Manager, Global Travel Operations

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
 

The Global Travel Operations Manager serves as the operational owner of Gilead’s Global Travel Program, with primary responsibility for day-to-day program oversight, supplier performance management, policy execution, and user experience. This role partners closely with Indirect Procurement Category Leaders, Travel Management Company (TMC), internal stakeholders, and travel suppliers to ensure consistent, compliant, and efficient travel operations across the enterprise.

The successful candidate will bring deep experience managing corporate travel programs, with a proven ability to execute operationally while contributing to broader program strategy. They must be comfortable navigating complex, evolving environments; influencing stakeholders without direct authority; and collaborating across functions. The role requires strong communication skills and the ability to engage effectively with senior leaders in a dynamic setting.

Key Responsibilities:

Global Travel Program Operations

• Manage the operational execution of Gilead’s global corporate travel program, ensuring alignment with established policies, controls, and governance frameworks.

• Lead day-to-day management of Travel Management Company (TMC) relationship, including service delivery oversight, issue resolution, and escalation management.

• Serve as the primary operational point of contact for the TMC and key travel service providers.

• Partner with Procurement Category Management to ensure operational execution aligns with contracted terms, sourcing strategies, and supplier frameworks.

• Ensure consistent travel program delivery across regions, geographies, and business units.

• Participate in the development of the travel category strategy and technology roadmap, providing operational input to inform prioritization, sequencing, and implementation planning.

• Lead the implementation of strategic initiatives to optimize the corporate travel program, leveraging industry best practices, market insights, and Gilead’s business needs to drive operational efficiency, compliance, and traveler experience.

• Partner with Corporate Security and Compliance teams to support traveler safety, high-risk country travel approvals, and regulatory requirements.

• Collaborate closely with Procurement, Meetings & Events, Finance, IT, Security, and business stakeholders to ensure seamless integration across related programs.

• Manage day-to-day operations of the EU Posted Workers Directive (PWD) process, coordinating with agencies and internal stakeholders to support timely registrations and resolve issues in accordance with compliance requirements.

• Support ongoing PWD compliance and process execution, including monitoring ticket intake and follow-up, maintaining documentation, safeguarding sensitive data, and escalating risks.

• Establish and monitor key performance metrics, maintaining dashboards to ensure transparency, visibility, and adoption of travel program initiatives across the organization.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required, advanced degree preferred

• Signigicant experience in corporate travel management, travel operations, procurement operations, or supplier program management

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience managing a global travel program or large-scale travel operations environment

• Proven experience working with a TMC and global travel suppliers

• Strong understanding of travel policies, compliance requirements, and traveler risk management

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously in a global organization

• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence and resolve issues without formal authority

• Experience leveraging data and reporting to drive operational decisions and continuous improvement

Leadership Competencies

• Results-oriented with strong execution discipline

• High attention to detail

• Strong communication with the ability to translate complexity into clear guidance

• Collaborative, inclusive, and solutions-driven

We are pleased to share that Gilead’s Stockley Park and Holborn offices are planning to come together at a new London headquarters at 1 Triton Square, NW1, from approximately Q2 2027. Applicants should consider this planned location change when applying for this role. Gilead operates a flexible working policy, offering a balanced approach with two days of remote working and three days working onsite. 

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.

Please apply via the Internal Career Opportunities portal in Workday.