Director, Global Manufacturing ERP Strategy Lead
Gilead Sciences · Cork
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, Global Manufacturing ERP Strategy Lead
This role serves as the Manufacturing Global Process Owner (accountable for 1 or more Level 1 process steps) for the in-scope ERP-enabled processes and data for production planning, ensuring that global standards, controls, decision rights, and performance measures support compliant, agile, and cost-effective supply.
Reporting to the Head of Global Manufacturing Strategy and Operations, this leader connects Manufacturing operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance, and IT to translate shop-floor and business needs into standardized, scalable processes enabled by SAP S/4HANA and related Manufacturing systems. The role contributes to Manufacturing process strategy and leads the development and execution of standards, governance, data, performance measures, business outcomes, and long-term process stewardship across Clinical and Commercial Manufacturing,. The role also supports migration to the AI enabled and cloud-based RISE platform, enabling a unified digital backbone for manufacturing operations. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of digital manufacturing in a dynamic, science-driven environment.
Job Responsibilities
- Establish and own the target-state process architecture, governance, and Manufacturing business roadmap for ERP-enabled processes. Define and standardize global Manufacturing processes across internal Clinical and Commercial Manufacturing sites and applicable CMOs, and translate approved priorities into business requirements for incorporation into the integrated ERP transformation roadmap.
- Define the performance metrics and decision frameworks to ensure long-term sustainability, compliance, and continuous improvement of our business processes associated with Manufacturing digital systems.
- Lead ERP-enabled end-to-end process mapping and optimization to deliver medicines from development to commercial and from production planning to customer shipment.
- Lead cross-functional Manufacturing process governance with representatives from IT, Finance, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, and Regulatory. Approve Manufacturing process standards, business requirements, controls, and data definitions; provide timely business decisions and escalation; and partner with the ERP Transformation Lead to ensure that solution design, deployment sequencing, and adoption remain aligned with approved Manufacturing outcomes and enterprise standards.
- Own Manufacturing business readiness and adoption for approved process changes, including stakeholder alignment, role and procedure impacts, training requirements, adoption measures, and sustainment. Partner with change-management resources on the integrated change plan, deployment communications, and release readiness.
- Forecast and manage Capital Expenditure (CAPEX), Operational Expenditure (OPEX), and headcount/resource budgets for deployment and sustainment of Global Manufacturing systems and assets.
- Lead and develop the matrixed Global Manufacturing ERP process-owner network, including Manufacturing business analysts, site process leads, subject-matter experts, and super users. Establish role expectations, decision forums, capability development, and sustainment mechanisms while coordinating deployment assignments and capacity needs with the ERP Transformation Lead.
- Serve as the Global Process Owner and Manufacturing data owner for the in-scope ERP-enabled processes. Approve process standards, controls, data definitions, and business decisions; ensure inspection readiness of Manufacturing process governance and evidence; and partner with system owners, Quality, IT, and the ERP Transformation Lead for audit and Health Authority interactions involving the SAP platform.
- Set Manufacturing business priorities and outcome requirements for SAP S/4HANA, RISE, AI-enabled capabilities, and related global systems. Evaluate opportunities against process, compliance, data, and value objectives, and partner with the Manufacturing Digital leader, PDM SAP Tower, IT, and the ERP Transformation Lead to align the Manufacturing process roadmap with the enterprise solution and technology roadmaps.
- Demonstrate Gilead Leadership Commitments through visible, values‑driven leadership, inclusive decision‑making, and clear accountability.
- Model inclusive, transparent decision-making, combining diversity in thought and perspective with consistency and clarity in accountability.
Qualifications
- Requires a Bachelors degree / Master degree or Ph.D. with extensive years of relevant professional experience – a degree in a relevant scientific or business discipline is strongly preferred.
- Proven experience leading large-scale SAP implementations in a manufacturing or life sciences environment, including the ability to translate GMP manufacturing needs into technical user requirements specifications for Information Technology teams.
- Extensive ERP experience as a user and business process owner, including familiarity with typical transactions and master data configuration.
- Deep understanding of cGMP clinical and commercial manufacturing operations, planning, supply chain, and regulatory requirements.
- Excellent business acumen, organizational and communication (both written and verbal) skills.
- Proven ability to lead complex, global transformation initiatives, influence stakeholders without authority, manage ambiguity, and drive adoption through effective communication and change leadership.
- Excels at coaching others and utilizing analytical problem-solving skills to anticipate both strategic and operational issues and recommend effective solutions.
- Strategic thinking and ability to constructively challenge the status quo.
- Demonstrated experience leading global process standardization initiatives and serving as a business and data owner across complex, interconnected digital ecosystems.
- Strong influencing skills with experience as a direct or matrixed people leader with responsibility for areas of significant business impact in a global environment.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities, to draw out diverse views, and to effectively manage challenging conversations with tact and empathy.
- Demonstrated ability to lead organizational change initiatives that adapt to differences in organizational cultures and norms, including stakeholder engagement, communication planning, and adoption strategies.
Preferred Qualifications
- Black Belt or higher certification in Lean / OE / Six Sigma
- Supply Chain APICS / ASCM certification
- Experience designing and building a global capabilities center or similar shared‑services workforce to provide enterprise‑level system support
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.