Associate Director, Optimization & Continuous Improvement

Posted:
4/10/2025, 6:54:51 AM

Location(s):
California, United States ⋅ Foster City, California, United States

Experience Level(s):
Expert or higher ⋅ Senior

Field(s):
Product

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
 

Gilead's mission is to discover, develop, and deliver therapies that will improve the lives of patients with life-threatening illnesses worldwide.

Knowledge:

  • Able to develop solutions to a wide range of complex problems, which require the regular use of ingenuity and innovation.

  • Exceptional verbal and written communication skills. Able to create written communication that is properly structured providing clear, concise messages that draw well supported conclusions.

  • Strong collaboration skills with internal and external stakeholders.

  • Good organizational and time management skills, including working knowledge of project management tools and techniques.

  • Ability to interact effectively with senior management and construct compelling business cases to justify project investments.

  • In depth understanding and application of relevant principles, concepts, practices, and standards, along with an in-depth knowledge of industry practices.

  • Solid working knowledge of relevant regulatory guidance, including pharmaceutical GMPs and ICH Q7A.

  • Able to apply established organizational policies, and interpret, execute, and recommend modifications to department policies and procedures as needed.

  • May require familiarity with the technologies, strengths, and weaknesses of a wide variety of fine chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturers worldwide.

Specific Education & Experience Requirements:

  • High School Degree and Fourteen Year's Experience; OR

  • Associates Degree and Twelve Years Experience; OR

  • Bachelor's Degree and Ten Years’ Experience; OR

  • Masters' Degree and Eight Years’ Experience; OR

  • PhD and Two Years’ Experience

  • Experience in pharmaceutical operations/cGMP environment highly desirable.

  • Excellent knowledge of logistics operations within Gilead and understands external best practices on a global basis.


Specific Job Responsibilities:

  • Ability to ideate, prioritize and deliver a global program of change within logistics end to end.

  • Works on problems of moderate to advanced complexity where analysis of situations or data requires an evaluation of intangible variables.

  • Provides leadership, direction and management of a team, to support execution of a series of projects of differing levels of priority.

  • Can work with cross-functional stakeholders to agree project priorities.

  • Can clearly articulate priorities and project progress to a range of stakeholders, including Exec. Director, Vice President level and occasionally Senior Vice President level.

  • Has experience of project management tools and techniques.

  • Provides supervision, training, guidance and performance management to department personnel.

  • Creates and maintains a positive working environment to ensure high productivity, employee engagement and performance.

  • Exercises independent judgment in developing methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for obtaining results.

  • Develops and implements policies and procedures to ensure that Gilead Global Logistics team are aligned with Good Distribution Practice and meet all relevant regulatory requirements.

  • Develops and implements strategies and goals for specific products or projects.

  • Implements and maintains material and logistics control systems, policies, processes and procedures ensuring that a controlled flow of approved materials timed to meet production requirements.

  • May serve as liaison between the company and the various governmental agencies and/or audit agencies as required.

  • Reviews, and/or implements changes to controlled documents as needed. May author sections of regulatory documents.

  • Monitors cost, including team Opex.

  • Drives improvements to Compliance, Quality, Service, Cost and sustainability through a series of projects ranging from complex strategic reviews to simple Continuous Improvement Projects.

  • Can deploy processes to monitor improvements in output associated with projects.  For example, can measure cost and service improvements.

  • May execute supplier agreements in conjunction with Legal and internal clients to ensure contracts terms and conditions comply with corporate and purchasing guidelines.

  • Compiles information from periodicals, catalogs, and other sources to keep informed on relevant market and competitor information.


 

The salary range for this position is: $182,070.00 - $235,620.00. 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.


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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 ApplicantAccommodations@gilead.com for assistance.


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For Current Gilead Employees and Contractors:

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