Job Description
The Vice President, Federal Government Affairsserves as the enterprise leader for Gilead’s engagement with the U.S. federal government, responsible for shaping and advancing Gilead’s federal engagement and advocacy strategies and ensuring alignment with corporate priorities across innovation,accessand public health.
This leader translates complex legislative and regulatory dynamics into clear strategic direction, informing enterprise decision-making, risk management, and business planning. The VP serves as the company's principalstrategist regarding and critical representativeto Congress, the Administration, and federal agencies, advancing Gilead's priorities through trusted, bipartisan engagement and ensuring the companymaintainscredibility and influence across changing political and policy environments.
Asa member of the Government Affairs Leadership Team– reporting to the SVP, Global Government Affairs –this rolecontributesto enterprise-wide strategy, alignment, and execution, and acts as a trusted advisor to senior leadershipon federal policy risks, opportunities, and stakeholder engagement.
Key responsibilities include:
Executive Leadership and Strategic Counsel
- Advisesenior leadership on federal legislative and regulatory risks and opportunities and their implications for enterprise strategy.
- Serve as a trusted advisor to the CEO, SVP Government Affairs, and executive team on federal policy dynamics and stakeholder engagement.
- Contribute to enterprise-level Government Affairs strategy, alignment, and execution.
- Prepare briefing materials and guide executive engagement with policymakers, industry tradeassociationsand other stakeholders.
Federal Policy Strategy and Advocacy
- Develop and execute an integrated, comprehensivefederal government affairs strategy aligned with Gilead’s corporate prioritiesand values, including innovation, access, affordability, and global health leadership.
- Develop and sustain trusted, bipartisan relationships across Congress and the Administration to advance Gilead's policy priorities and strengthen the company's long-term influence and reputation.
- Shape and influence policy outcomes through direct engagement with Congress, the Administration, federal agencies, and key policy stakeholders across both political parties.
- Build support for Gilead positions by engaging coalitions of aligned organizations.
- Position the company as a credible, science-driven partner in policy discussions.
- Anticipate and respond to evolving legislative, regulatory, and political dynamicsimpactingthe biopharmaceutical sector.
- Advocate for policies that support biomedical innovation,equitablepatientaccess, andstrong public health infrastructure, and position Gilead as a trusted thought leader on critical health policy issues.
Enterprise Integration and Business Impact
- Translate policy developments into actionable insights forbusiness leadersandcross-functionalpartners.
- Partner cross-functionally to align policy priorities with businessobjectivesand to maximize the impact of our advocacy.
- Ensure coordination across federal,stateand international GovernmentAffairs strategies.
External Engagement and Industry Leadership
- Build andmaintainstrong bipartisan relationships with Members of Congress, congressional staff, Administration officials, and federal agency leaders, ensuring Gilead is viewed as a trusted and credible partner regardless of changes in political leadership.
- LeadGilead’s engagement with key industry trade associations,including PhRMA and BIO,to align advocacy strategies, shape industry positions, and amplify impact.
- Develop and execute engagement plans for GA team and senior executives.
Team and Operational Leadership
- Lead theFederalGovernmentAffairs team, fostering a high-performance and inclusive culture.
- Overseeexternal consultants, lobbyists, and advisors to ensure alignment with company and industry priorities.
- Manage the Gilead Political Action Committee.
- Ensure compliance with all lobbying, ethics, and political activity requirements.
Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate is a forward-looking government affairs leader who combines strategic vision with disciplined execution,anticipatingpolitical, legislative, and regulatory developmentsmultipleyears ahead and translating them into proactive advocacy strategies that advance businessobjectives.They bring the credibility, relationships, and political acumen to engage effectively across both parties, Congress, the Administration, and federal agencies, while building long-term champions and coalitions that strengthen Gilead's influence over time. Successful candidates will havedemonstratedthe ability tomaintaintrust, relevance, and effectiveness across political transitions and changing governing priorities.
Equally important, this leader is a strong people manager who thrives in a fast-moving environment, effectively prioritizing competing demands, delegating responsibility, and developing high-performing teams. They are action-oriented, agile in navigating shifting political dynamics, and skilled at converting complex challenges into clear direction,timelydecisions, and measurable outcomes.
