Director, IT SAP Product Lifecycle and Quality

Gilead Sciences Inc.; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 195,000 - 253,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Stock-based long-term incentives

Paid time off

Medical insurance

Job summary

Gilead Sciences Inc. seeks an experienced IT leader to own the Regulatory-to-Release strategy across PLM, QM, Batch Release, and related platforms.

You will align technology with business aims, set multi-year roadmaps, and drive standardized, compliant solutions across functions such as Product Development, Regulatory, Quality, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain. You will lead cross‑functional teams, manage vendors and AMS partners, and influence senior leaders on investments, governance, and value

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in IT, Engineering, Computer Science, Business, Life Sciences, Supply Chain, or related field.
• 15+ years of SAP, ERP, digital platform, product management, solution architecture, or enterprise delivery experience in life sciences or regulated manufacturing.
• Deep experience with SAP PLM, SAP QM, SAP S/4HANA, and regulated product lifecycle, quality, and release processes.
• Strong knowledge of PLM and quality capabilities, including specifications, recipes, BOMs, change management, inspection, batch management, release, genealogy, and related integrations.
• GxP, GMP, FDA 21 CFR Part 11, validation, data integrity, audit readiness, and regulated delivery practices.
• Proven ability to lead ERP portfolios across strategy, roadmap, investment planning, delivery, sustainment, compliance, and value realization.
• Demonstrated leadership of global matrix teams, vendors, system integrators, AMS partners, business stakeholders, and technical teams.
• Strong business partnership, executive communication, and governance skills with the ability to simplify complex SAP, quality, regulatory, and compliance topics.
• Track record of driving standardization, reducing technical debt, improving operational resilience, and delivering measurable business outcomes.
• Ability to present roadmap, investment, delivery, sustainment, and value realization recommendations to senior leadership.

Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end Regulatory-to-Release capability strategy across PLM, Quality Management, Product Release, and related digital platforms.
• Serve as the senior IT partner for Product Development, Regulatory, Quality, Manufacturing, Clinical, Supply Chain, and Kite, aligning technology priorities to business outcomes.
• Set the multi-year roadmap and investment priorities for SAP PLM, SAP QM, Batch Release, Global Batch Trace, and related quality capabilities.
• Establish enterprise standards and design principles that promote compliant, scalable, and standardized solutions.
• Partner with business process owners, Enterprise Architecture, and delivery teams to govern solution decisions, investments, and lifecycle management.
• Drive measurable outcomes in compliance, product quality, release cycle time, adoption, stability, and business value realization.
• Own delivery performance across the Regulatory-to-Release portfolio, ensuring scope, schedule, quality, validation, deployment, sustainment, and adoption commitments are met.
• Lead execution across PLM, QM, Batch Release, and related digital initiatives, ensuring delivery is predictable, compliant, and business‑aligned.
• Oversee cross‑functional teams, partners, and vendors to resolve issues, manage dependencies, and drive integrated planning from design through support.
• Govern backlog priorities, release plans, testing, validation, deployment readiness, and hypercare execution.
• Ensure delivery documentation, metrics, and governance controls support quality, compliance, adoption, stability, and measurable business outcomes.
• Lead the Regulatory-to-Release organization across PLM, Quality leaders; set ownership, priorities, execution discipline, and talent development.
• Build accountable, customer‑focused teams with strong product, architecture, delivery, quality, validation, and operations capabilities.
• Manage vendors, system integrators, AMS partners, and co‑source teams to ensure delivery performance and accountability.
• Influence senior business and IT leaders on strategy, investments, roadmap priorities, operating model decisions, and value realization.
• Communicate priorities, risks, progress, operational health, and outcomes to senior leadership and governance forums.

Skills

Leadership

Business partnership

Executive communication

Governance

Vendor management

Cross-functional leadership

Strategic thinking

Delivery discipline

Change management

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in IT/Engineering/CS/Business/Life Sciences/Supply Chain

Tools

SAP PLM

SAP QM

SAP S/4HANA

Global Batch Trace

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 fulfill their aspirations. Join Gilead and help create possible, together.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Business Partnership

Own the end-to-end Regulatory-to-Release capability strategy across PLM, Quality Management, Product Release, and related digital platforms.

Serve as the senior IT partner for Product Development, Regulatory, Quality, Manufacturing, Clinical, Supply Chain, and Kite, aligning technology priorities to business outcomes.

Set the multi-year roadmap and investment priorities for SAP PLM, SAP QM, Batch Release, Global Batch Trace, and related quality capabilities.

Establish enterprise standards and design principles that promote compliant, scalable, and standardized solutions.

Partner with business process owners, Enterprise Architecture, and delivery teams to govern solution decisions, investments, and lifecycle management.

Drive measurable outcomes in compliance, product quality, release cycle time, adoption, stability, and business value realization.

Delivery & Operational Excellence

Own delivery performance across the Regulatory-to-Release portfolio, ensuring scope, schedule, quality, validation, deployment, sustainment, and adoption commitments are met.

Lead execution across PLM, QM, Batch Release, and related digital initiatives, ensuring delivery is predictable, compliant, and business‑aligned.

Oversee cross‑functional teams, partners, and vendors to resolve issues, manage dependencies, and drive integrated planning from design through support.

Govern backlog priorities, release plans, testing, validation, deployment readiness, and hypercare execution.

Ensure delivery documentation, metrics, and governance controls support quality, compliance, adoption, stability, and measurable business outcomes.

Leadership

Lead the Regulatory-to-Release organization across PLM, Quality Management project delivery & sustainment operations.

Set clear ownership, priorities, execution discipline, and talent development expectations for PLM and Quality leaders.

Build accountable, customer‑focused teams with strong product, architecture, delivery, quality, validation, and operations capabilities.

Manage vendors, system integrators, AMS partners, and co‑source teams to ensure delivery performance and accountability.

Influence senior business and IT leaders on strategy, investments, roadmap priorities, operating model decisions, and value realization.

Communicate priorities, risks, progress, operational health, and outcomes to senior leadership and governance forums.

Key Skills & Experience

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in IT, Engineering, Computer Science, Business, Life Sciences, Supply Chain, or related field.

15+ years of SAP, ERP, digital platform, product management, solution architecture, or enterprise delivery experience in life sciences or regulated manufacturing.

Deep experience with SAP PLM, SAP QM, SAP S/4HANA, and regulated product lifecycle, quality, and release processes.

Strong knowledge of PLM and quality capabilities, including specifications, recipes, BOMs, change management, inspection, batch management, release, genealogy, and related integrations.

Solid understanding of GxP, GMP, FDA 21 CFR Part 11, validation, data integrity, audit readiness, and regulated delivery practices.

Proven ability to lead ERP portfolios across strategy, roadmap, investment planning, delivery, sustainment, compliance, and value realization.

Demonstrated leadership of global matrix teams, vendors, system integrators, AMS partners, business stakeholders, and technical teams.

Strong business partnership, executive communication, and governance skills with the ability to simplify complex SAP, quality, regulatory, and compliance topics.

Track record of driving standardization, reducing technical debt, improving operational resilience, and delivering measurable business outcomes.

Ability to present roadmap, investment, delivery, sustainment, and value realization recommendations to senior leadership.

The salary range for this position is:

Bay Area: $226,185.00 - $292,710.00.

Raleigh: $195,330.00 - $252,780.00.

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 Section503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Act of 1974, and TitleI of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, applicants who require accommodation in the job application process may contact [e-mail] 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.