Director, Project Management

Role Summary

The Director, Project Management will lead the planning, execution, and governance of complex development programs at Gilead. Based in Foster City, CA with a hybrid schedule (3 days onsite), this role partners with project leaders to define strategy, drive cross-functional collaboration, and ensure timely delivery of project milestones. The position requires deep pharmaceutical project management expertise, strong leadership, and the ability to translate strategic objectives into actionable plans.

Responsibilities

• Works in partnership with project leaders to develop, gain approval, and execute on the project strategy.
• Co-chairs timely, efficient, and action-oriented project team meetings and coordinates team operations, communications, and timely deliverables.
• Directs highly complex project communications and ensures all project customers are informed of activities and status.
• Organizes preparation of high-quality documents for governance review and represents the Development Project Team at governance meetings when needed.
• Organizes Project Management support for various functional areas, attends sub-team meetings, and coordinates ad hoc working groups.
• Formulates Project Teams and RFD Teams with functional leadership and guides transitions between development phases.
• Co-leads design, implementation, and updates of lifecycle development plans and Development Plans, aligning with asset strategy, disease area, and molecule vision.
• Provides leadership to anticipate and resolve complex project issues and implements corrective actions.
• Delivers updated project documents for quarterly budget reviews, investor relations/Board updates, and Portfolio Review.
• Contributes to research, development, and commercial project strategies.
• May represent the Development Project Team on Program Strategy Teams or support them to drive strategic goals.
• Manages project data (including timelines) in Planisware and collaborates with other project managers to align data.
• Facilitates high-performing teams by fostering positive team dynamics and may drive continuous improvement initiatives across the department.
• Ensures project work complies with established practices, policies, and processes.

Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of the drug development process and application of pharmaceutical project management principles and standards.
• Experience developing and managing project scope, deliverables, risks, and resource requirements.
• Strong leadership with the ability to translate strategy into action.
• Excellent analytical skills with the ability to summarize and present complex information clearly.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills for interaction at all levels.
• Ability to understand and communicate scientific and business elements of assigned therapeutic areas.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and understanding of team dynamics.
• Ability to lead without authority, influence, and motivate teams.
• Ability to anticipate, plan, and adapt to an evolving environment; accountability and empowerment to teams.
• Ability to create an inclusive environment and lead empowered teams with high standards of alignment and collaboration.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Project, Microsoft Excel, and other reporting/tracking tools.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree and 12+ years of relevant project management/scientific experience in the pharmaceutical industry; or an MS or MBA and 10+ years of relevant experience; or a PhD in a scientific field or PharmD/DVM/MD with 8+ years of relevant experience. A scientific background is preferred.
• 5+ years of leading cross-functional project management activities within the pharmaceutical industry, building and managing complex cross-functional plans.
• PMP or other PM certification or equivalent is a plus.