Qualified candidates will bring the following experience andexpertise:
- 15+years ofprogressive leadership experience infederal government affairs, public policy, or relatedfields.
- Significant experiencein the biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, or healthcare sectorstronglypreferred.
- Proven success shapingfederallegislative or regulatory outcomes, with establishedrelationships across Congress, the Executive Branch, federal agencies, and key industry associations.
- Deep understanding of U.S.healthcare policy,legislative, regulatory, and appropriations processes.
- Demonstrated success building andmaintainingbipartisan relationships and advancing policyobjectivesacross multiple administrations and congressional leadership cycles.
- Deepability to translate complex policy environments into clear, actionable guidance for senior leadership.
- Strong enterprise mindset with the ability to influence across a highly matrixed organization.
- Executive presence and sound judgment, with experience advising senior leaders.
- Strong leadership skills with experience managing high-performing teams andmanaging external partners.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including executive-level briefing and message development.
- Passion for advancing scientific innovation and improving patient outcomesand an unwavering commitment to integrity, compliance, and ethical engagement.
In terms of the performance and personal competenciesrequiredfor the position, we would highlight the following:
Setting Strategy
- The ability to create and articulate an inspiring vision for the organization, not only for the areastheyaredirectly responsiblefor,buttheenterprise as a whole.
- The inclinationtoseekand analyze data from a variety of sources to support decisions and to align others with the organization's overall strategy.
- An entrepreneurial and creative approach to developing new, innovative ideas that will stretch the organization and push the boundaries within the industry.
- The ability to effectively balance the desire/need for broad change with an understanding of how much change the organization is capable ofhandling,to create realistic goals and implementation plans that are achievable and successful.
Executing for Results
- The ability to set clear and challenging goals while committing the organization to improved performance; tenacious and accountable in driving results.
- Comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty; the ability to adapt nimbly and lead others through complex situations.
- A risk-taker who seeks data and input from others to foreseepossible threatsor unintended circumstances from decisions; someone who takes smart risks.
- A leader who is viewed by others as having a high degree of integrity and forethought intheirapproach to making decisions; the ability to act in a transparent and consistent manner while alwaystaking into accountwhat is best for the organization.
Leading Teams
- The ability to attract and recruit top talent, motivate the team, delegate effectively, celebrate diversity within the team, and manage performance; widely viewed as a strong developer of others.
- The ability to persevere in the face ofchallenges, andexhibit a steadfast resolve and relentless commitment to higher standards, which commands respect from followers.
- A leader who is self-reflective and aware oftheirownlimitations;leads by example and drives the organization's performance with an attitude of continuous improvement by being open to feedback and self-improvement.
Relationships and Influence
- Naturally connects and builds strong relationships with others,demonstratingstrong emotional intelligence and an ability to communicate clearly and persuasively.
- An ability to inspire trust and followership in others through compelling influence, powerful charisma, passion intheirbeliefs, and active drive.
- Encourages others to share the spotlight and visiblycelebratesandsupportsthe success of the team.
- Creates a sense of purpose/meaning for the team that generates followership beyondtheirown personality and engages others to the greater purpose for theorganization as a whole.
Driving Sustainability
- Firmly believesthat both sustainability and profit are in the organization’s best long-term interest.
- Integrates economic, societal, and environmental factors into a purpose-driven strategy, turning sustainability into a competitive advantage.
- Understands and incorporates viewpoints from all key stakeholders to drive decision making and share the benefits.
- Delivers breakthrough innovations and business models that create value for all stakeholders, continually challenging traditional approaches.
- Setsaudacious business and sustainability goals, driving concerted action and investments, and stays the course in the face of setbacks or push-back from short-term oriented stakeholders.
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 employeesare receivingthe feedbackand insight needed to grow,developand realize their purpose.
- Empower Teams - connect the team to the organization by aligning goals, purpose, and organizationalobjectives, and holding them to account. They provide the support needed to remove barriers and connect their team to the broader ecosystem.
