Global Travel, Expense & Card Programs – Senior Specialist

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
 

Global Travel, Expense & Card Programs – Senior Specialist

Position Summary

Reporting to the Global T&E Operational Lead, the Senior Specialist will play a key role in the administration, optimization, and transformation of Gilead's global Travel & Expense (T&E), Corporate Card, and Purchasing Card programs.

In addition to managing core operational activities, this role will serve as a strategic partner in driving digital innovation, automation, and AI-enabled process improvements across the T&E ecosystem. The successful candidate will combine deep operational expertise with strong analytical, technology, and AI capabilities to identify opportunities to improve employee experience, strengthen compliance, enhance controls, and increase operational efficiency.

This individual will be expected to leverage data analytics, automation tools, generative AI solutions, and emerging technologies to streamline processes, generate insights, reduce manual effort, and support data-driven decision-making. The role requires collaboration across Finance, Procurement, HR, IT, banking partners, and business stakeholders globally.

While maintaining strong hands-on operational expertise, the Senior Specialist will take ownership of complex global issues, lead cross-functional improvement initiatives, and act as a key deputy to the Global T&E Operational Lead. The role will be expected to influence decisions, shape future-state processes, provide leadership-level insights, and drive measurable improvements across governance, compliance, automation, employee experience, and operational performance.

Key Responsibilities

Travel & Expense Operations

• Support and optimize Concur and related Travel & Expense processes.

• Act as the primary escalation point for complex T&E issues and exceptions.

• Maintain and enhance global expense policies, audit rules, and compliance controls.

• Provide expert policy interpretation and compliance guidance to stakeholders.

• Lead employee training and education initiatives, incorporating AI-enabled learning resources where appropriate.

• Support month-end accrual activities and reporting requirements.

• Submit revenue files as required to Revenue Online System.

• Manage and resolve complex end-user and country-specific inquiries.

• Monitor system interfaces and investigate integration issues.

• Perform root cause analysis and recommend corrective actions.

• Produce ad hoc operational reporting, trend analysis, and executive-ready insights.

• Support AppZen administration and exception management.

• Utilize AI and automation technologies to improve audit effectiveness, user experience, and process efficiency.

• Partner with IT and business teams to identify, pilot, and deploy AI-enabled solutions within T&E operations.

• Partner with Global Travel Team and Procurement on PCard adoption as a buying tool

Corporate Card & Purchasing Card Programs

• Administer Gilead's global Corporate Card and Purchasing Card programs.

• Manage onboarding, offboarding, and card lifecycle activities.

• Review and approve card applications and maintenance requests.

• Monitor card usage, compliance, and program effectiveness.

• Support credit limit reviews and card program governance.

• Manage Merchant Category Code (MCC) controls and maintenance processes.

• Coordinate cardholder transfers, business traveller requirements, and long-term assignments.

• Support Blackline reconciliations and financial control activities.

• Manage Business Travel Account reconciliations and journal processes.

• Partner closely with banking providers to resolve operational issues and implement enhancements.

• Drive modernization of card program processes through automation and AI-based monitoring techniques.

• Leverage analytics to identify spend anomalies, compliance risks, and user behaviour trends.

Data Analytics, AI & Process Innovation

• Champion the adoption of AI, automation, and advanced analytics across the T&E function.

• Utilize tools such as Microsoft Copilot, Power BI, Tableau, Power Platform, AppZen AI, and other emerging technologies to improve operational effectiveness.

• Develop dashboards, automated reporting solutions, and predictive insights to support business decision-making.

• Analyse large data sets to identify trends, risks, savings opportunities, and process bottlenecks.

• Support the design and implementation of intelligent workflows and process automation initiatives.

• Evaluate new AI-enabled technologies and make recommendations to leadership regarding adoption opportunities.

• Support data governance, AI governance, and responsible use of AI within operational processes.

• Act as an AI ambassador within the team, promoting best practices and driving digital capability development.

Metrics, Compliance & Governance

• Perform detailed analysis of operational metrics, service levels, and program performance.

• Produce executive dashboards and KPI reporting for leadership teams.

• Monitor aging transactions and SLA adherence.

• Manage delinquency reporting and remediation activities.

• Conduct spend monitoring and recovery follow-up activities.

• Monitor program utilization, card activation, and adoption trends.

• Review training compliance requirements and completion metrics.

• Manage aged transaction remediation and data cleansing activities.

• Monitor late payment fees and identify preventative actions.

• Investigate compliance breaches and support corrective action plans.

• Review fraud alerts and coordinate investigations.

• Utilize AI-driven insights to identify emerging risk patterns and strengthen controls.

• Recommend and implement improvements to governance frameworks and control environments.

Required Experience & Competencies

Experience

• Extensive experience in Finance Operations, Shared Services, Procurement Operations, or related functions within a multinational environment.

• Strong experience supporting Travel & Expense, Corporate Card, and/or Purchasing Card programs.

• Hands-on experience with Concur, SAP, and related finance systems.

• Demonstrated experience delivering operational excellence, process transformation, and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Experience applying AI, automation, or advanced analytics solutions within finance or operational processes.

• Proven track record of managing complex operational issues, stakeholder relationships, and escalations.

Technical & AI Capabilities

• Strong proficiency in data analytics and visualization tools such as Power BI, Tableau, Power Query, and Excel.

• Experience leveraging AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot, AppZen AI, Power Platform AI capabilities, or comparable solutions.

• Understanding of automation technologies including Power Automate, RPA, workflow automation, and digital process optimization.

• Ability to translate business challenges into technology-enabled solutions.

• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to derive actionable insights from complex data sets.

• Knowledge of AI governance, data quality principles, and responsible AI practices is highly desirable.

Leadership & Behavioural Competencies

• Highly analytical with strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.

• Curious, innovative, and continuously seeking opportunities to leverage new technologies.

• Strong business partnership and stakeholder management capabilities.

• Effective communicator with the ability to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels.

• Demonstrated ability to lead initiatives without direct authority.

• Self-motivated, adaptable, and comfortable operating in a fast-paced, evolving environment.

• Passion for continuous improvement, digital transformation, and AI-driven innovation.

Success Profile

The ideal candidate is not only an expert in Travel & Expense and Card Program operations but also a digitally minded finance professional who can leverage AI, automation, and analytics to transform processes, improve controls, and deliver measurable business value. They will be viewed as a trusted advisor and innovation leader, helping shape the future of Gilead's global T&E operations through intelligent, technology-enabled solutions.

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.