GPS Commercial Operations Director

Getting Hired; Uxbridge; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global biopharmaceutical company seeking a Commercial Operations Director to manage operations in Middle East markets including Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon. The role involves strategic planning, brand campaign development, and partnership with access teams to enhance product launches and access in complex markets, requiring significant experience in the pharmaceutical industry and strong regional knowledge.

Qualifications

• Significant experience within the pharmaceutical industry.
• Experience in specialty products, sales, marketing, or commercial excellence roles.
• Experience in developing Kazakhstan market access strategies.

Responsibilities

• Lead the deployment and management of strategic planning processes.
• Prioritize and execute Plans of Action in key markets.
• Develop and tailor regional brand campaigns.
• Partner with Access teams to build business cases for product launches.
• Manage promotional budgets and monitor expenditures.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of legal and regulatory requirements.
• Develop demand forecasts for the region.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on Gilead's products.

Skills

Strong expertise in managing diverse, complex regions

Proven ability to work independently

Strong presentation skills

Analytical skills

Cross-functional leadership

Fluency in English

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

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

Global Patients Solutions, a business unit in Gilead Sciences, serves more than 100 Low Income countries worldwide to enable health equity and drive commercial plans in a financially sustainable manner. The CAMENA (Central Asia, Middle East, and North Africa) Regional team is seeking a Commercial Operations Director with critical capabilities to manage key Middle East markets, including Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon, which are major drivers of the Ambisome business for the GPS region. Additionally, developing access in Kazakhstan will be a vital focus, given its strategic importance in the region.

This role presents additional complexity as it now combines this challenging region with North Africa, requiring an experienced individual capable of onboarding a new distributor in this newly merged market. The successful candidate must possess strong regional knowledge, adaptability, and strategic thinking to navigate the diverse landscape and build local capabilities.

The position will report to the Head and Executive Director of the GPS Distributor Markets Region, working closely with the GPS Distributor Strategy and Operations Director in London and the CAMENA Regional Commercial Director. The position is based in London.

Job Description

• Lead the deployment and management of strategic and tactical planning processes with a focus on North Africa and the Middle East markets (Iran, Iraq, Lebanon), ensuring alignment with corporate goals, regional needs, and market dynamics.
• Prioritize and execute Plans of Action (POA) in these key markets, with a specific focus on driving Ambisome sales in Levant and developing access strategies in Kazakhstan.
• Develop, deploy, and tailor regional brand campaigns and messaging in alignment with local regulations, customer segments, and cultural nuances — especially emphasizing markets critical to region growth.
• Partner with Access teams, Medical Affairs, and General Management to build business cases for product launches, access programs, and lifecycle management, with special focus on North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia.
• Collaborate with internal teams to ensure strategic alignment across marketing initiatives, regional positioning, and messaging, while managing the complex onboarding of a new distributor in North Africa.
• Manage promotional budgets and monitor expenditures, ensuring full compliance with Gilead’s policies and local regulations.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of legal and regulatory requirements in the Middle East, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, North Africa and Kazakhstan, conducting periodic training and compliance audits.
• Develop demand forecasts for the region, incorporating multiple scenarios, with specific emphasis on market growth in North Africa, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, and Kazakhstan.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on Gilead’s products within the GPS business, providing insights on market‑specific challenges, opportunities, and access dynamics in the region.

Knowledge, Experience, Competencies, and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Significant experience within the pharmaceutical industry, with experience in specialty products, sales, marketing, or commercial excellence roles, particularly in the Middle East, Central Asia, and North Africa.
• Strong expertise in managing diverse, complex regions with a focus on access development and distributor onboarding
• Proven ability to work independently, navigate complexity, and make strategic decisions in data‑scarce environments
• Experience in developing Kazakhstan market access strategies and working effectively across multiple cultures and regulations
• Strong presentation, analytical skills, and cross‑functional leadership, with proficiency in English

Gilead Core Values

• Integrity: Always doing the right thing
• Teamwork: Collaborating in good faith
• Excellence: Working at a high level of commitment and capability
• Accountability: Taking personal responsibility
• Inclusion: Encouraging diversity

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)

It is the policy of Gilead Sciences, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates (collectively "Gilead" or the "Company") to recruit select and employ the most qualified persons available for positions throughout the Company. Except if otherwise provided by applicable law, all employment actions relating to issues such as compensation, benefits, transfers, layoffs, returns from layoffs, company-sponsored training, education assistance, social and recreational programs are administered on a non-discriminatory basis (i.e. without regard to protected characteristics or prohibited grounds, which may include an individual’s gender, race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, creed, physical or mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, medical condition, veteran status, and age, unless such protection is prohibited by federal, state, municipal, provincial, local or other applicable laws). Gilead also prohibits discrimination based on any other characteristics protected by applicable laws.

For Current Gilead Employees and Contractors

Please apply via the Internal Career Opportunities portal in Workday.