s or advanced degree in life sciences, healthcare, business, or a related field. (MBA or relevant graduate degree a plus.)
+ 5+ years of experience in healthcare or life sciences business consulting, innovation roles, 2+ in pharma or biotech industry.
+ Demonstrated success leading cross-functional innovation or digital transformation projects.
+ Strong understanding of U.S. healthcare dynamics, stakeholder needs (especially HCPs), and data-driven strategies.
+ Experience working with or advising Medical Affairs, Commercial, or R&D teams in pharmaceutical, biotech, or health tech sectors.
+ Comfortable navigating complex organizations and regulatory environments, even without prior direct Medical Affairs experience.
Core Competencies:
+ Curiosity and Innovative Thinking: Ability to think approach topics and problems with a fresh perspective and create original effective solutions that go beyond traditional methods.
+ Future Focused: Anticipating needs and trends before they fully emerge
+ Strategic Agility: Able to synthesize business goals, user needs, and emerging trends into actionable innovation strategies.
+ Consulting Mindset: Structured problem-solving, simplification, clear communication, and comfort with ambiguity.
+ Tech & Data Fluency: Understands how digital tools and data platforms can transform future medical affairs landscape.
+ Change Leadership: Inspires collaboration, drives alignment, and leads with influence, not authority.
+ Execution-Oriented: Delivers with urgency, prioritizes what matters, and measures impact.
**Why This Role Matters:** Medical Affairs is transforming into a strategic driver of innovation and real-world value. In this role, you’ll help reimagine how we engage healthcare professionals, generate insights, and deliver science — bringing new thinking from consulting and healthcare innovation into a function ready to lead change.
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 Foster City, CA salary range is: $243,100 - $314,600_
_The Parsippany, NJ salary range is: $221,000 - $286,000_
The salary range for this position is: $243,100.00 - $314,600.00. 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' (https://www.eeoc.gov/employers/eeo-law-poster) poster.
NOTICE: EMPLOYEE POLYGRAPH PROTECTION ACT (http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/eppac.pdf)
YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THE FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT
PAY TRANSPARENCY NONDISCRIMINATION PROVISION (https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/OFCCP/pdf/pay-transp\_%20English\_formattedESQA508c.pdf)
Our environment respects individual differences and recognizes each employee as an integral member of our company. Our workforce reflects these values and celebrates the individuals who make up our growing team.
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.
Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that has pursued and achieved breakthroughs in medicine for more than three decades, with the goal of creating a healthier world for all people. The company is committed to advancing innovative medicines to prevent and treat life-threatening diseases, including HIV, viral hepatitis and cancer. Gilead operates in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California.
-
Recent Jobs
-
Director, US Medical Affairs Agile Innovation
- Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Parsippany, NJ)