GILEAD

Associate Director, People Technology

United States - California - Foster City Full time

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 is seeking an Associate Director Workday leader, to join the People technology team. Reporting to the Senior Director of People Technology, this role acts as a strategic advisor to key stakeholders, ensuring strong alignment between HR, Finance, and IT. This leader will build and execute on roadmap with expertise across Workday ecosystem. The role requires strong strategic thinking, analytical rigor, and operational excellence, with the ability to set direction and deliver results in a dynamic environment.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Partner with HR and business stakeholders to understand priorities and challenges, and develop a clear Workday roadmap that delivers scalable, future‑ready solutions aligned to business needs

  • Own the Workday platform end‑to‑end, including strategy, roadmap, stability, and long‑term evolution

  • Serve as a subject matter expert (SME) across multiple Workday functional areas, providing strategic and hands‑on guidance

  • Partner with stakeholders to design end to end process and system design

  • Lead the evaluation and deployment of Workday feature releases, identifying opportunities to optimize functionality and improve user experience while ensuring business and compliance requirements are met

  • Oversee deployment activities, including regression testing, downstream impact analysis, and validation of system performance and stability

  • Provide technical leadership throughout the full lifecycle of initiatives—from design through deployment and ongoing optimization

  • Develop and manage comprehensive project plans, including scope, timelines, and budgets, in close partnership with implementation vendors and internal stakeholders

  • Establish and maintain HR data governance and reporting standards to enable data‑driven decision‑making

  • Serve as the executive escalation point for complex Workday decisions and cross‑functional tradeoffs

  • Work with stakeholder to ensure strong adoption of solutions

  • Partner with IT and have oversight of Workday integrations and data flows

  • Establish governance processes to ensure the integrity, security, and compliance of Workday environments, including the proper management of data, access control, and system configurations

  • Lead and mentor a team of 4–5 HRIS specialists across multiple Workday modules

  • Support the Change Review Board (CRB) by reviewing and approving configuration changes impacting business processes, workflows, security, and data integrity

  • Stay current on HR technology trends and Workday innovations, proactively recommending enhancements and continuous improvements

Basic Qualifications:

  • Bachelor's degree and 10+ years of relevant experience; OR

  • Masters' degree and 8+ years of relevant experience; OR

  • PhD and 5+ years of relevant experience

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, Statistics, or a related field

  • 8-10+ years of Workday HRIS experience, with strong hands‑on configuration expertise in Core HCM and additional modules such as Payroll, Time & Absence, Compensation, Benefits, and Security

  • Experience with additional Workday capabilities (e.g., Extend, Workday Studio, integrations) strongly preferred

  • Demonstrated ability to lead teams and influence stakeholders across HR, IT, and the business

  • Strong problem‑solving, project management, and prioritization skills in a fast‑paced, multi‑workstream environment

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to translate technical concepts into business‑friendly language

  • Proven ability to operate independently, manage competing priorities, and drive outcomes with minimal direction

  • Exceptional leadership and collaboration skills, with a track record of building high‑performing teams and trusted partnerships

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: $195,670.00 - $253,220.00. 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 ApplicantAccommodations@gilead.com for assistance.


For more information about equal employment opportunity protections, please view the 'Know Your Rights' poster.

NOTICE: EMPLOYEE POLYGRAPH PROTECTION ACT
YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THE FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT


Gilead Sciences will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, (c) consistent with the  legal duty to furnish information; or (d) otherwise protected by law.
 

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.