Sr Director, Medical Affairs

We’re here for one reason and one reason only – to cure cancer. Every moment is dedicated to developing treatments and every action moves us one step closer to our goal. We’ve made incredible scientific breakthroughs and our pioneering personalized CAR T-cell therapies have changed the paradigm. But we're not finished yet. Join Kite, as we make even bigger advances in cancer therapies, and help shape where our business and medical science goes next. 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 Kite and help create more tomorrows. Job Description The Medical Director Evidence Generation Lead – Head ACE, ICR, & Japan at Kite Pharma (a Gilead Company) provides strategic leadership for the design, execution, and interpretation of medical evidence generation activities supporting Kite’s portfolio of innovative cell therapies.  This role is central to shaping Kite’s evidence ecosystem, driving innovation, and aligning regional and global medical strategies. The ideal candidate is an experienced clinical leader with late-stage expertise, a proven track record in collaborative trial design and management, and a passion for transforming patient outcomes in different therapeutic areas (Multiple Myeloma, Lymphoma, Solid Tumors, etc.) Key Responsibilities Strategic Leadership & Planning Initiate, direct, and execute the external evidence strategic roadmap for ACE, ICR, and Japan to maximize impact on Kite’s corporate strategies, under the general direction of the VP, Evidence Generation. Lead the development and execution of the external evidence generation strategy and operating plan for ACE, ICR, and Japan, in partnership with the Medical Affairs Strategy Team. Establish short- to mid-term (1–3 years) clinical and scientific evidence strategies aligned with Global Medical Affairs (GMA) and Evidence Generation functional objectives. Conceive, define, and lead impactful translational, development, and medical external strategies to drive Kite’s pipeline and business. Propose new strategic opportunities by applying scientific and clinical principles to assess potential collaborations with industry experts. ​ Clinical Leadership & Execution Lead the development of strategic collaborations and clinical groups across ACE & Japan, influencing a significant portion of the Kite portfolio. Own strategic alliances in ACE, ICR, & Japan, supporting the Kite enterprise and portfolio.  Provide scientific and medical oversight for all Medical Affairs/Kite Sponsored Studies, including interventional trials, non-interventional studies, and strategic alliances across therapeutic areas. Oversee the ACE, ICR, & Japan Investigator-Sponsored Research (ISR) and Collaborative Research (CR) programs, ensuring scientific merit, strategic alignment, and compliance. Serve as Medical Monitor for assigned studies, ensuring timely execution, data quality, and regulatory compliance (GCP, SOPs). ​ Data Interpretation & Dissemination Lead medical review, interpretation, and communication of study results, including drafting publications, abstracts, posters, and presentations for internal and external audiences.  Serve as a medical expert for oversight for study data, engaging with internal stakeholders and external Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs). ​ Cross-Functional Collaboration & Compliance Act as decision maker, advisor, and subject matter expert to leadership functions (DAI to EGLT, MALT, KLT, PT, PC, ERC, etc.) on external opportunities and strategic alliances.  Influence senior leadership and governance bodies in setting and executing short- and long-range strategies for Evidence Generation and GMA. Develop and cultivate external relationships to advance Kite’s Medical Affairs and corporate objectives. Lead the development of the Evidence Generation function’s infrastructure and local team, including senior talent development. Ensure all activities adhere to Kite/Gilead policies, local regulations, and the highest ethical standards; lead process and system development as needed. Develop, build, and lead cross functional teams to execute Medical evidence generation collaborative research. ​ Qualifications Required MD or equivalent medical degree. Significant experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, with relevant experience in medical affairs, clinical development, or evidence generation roles.  Proven leadership in designing and managing clinical trials, including Phase IV and investigator-sponsored studies.  Understanding of the cell therapy landscape, including regulatory and post-approval evidence needs ​ Preferred Experience in CAR-T or related advanced modalities (e.g., gene therapy, immuno-oncology). Demonstrated success in leading cross-functional teams and external partnerships. Strong strategic thinking, project management, and stakeholder engagement/influencing skills. Familiarity with digital platforms and real-world data methodologies.  ​ Other Requirements Willingness to travel domestically up to 20–30%. Strong communication and stakeholder management skills The role is based in Stockley Park/ UK.   Kite is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development of innovative cancer immunotherapies with a goal of providing rapid, long-term durable response and eliminating the burden of chronic care. The company is focused on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and T cell receptor (TCR) engineered cell therapies designed to empower the immune system's ability to recognize and kill tumors. Kite is based in Santa Monica, CA. For more information on Kite, please visit www.kitepharma.com. Sign up to follow @KitePharma on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kitepharma.   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 Kite Pharma Employees and Contractors: Please apply via the Internal Career Opportunities portal in Workday.