Patient Access to Care Director, UK&I in London

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.

The Patient Access to Care (PAC) Director role is a commercial, non-promotional leadership role accountable for removing barriers to diagnosis and treatment. Reporting to the Senior Business Unit Director, Liver & AAI, you’ll focus on delivering Hepatitis C (HCV) Elimination across UK&I, improve screening and linkage to care in Hepatitis D (HDV) and develop the cross-functional strategy for those with Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC). Since 2018, Gilead has established partnerships with providers of Addiction services in England, providing funding to enable the deployment of HCV coordinators and data analysts across these settings. Working with NHS England’s Operational Delivery Networks (ODNs) and alongside the patient advocacy organisation, the Hepatitis C Trust, over half of these Addiction services have declared micro-elimination of HCV, a measure of very low to zero cases of HCV present in those services. Our collective aim is to ensure that every individual in these settings is tested and treated via a patient pathway that works for them. Your role is to drive this, adapting the approach in line with the remaining challenge. Beyond the England HCV elimination programme, you’ll work with national and key local stakeholders to inspire, catalyse and facilitate improved HCV and HDV diagnostic and treatment pathways. You’ll be directly leading a high-performing, experienced team of field-based PAC managers that have received repeated external recognition, including numerous HSJ awards. You’ll also lead our cross-functional strategy, supporting delivery through other functions and field teams as appropriate.

You’ll thrive in this role if you:

• enjoy leading through ambiguity and change management
• are a dynamic, strategic thinker with a focus on measurable impact
• can deliver through your team, supporting their growth and attracting further talent
• bring the right people together, set a collective ambition and inspire different external and internal stakeholders to achieve it
• have the highest integrity and judgement of risk

This role is a unique opportunity in your career; to contribute daily towards England being the first major country in the world to eliminate HCV; to work with the NHS and charities to drive change from within the system; and to evolve our patient finding beyond HCV into other disease areas within the BU.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Execute and evolve cross-functional Patient-finding strategy across UK&I to achieve target of number of patients commencing DAA treatment
• Manage Provider initiatives to achieve expected outcomes, deploying budget to unlock additional impact or expedite progress, whilst ensuring initiatives have patient care at their heart
• Ensure Gilead remains a true partner with NHSE and our stakeholders, leveraging this credibility to access further opportunities for greater impact
• Lead, develop and equip PAC team, ensuring effective measurement and supporting tools/materials
• Inspire external stakeholders to act in pursuit of elimination as well keeping internal momentum locally and Globally
• Ensure clear focus on compliance with industry regulations, legal requirements and internal business conduct policies in this sensitive and potentially complex area.
• As a member of the BU leadership team, actively contribute to the effective operation of the wider business unit, leading and supporting key initiatives

Knowledge, Experience and Skills:

• Experience of patient pathway optimisation from diagnosis to treatment is an advantage, particularly in HCV
• Proven success leading and developing a team within a performance-driven environment
• Demonstrated ability to develop strategy and measure impact in a complex environment, execute with excellence and course correct as required
• Excellent cross-functional leadership – include and mobilise others to maximize their contribution to deliver the strategy
• Excellent internal and external stakeholder management – create productive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders being viewed as a valued partner.
• Strong understanding of industry code of conduct and key relevant legislation.
• Articulate and compelling communicator
• Experience in external partnering and commercial relationships highly valued
• Demonstrated ability to ruthlessly prioritise and deliver with impact

Most recent estimates (2024) suggest that around 50,200 people in England are living with chronic Hepatitis C infection (HCV). HCV is a curable infection, and the UK Government has committed to eliminating the disease ahead of the WHO ambition of 2030. In the UK, injecting drug use continues to be the single largest risk factor for HCV infection, so testing is increasingly being undertaken in settings where those individuals are likely to be, such as in Addiction services, community pharmacies, homeless shelters, prisons and other healthcare settings. To support HCV Elimination, NHSE have worked with Pharmaceutical companies to establish an ‘Elimination framework’ whereby NHSE procures both medicines and Elimination initiatives. Gilead was awarded Gold status in that framework and since May 2019 has been working with partners to support HCV elimination. A subsequent framework was established in April 2026, extending Gilead’s leadership and commitment to HCV Elimination.