Job Detail

Job Description

Gilead Sciences is a research-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and commercializes innovative medicines in areas of unmet medical need. Our heritage of science and innovation and the curiosity and passion of everyone who works here has enabled us to provide medicines that help transform standards of care for more than 30 years. Gilead’s therapeutic areas of focus include liver diseases, infectious diseases, and cancer.

This Manager Public Affairs and Patient Advocacy position reports directly to the Director Government and Public Affairs for Switzerland and has dotted line reporting to the regional Associate Director of Public Affairs & Patient Advocacy.  This role has responsibility for all patient advocacy initiatives in Switzerland, across Gilead’s therapeutic areas of focus: HIV, Liver Disease and Oncology.

Specific Patient Advocacy Group Responsibilities

• Serve as primary Gilead contact for Swiss patient advocacy groups


• Maintain two-way dialogue with patient advocacy groups to understand priorities and opportunities for collaboration and support, while also sharing information about Gilead and our position on issues of mutual interest


• Develop and implement specific plans that allow the inclusion of patient perspectives and insights in dialogue and strategies serving our shared goal of enhancing patient access to Gilead’s innovative medicines in Switzerland


• Collaborate on disease and treatment education, public health policy, and support for capacity building of patient advocacy groups


• Drive alignment with the Director GA/PA and the cross-functional team on external communication at major patient community events.


• Drive patient focused internal awareness events


• Ensure inclusion of Swiss patient advocacy representatives in Gilead’s sponsored patient advocacy programs


• Ensure that the perspective of the patient community is reflected in internal planning


• Together with the Director GA/PA, and the Swiss Grants Committee, manage the Public Affairs grants program in Switzerland which includes reviewing applications for funding against predetermined criteria, awarding grants and following up on the outcome and impact of funded projects.


• Together with Medical Affairs, engage patient advocacy groups in advisory boards to gather patient insights to inform our decision-making


• Collaborate with the global Public Affairs leads for each therapeutic area to ensure alignment of Swiss advocacy activities to the corporate strategy and share best practices


• Represent Gilead in the communications working group of the industry association

Specific Public Affairs Responsibilities

• Working with Director GA/PA on preparation of communications materials including strategic programming, key messages, Q&A documents and press releases, as well as media and message training Gilead spokespersons for media interviews


• Manage all aspects of media relations including building relationships with key media, assessing media opportunities, developing media and adjacent key stakeholder responses (HCPs, health agencies, policy/Government, PAGs)


• Serve as Gilead Switzerland press office, with agency support

Knowledge, Experience and Skills  

• Requires a strong track record of experience in patient advocacy or philanthropic work gained in similar roles in the healthcare industry or in NPOs/NGOs with a focus on healthcare.


• Strategic thinker with ability to formulate, develop and execute on agreed strategies


• Ability to build alliances with external stakeholders such as patient advocacy groups and other relevant NGOs


• Knowledge of the Swiss healthcare system and key policies relevant for pharmaceutical market access for highly innovative medicines


• Ability to command respect with both external and internal stakeholders


• Sound business judgment and analytical skills


• Ability to work in a matrix organization


• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communications skills


• Experience with budget management


• Must be fluent in English and German; fluency in French is a plus

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)