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Director Program Finance Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Specialist, Program Finance Analyst Job Code: 40855 Job Location: Anaheim, CA. Schedule: 9/80 ... Other special projects as directed by management such as reconciliations, cleanup of migrated or ...

Lead and direct teams to support key program planning and execution elements (e.g., program level ... and financial problems. Decisions guided by resource availability and department objectives.

$200 - $250/hr

The Senior Director, Program Management is a recognized Program and Project Management leader and ... financial terms of various government and/or commercial contracts. Actively participates in ...

Lead and direct teams to support key program planning and execution elements (e.g., program level ... Resolves complex technical, operational, and financial problems. Decisions guided by resource ...

Showing results 21-40

Director Program Finance information

What does a director program finance do?

A Director of Program Finance oversees the financial planning, budgeting, and reporting for specific programs or projects within an organization. They are responsible for ensuring program budgets align with organizational goals, monitoring expenditures, and providing financial analysis to support decision-making. This role often involves collaborating with program managers, senior leadership, and external stakeholders to ensure financial compliance and efficiency. Directors of Program Finance play a key role in strategic planning by forecasting financial needs and identifying areas for cost optimization.

How does a director program finance typically collaborate with program managers and executive leadership to drive financial performance?

A Director of Program Finance plays a key role in partnering with program managers and executive leadership to ensure financial goals are met. This often involves leading budget planning sessions, providing financial analysis on program performance, and advising on resource allocation or risk mitigation. Regular meetings and close collaboration are essential, as the director translates complex financial data into actionable insights for strategic decision-making. The role requires effective communication and the ability to align financial objectives with broader organizational goals.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a director program finance, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Director Program Finance, you need advanced financial analysis, budgeting, and forecasting skills, typically supported by a degree in finance, accounting, or business administration and significant experience in financial leadership roles. Expertise with financial management systems like SAP, Oracle, or Deltek, as well as relevant certifications such as CPA or CFA, is highly valuable. Strong leadership, strategic thinking, and communication skills help drive cross-functional collaboration and effective decision-making. These abilities are crucial for ensuring accurate program financial oversight, compliance, and alignment with organizational goals.

What is the difference between Director Program Finance vs Program Manager?

AspectDirector Program FinanceProgram Manager
CredentialsBachelor's degree, often with finance or accounting certificationsBachelor's degree, project management certifications preferred
Work EnvironmentStrategic financial planning, budgeting, and oversight at a departmental or organizational levelProject execution, coordination, and delivery within specific programs
Employer & Industry UsageNonprofits, government agencies, large corporationsVarious industries including tech, healthcare, and government

The main difference is that the Director Program Finance focuses on high-level financial strategy and oversight for programs, while the Program Manager handles day-to-day project execution and management. Both roles require strong organizational skills, but the Director is more involved in financial planning and policy, whereas the Program Manager emphasizes project delivery.

What are the most commonly searched types of Program Finance jobs in California?

The most popular types of Program Finance jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Director Program Finance jobs?

Cities in California with the most Director Program Finance job openings:

Infographic showing various Director Program Finance job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 79% Full Time, 16% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution.

Executive Director, R&D Program Finance - Foster City, CA

Foster City, CA • On-site

Gilead
Scientific Research and Development Services • 10K+ employees

$131K - $171K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, PTO

Re-posted 3 days ago


Gilead Sciences rating

8.9

Company rating: 8.9 out of 10

Based on 12 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

9th of 86 rated pharmaceutical


Job description

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 Executive Director, R&D Program Finance, serves as the senior finance leader responsible for shaping and driving financial strategy across Gilead's oncology and inflammation portfolio. This leader acts as the strategic business partner to the R&D organization, ensuring that financial insights, rigorous business case evaluations, and value focused decision frameworks meaningfully influence pipeline investment, portfolio optimization, and long range planning. This role leads and develops a high performing Program Finance organization that partners directly with senior executives and their teams across Development, Commercial, PDM, and Finance.

Office Location: Foster City, CA

As aExecutive Director, R&D Program Finance, at Gilead you will ...

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Vision

  • Establish and deliver on vision to position the Program Finance team as a critical strategic partner enabling highquality, valuebased decisions across the development portfolio.

  • Lead the evolution from studylevel cost support to endtoend business case leadership with a focus on value creation.

Stakeholder Influence & Executive Engagement

  • Build trusted partnerships with SVP/VP stakeholders across Development, Commercial, PDM, and Finance.

