Director, HR Operational Excellence

About the role

As a Director, HR Operational Excellence at Gilead, you will...

Position Overview

The Director, HR Operational Excellence is responsible for leading HR's global operational transformation agenda. This leader partners across HR Shared Services, Centers of Excellence (COEs), HR Business Partners, and business stakeholders to redesign how HR work is delivered, scaled, optimized, and sustained.

Leading a team of Operational Excellence professionals, the Director will identify and execute high-impact opportunities that improve service delivery and employee experience, simplify processes and strengthen operating models. The role serves as a key advisor to HR leaders on service design, operational readiness, automation, and continuous improvement.

This leader combines strategic thinking with hands-on execution, bringing a strong process improvement mindset, exceptional change leadership skills, and a passion for driving measurable business outcomes through operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Lead HR Operational Transformation

• Develop and execute a multi-year roadmap to improve HR service delivery capabilities globally.
• Identify, lead and partner on strategic initiatives that simplify, standardize, and transform how HR services are delivered.
• Partner with senior HR leaders to address complex operational challenges and improve business outcomes.
• Serve as a thought partner on operating model design, service delivery strategy, and organizational effectiveness.

Drive Process Redesign and Optimization

• Lead end-to-end process redesign initiatives across the employee lifecycle and HR service ecosystem.
• Identify opportunities to reduce complexity, eliminate inefficiencies, and improve employee and manager experiences.
• Apply Lean, Six Sigma, and structured problem-solving methodologies to deliver measurable improvements.
• Establish best practices and standards for process documentation, governance, and sustainment.

Enable Digital HR and Automation

• Partner with HR Technology, Digital Experience, AI, and Shared Services teams to identify and prioritize opportunities for workflow automation, AI-enabled capabilities, digital self-service, and process digitization to modernize HR service delivery.
• Support adoption and scaling of new tools and capabilities across HR.

Improve Delivery Across the HR Operating Model

• Partner with COEs, HR Business Partners, Shared Services, and other HR teams to improve the delivery and operationalization of programs and services.
• Clarify roles, responsibilities, workflows, handoffs, and decision rights across teams.
• Design scalable operating models that improve service quality, consistency, accountability, and execution.
• Develop governance routines, performance measures, and operational disciplines that enable sustainable results.

Lead Complex Work Transitions and Service Readiness

• Oversee intake, evaluation, prioritization, and execution of complex work transfers into HR service delivery organizations.
• Lead readiness assessments, transition planning, stabilization activities, and operational handoffs.
• Ensure new or changing work is successfully embedded into ongoing operations with clear ownership and performance measures.
• Mitigate operational risk during organizational, program, process, and service transitions.

Build HR Continuous Improvement Capability

• Create a culture of continuous improvement across HR.
• Coach HR leaders and teams on operational excellence principles and methodologies.
• Develop repeatable tools, frameworks, and approaches that strengthen problem-solving and improvement capabilities.
• Promote data-driven decision making and performance management practices.

Lead and Develop the HR Operational Excellence Team

• Lead and develop a team of Operational Excellence professionals responsible for global transformation initiatives.
• Establish priorities, allocate resources, and ensure delivery of strategic commitments.
• Build organizational capability and succession strength within the team.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performance culture focused on impact and execution.

Leadership Competencies

• Exceptional stakeholder management and influence skills.
• Strong facilitation and problem-solving capabilities.
• Ability to lead through ambiguity and complexity.
• Results-oriented with a bias toward execution.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills.

Success Profile

Successful candidates will be able to

• Translate business challenges into scalable operational solutions.
• Lead large, complex transformation efforts from design through sustainment.
• Drive measurable improvements in service delivery performance, efficiency, and experience.
• Build trusted partnerships across HR and the broader business.
• Inspire teams to embrace continuous improvement and innovation.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree and Twelve Years' Experience
• OR
• Masters' Degree and Ten Years' Experience
• OR
• PhD and Eight Years' Experience

Preferred Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in Operational Excellence, HR Transformation, Management Consulting, Business Process Improvement, or a related discipline.
• Experience leading large-scale transformation, process redesign, service delivery, or operating model initiatives.
• Experience leading global, cross-functional programs with executive-level visibility.
• Demonstrated success leading teams and driving organizational change.
• Experience within HR, Shared Services, Employee Services, People Operations, or related functions.
• Experience implementing automation, workflow optimization, AI-enabled capabilities, or digital transformation initiatives.
• Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, Operational Excellence, or related methodologies.
• Experience supporting service delivery organizations and global operating models.

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 employees are receiving the feedback and insight needed to grow, develop and realize their purpose.
• Empower Teams - connect the team to the organization by aligning goals, purpose, and organizational objectives, and holding them to account. They provide the support needed to remove barriers and connect their team to the broader ecosystem.

Pay and benefits

The salary range for this position is: $210,375.00 - $272,250.00. 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

• Eligible employees may participate in benefit plans, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans.

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.

For Current Gilead Employees and Contractors

Please apply via the Internal Career Opportunities portal in Workday.