Director, Head of Government Affairs - Türkiye

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 Director, Head of Government Affairs - Türkiye Company Overview 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 ensure access to these therapies across the globe. 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 make a meaningful difference for patients worldwide. Our people play a key role in driving 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. Mission of International Government Affairs Our International Government Affairs mission is to build long-term and trust-based partnerships with policymakers by generating evidence, driving advocacy and shaping policy to support: Value recognition of Gilead's innovations Rapid, equitable and sustainable access to our therapies Advancement of public health Leadership Commitments I am bold in aspiration and agile in execution. I care and make time for people. I listen, speak openly and explain the "why". I trust others and myself to make sound decisions. I own the impact of my words and actions. Position Overview An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Turkish affiliate and be part of the Leadership Team. The Director, Head of Government Affairs - Türkiye, reports to the Executive Director, Head of Government Affairs, Intercontinental Region. The role serves as a member of both the Türkiye Leadership Team and the Intercontinental Region Government Affairs Leadership Team and he/she will be based in our office in Istanbul, Türkiye. The Director is responsible for developing and executing Government Affairs and public policy strategies in Türkiye, aligned with Gilead's business priorities and public health objectives. Working closely with Commercial, Market Access, Medical Affairs, Public Affairs, Regulatory Affairs, Legal and Compliance, the position will shape the external policy environment to support value recognition, patient access and sustainable uptake of Gilead's current and future innovations. The role serves as a strategic advisor to the Türkiye General Manager and affiliate leadership team, providing insights into healthcare policy, pricing, reimbursement, public health, regulatory and political developments that impact Gilead's business and patients. In addition, the Director will lead policy and public health initiatives that support Türkiye's efforts to end the HIV epidemic, including partnerships and advocacy programmes that improve screening, diagnosis, linkage to care and retention in treatment, while supporting progress towards national 95-95-95 goals. Key Responsibilities Leadership Serve as a member of the Türkiye Leadership Team and contribute actively to business strategy and performance. Serve as a member of the Intercontinental Region Government Affairs Leadership Team and contribute to regional Government Affairs priorities and initiatives. Provide strategic counsel to affiliate leadership on policy developments, stakeholder engagement and emerging external risks and opportunities. Champion Gilead's culture, values and leadership commitments. Government Affairs Strategy and Policy Shaping Develop and execute Government Affairs strategies supporting Gilead's priorities in Türkiye. Shape policy discussions related to healthcare financing, pricing, reimbursement, pharmaceutical innovation, localisation policies and public health priorities. Support policy initiatives that improve value recognition and sustainable access to innovative medicines. Position Gilead as a trusted partner supporting Türkiye's healthcare priorities, innovation agenda and long-term health system sustainability. Advocate for policy frameworks that support timely patient access to innovation in HIV, oncology, liver disease and other priority therapeutic areas. Lead policy and advocacy initiatives that support Türkiye's progress towards HIV 95-95-95 goals, particularly by advancing routine screening, early diagnosis, linkage to care and retention in treatment. Partner with government institutions and external stakeholders to strengthen patient pathways and improve public health outcomes. Stakeholder Engagement Build and maintain trusted relationships with senior stakeholders across the Ministry of Health, industry associations and other relevant government bodies. Develop and execute strategic engagement plans with policymakers, authorities, healthcare institutions and public health partners. Build strategic partnerships with public health authorities, academic institutions, professional societies and patient or community organisations. Represent Gilead in industry associations and external healthcare policy forums. Support senior leadership engagement by providing strategic guidance, messaging and briefing materials. Business Partnership Partner closely with Market Access, Medical Affairs, Commercial, Regulatory Affairs and Public Affairs teams. Support pricing and reimbursement strategies through proactive policy engagement. Support launch readiness and lifecycle management through strategic external engagement. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop sustainable solutions that improve patient identification, treatment initiation and continuity of care. Contribute to policy environments that facilitate access to innovative medicines and support healthcare system sustainability. Ensure Government Affairs priorities align with affiliate business objectives and patient needs. Strategic Intelligence and Environmental Monitoring Monitor political, healthcare, reimbursement, pricing and regulatory developments in Türkiye and assess their impact on Gilead's business and patients. Assess risks and opportunities and translate them into actionable business recommendations. Provide regular policy intelligence and environmental insights to affiliate and regional leadership. Support business planning through proactive identification of emerging trends and policy developments. Project Leadership Lead complex Government Affairs and public health projects and cross-functional workstreams. Manage external consultants, agencies and strategic partnerships where applicable. Drive implementation of policy-related initiatives that support both business priorities and public health impact. Ensure strong governance, compliance and measurement of key initiatives. Qualifications and Experience Experience Minimum of 10 years of experience in Government Affairs, Public Policy, Market Access, Public Health, Public Affairs or related healthcare disciplines. Strong understanding of the Turkish healthcare system, pharmaceutical policy environment, pricing and reimbursement landscape. Demonstrated experience engaging with the Ministry of Health, SSI, TİTCK and other relevant healthcare stakeholders. Demonstrated experience leading or supporting public health initiatives, disease awareness programmes, screening initiatives, linkage-to-care programmes or healthcare system improvement efforts. Experience in HIV, infectious diseases, public health policy, oncology or specialty medicines strongly preferred. Experience within the innovative biopharmaceutical industry preferred. Government Affairs and Public Health Expertise Proven track record of developing and executing successful Government Affairs and policy-shaping strategies. Strong understanding of public health policy, disease prevention strategies, screening models and healthcare delivery pathways. Experience influencing policy discussions related to healthcare access, innovation and public health priorities. Experience developing multi-stakeholder partnerships that improve public health outcomes. Strong understanding of pharmaceutical pricing, reimbursement and healthcare financing frameworks in Türkiye. Ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments and deliver measurable outcomes. Leadership and Collaboration Strong cross-functional leadership and stakeholder management capabilities. Ability to influence senior leaders internally and externally. Ability to work effectively across multiple countries and cultures. Strong executive presence and strategic mindset. Demonstrated ability to lead projects and initiatives through influence rather than direct authority. Proven ability to convene and align diverse stakeholders around shared public health objectives and drive collective action. Strategic and Business Acumen Strong business judgement and strategic thinking. Ability to connect policy developments and public health priorities to business strategy and patient impact. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Proven ability to drive strategy through execution. Communication Excellent communication, influencing and presentation skills. Ability to communicate complex policy and public health issues clearly and effectively. Fluency in Turkish and English required. Education Bachelor's degree required. Advanced degree in Public Policy, Public Health, Life Sciences, Pharmacy, Economics, Law or Business Administration preferred. 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.