  • Ensure Finance is recognized as a critical and required voice in PC materials, BD materials, and strategic reviews.

Team Leadership & Capability Building

  • Build and develop a diverse, highimpact team capable of influencing senior R&D leaders and challenging assumptions with datadriven insights.

  • Set a high bar for People Leader accountabilities-fostering inclusion, proactive coaching, and rigorous talent development for all leaders in the Program Finance LT.

  • Assess team capabilities regularly and address gaps related to financial modeling, strategic thinking, communication, and crossfunctional influence.

Operational & Process Excellence

  • Oversee highquality financial assessments for PC decisions, BD evaluations, Portfolio Review, and Long Range Planning -ensuring financial insights are material, timely, and influence outcomes.

  • Embed standardized methodologies (e.g., NPV, riskadjusted frameworks, scenario modeling) across all program teams.

  • Drive continuous simplification and automation of financial processes, enabling faster and more reliable insights (e.g., IPE simplification, rolling forecast enablement).

  • Ensure robust financial governance, policy adherence, and auditready processes (e.g., SOX, EY compliance).

Basic Qualifications:

Bachelor's Degree and Sixteen Years' Experience

OR

Masters' Degree and Fourteen Years' Experience

OR

PhD and Fourteen Years' Experience

Preferred Qualifications:

  • 15+ years in R&D Finance or related strategic finance roles in biopharma.

  • Strategic, systemslevel thinker who distills complexity into clear, actionable decisions, enabling teams and senior leaders to navigate ambiguity with confidence.

  • Builder of highperforming teams and talent, with a strong track record of coaching, elevating emerging leaders, and cultivating an inclusive environment where people can grow and excel.

  • Executive presence with exceptional storytelling and influence skills, capable of framing insights in a way that shapes decisions, aligns stakeholders, and accelerates enterprise impact.

  • Proactive change leader who challenges the status quo constructively, inspires continuous improvement, and leads teams through transformation with optimism, resilience, and clarity.

  • Collaborative, solutionsoriented partner grounded in Gilead's Core Values, fostering trust, accountability, and crossfunctional alignment to deliver outcomes that advance the enterprise.

People Leader Accountabilities:

Create Inclusion - knowing the business value of diverse teams, modeling inclusion, and embedding the value of diversity in the way they manage their teams.

Develop Talent - understand the skills, experience, aspirations and potential of their employees and coach themoncurrent performance and future potential. They ensure employees are receivingthe feedbackand insight needed to grow, develop and realize their purpose.

Empower Teams - connect the team to the organization by aligning goals, purpose, and organizational objectives, and holding them to account. They provide the support needed to remove barriers and connect their team to the broader ecosystem.


The salary range for this position is: $281,010.00 - $363,660.00. Gilead considers a variety of factors when determining base compensation, including experience, qualifications, and geographic location. These considerations mean actual compensation will vary. This position may also be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, discretionary stock-based long-term incentives (eligibility may vary based on role), paid time off, and a benefits package. Benefits include company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans*.

For additional benefits information, visit:

https://www.gilead.com/careers/compensation-benefits-and-wellbeing

* Eligible employees may participate in benefit plans, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans.


For jobs in the United States:

Gilead Sciences Inc. is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment, and is dedicated to fostering an inclusive work environment comprised of diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. Employment decisions regarding recruitment and selection will be made without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability,genetic information or characteristic, gender identity and expression, veteran status, or other non-job related characteristics or other prohibited grounds specified in applicable federal, state and local laws. In order to ensure reasonable accommodation for individuals protected by Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Act of 1974, and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, applicants who require accommodation in the job application process may contact ApplicantAccommodations@gilead.comfor assistance.


For more information about equal employment opportunity protections, please view the'Know Your Rights' poster.

NOTICE: EMPLOYEE POLYGRAPH PROTECTION ACT
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Gilead Sciences will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, (c) consistent with the legal duty to furnish information; or (d) otherwise protected by law.

Our environment respects individual differences and recognizes each employee as an integral member of our company. Our workforce reflects these values and celebrates the individuals who make up our growing team.


Gilead provides a work environment free of harassment and prohibited conduct. We promote and support individual differences and diversity of thoughts and opinion.


For Current Gilead Employees and Contractors:

Please apply via the Internal Career Opportunities portal in Workday.


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