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
The Senior Vice President, Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer will be accountable for developing, evolving, and administering Gilead's ethics and compliance programs to ensure compliance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations. Reporting to Keeley Cain Wettan, the Executive Vice President, General Counsel, the Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer will drive a culture of ethical and compliant yet commercially sound decision making and be an enterprise business partner across Gilead's business.
The Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer will play a critical role across the organization, partnering with senior leaders to establish, model, and reinforce the highest standards of ethical behavior and conduct while providing expertise, consultation, and assessments in matters related to compliance, audit, and risk. They will implement and oversee company-wide programs reflecting industry best practice for compliance monitoring, reporting, risk assessment, and remediation. The Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer will proactively build a culture of compliance and business enablement within their function and with the business at large.
The Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer will have direct access to both the Gilead Leadership Team and Board of Directors. Partnership with both groups is critical; the Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer will have high levels of business acumen and will bring a partnership driven approach to the GLT and Board.
This role will be based in Foster City, CA.
Reports to
Keeley Cain Wettan, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Legal and Compliance
Direct Reports
Total team of approx. 60
Vice President, Global Compliance Operations
Executive Director, Privacy and Cyber Security
Executive Director, Global Ethics & Compliance Advisors
Executive Director, U.S. Ethics & Compliance Advisors
Executive Director, Ethics & Compliance Investigations
Executive Director, Integrated Risk Team
Other key relationships
Gilead Leadership Team
Board of Directors
Applicable regulators
- Establish and direct Gilead’s global ethics and compliance strategy for the Company in partnership with the Gilead Leadership Team (GLT) and other members of senior management to identify, assess and mitigate compliance risks while supporting the Company’s long-term growth and objectives.
- Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to the GLT on the development and implementation of the Global Compliance Program, articulating the value of ethics and compliance as a driver of sustainable growth, patient trust, and corporate reputation while mitigating compliance risks.
- Drive the evolution of the Compliance function through the integration of innovative tools, including AI, digital platforms, and predictive analytics, enabling more proactive, data-driven decision-making and risk mitigation across the enterprise.
- Assess and strengthen the effectiveness of the Compliance organization, operating model, governance, and talent capabilities to ensure alignment with the Company’s strategic priorities, risk profile, and evolving business needs.
- Lead enterprise-wide compliance risk assessment and monitoring activities of the Compliance Program, as well as staying abreast of industry and enforcement developments, to and recommend policy, governance, or procedure modifications when necessary.
- Provide leadership, escalation, and reporting on compliance matters and initiatives within the business to the Chief Executive Officer, the General Counsel, members of the GLT, the Board of Managers’ Audit, Compliance and Quality Committee, and Gilead’s Compliance Committee, as appropriate.
- Conduct required compliance risk assessments to identify any significant risks within the business and implement actions required for necessary mitigation. Report risk assessment findings to the appropriate levels of management with appropriate action plans.
- Continue to develop, revise, and update appropriate policies to ensure compliance with applicable laws, including, specifically, healthcare, data privacy (e.g., HIPAA and EU GDPR), transparency, anticorruption/anti-bribery, anti-fraud, as well as global industry codes and regulatory authority guidance for biopharmaceutical companies (such as the IFPMA, EFPIA, BIO, PhrMA Code, the DOJ, and OIG guidance on an effective compliance programs).
- Educate the organization to ensure understanding of employee responsibilities and ethics and compliance issues related policies and procedures. Create and/or approve compliance training content and ensure all global compliance training requirements are communicated to and implemented by all employees.
- Oversee testing of and follow-up on matters reported through the company’s Helpline; oversee an effective program for routine monitoring and auditing of adherence to ethics and compliance policies and procedures; identify potential areas of compliance vulnerability and risk, opportunities for enhanced training, and develop and implement corrective action plans as necessary.
- Build and develop a world-class compliance organization, strengthening talent, capabilities, operating model, and succession planning while fostering a high-performing, inclusive culture. Provide mentorship, guidance, and professional development opportunities to enhance the team’s capabilities and effectiveness.
- Modernize the Compliance function by challenging legacy approaches and evolving the operating model to meet the needs of a dynamic global business.
- Enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of compliance operations by expanding the use of AI, technology, automation, and analytics.
- Optimize the Compliance organization’s structure, talent, and capabilities to support the Company's strategic priorities and evolving risk landscape.
- Elevate Compliance as a strategic business partner, demonstrating its value in enabling growth, innovation, patient trust, and corporate reputation.
- 15+ years of relevant compliance and industry experience
- Minimum of 15 years of experience supporting large, global pharmaceutical companies to deliver at scale and within ethical and compliance boundaries. Proven track record of identifying, raising, and solving challenging compliance and ethics issues. Juris Doctor (J.D.) or equivalent international degree preferred, with active membership in a Bar Association or equivalent body.
- International experience
- Deep understanding of the global nuance of ethics and compliance. Strong knowledge of the regulatory landscape in the US and key global markets such as China, Europe, and Japan.
- Therapeutic area expertise
- Ideally brings experience with a broad range of therapeutic areas including virology, oncology, and inflammation. The ideal candidate will have an understanding of regulatory differences across a range of therapeutic areas and bring direct or indirect experience of bringing new products to market in a global environment.
- Experience building best-in-class ethics and compliance programs
- Demonstrated experience driving a culture of ethics and compliance that positively informs people’s actions and decisions. Experience establishing ethics and compliance guidelines and standard operating procedures. Experience supporting business decision-making (across the enterprise and/or across multiple therapeutic areas or business units), demonstrating strong understanding of the pharmaceutical business models, competitive landscape, and the needs of its internal and external stakeholders. Experience leveraging innovation, AI-enabled tools, automation, and data-driven insights to enhance compliance effectiveness, improve risk detection and monitoring, streamline processes, and increase organizational impact.
- Experience with boards of directors and senior management teams
- Track record of engaging key senior stakeholders (GLT, Board) to establish and develop strong, trusted partnerships. Demonstrated success in strategic business partnering across multiple internal and external constituencies. Proven ability to build consensus while mitigating risk. Experience working with internal (Public Affairs, HR) and external (patient advocacy groups, community groups) stakeholders to maintain a differentiated brand around compliance and ethics.
- Breadth of legal experience beyond compliance
- Legal/compliance experience working with the Commercial organization of a global pharmaceutical company. Experience in managing other large corporate functions is an advantage.
Scans the external environment to anticipate industry, regulatory, and socioeconomic trends and establishes ethics and compliance strategy that ensures that shareholder value is delivered in a sustainable and responsible manner. Judicious in anticipating and assessing risks and discerning when to escalate issues to GLT and Board. Prioritizes issues with the most exposure and invests attention accordingly. Fluidly views issues from different vantage points. Adapts approach based on the therapeutic area in question.
Bold in supporting the business to pursue its aspirations by taking smart risks while maintaining agility in execution by removing barriers. Listens with curiosity and positive intent yet has the courage to speak up and explain the “why” to ensure compliance. Comfortable navigating ambiguities. Open to evolve their thinking and own the impact of their words and actions.
Provides solution-oriented counsel informed by deep understanding of business needs and the ethics and compliance landscape. Curious about business leaders’ perspectives. Operates in Gilead’s best interests around both compliance and business goals.
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' poster.
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