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
Everyone at Kite is grounded by one common goal - curing cancer. Every single day, we seek to establish a direct line between that purpose and our day-to-day work. Join us in our mission!
We are looking for a Director of APAC Regional Supply Chain to manage our APAC Supply Chain operations across Australia, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan. This role ensures seamless, patient-centric delivery of Kite's cell therapies by bridging Commercial Operations with Technical Operations to enable a world-class customer and patient experience across more than 90 Authorized Treatment Centers (ATCs) in the APAC region.
The Director APAC Regional Supply Chain is responsible for guaranteeing uninterrupted patient supply, strengthening operational resilience, and driving continuous improvement across a diverse and fast-growing region. This position requires strategic leadership, deep operational expertise, and the ability to operate effectively across diverse cultures, multiple time zones, and regulatory frameworks.
This individual leads a team of Supply Chain professionals located across 3 countries and 4 time zones (PST+3 to PST+17), with 6 direct reports leading Launch Management, Cell Order Management, Japan Supply Chain Operations (including Japan Depot Material Management), Logistics, Trade Compliance, and Change Control.
This role is a member of the Global Supply Chain Leadership Team as well as of the International Kite Leadership Team (IKLT). In the latter representing Global Supply Chain for the commercial International Region, including Brazil, Japan, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, and additional countries preparing for launch.
This position is based in Santa Monica, Oceanside, Thousand Oaks or El Segundo and reports to the Vice President, Global Supply Chain.
Kite is transitioning from its current Santa Monica headquarters, with employees expected to relocate to our Oceanside, Thousand Oaks, or El Segundo, CA office beginning in January 2027. While this role will be based in Santa Monica through 2026, applicants should take this planned relocation into consideration. Kite supports a flexible working policy, offering a balanced approach with two days of remote working and three days working onsite.
Responsibilities (include but are not limited to):
Regional Supply Chain Leadership
Lead and be accountable for end-to-end APAC Regional Supply Chain Operations, including Regional Cell Order Management, Launch Management, Japan Depot Material Management, Regional Logistics, Trade Compliance, and Change Control.
Ensure excellent regional operational performance in line with targets and guarantee uninterrupted, reliable patient supply.
Further develop and optimize the APAC regional operating model to support regional scale expansion, continue to improve efficiency, reduce cost, and enhance customer experience.
Partner with Network Planning and Product Supply Chain Leads to optimize supply allocation across Kite's global manufacturing network.
Regularly reassess and optimize APAC shipping lanes to ensure compliance, cost efficiency, and adherence to Trade Compliance and Kite's Quality standards.
Strengthen APAC regional operational resilience by ensuring robust, regularly tested Business Continuity Plans aligned to identified risks (rated on likelihood/impact).
People Leadership & Team Development
Lead, inspire, grow, and retain the high-performing APAC Regional Supply Chain team across multiple countries, cultures, and time zones using people centric leadership tools, including regular 1:1s, skip-levels, Individual Development Plan conversations, bi-weekly Pulse meetings with APAC RSC LT, and quarterly APAC RSC All Staff meetings.
Establish clear priorities, ensure effective workload management, and foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Cross-Functional & Regional Partnership
Maintain and reinforce established strong relationships with Business Unit Directors (BUDs) and senior Commercial leaders across the APAC region.
Serve as the primary Global Supply Chain representative to the International KLT and for APAC BUDs.
Partner closely with the Regional Supply Chain Leads from Americas and Europe/Middle East to share best practices and ensure globally aligned and efficient operations (where relevant).
Act as the voice of the region to other teams and functions within Commercial and Technical Operations, providing actionable operational insights, country feedback, and risk assessments.
Support business case development for new country launches, product expansions, and other strategic initiatives within the APAC region and the broader International Region.
Continuous Improvement, Innovation, and Capability Building
Evaluate and advance opportunities for regional improvement, digital enablement, automation, and future capability building.
Champion a continuous improvement mindset across APAC Regional Supply Chain and drive the team to strengthen customer experience, improve efficiency, and reduce costs.
Basic Qualifications:
PhD with 8+ years of Supply Chain and/or Operations and/or External Manufacturing experience
OR
MA / MS with 10+ years of Supply Chain and/or Operations and/or External Manufacturing experience
OR
BA / BS Degree with 12+ years of Supply Chain and/or Operations and/or External Manufacturing Experience
OR
Associate Degree with 14+ years of Supply Chain and/or Operations and/or External Manufacturing Experience
OR
High School Diploma / GED and 16+ years of Supply Chain and/or Operations and/or External Manufacturing experience
Preferred Qualifications:
Strong experience with People Leadership & Development as well as cross-cultural fluency.
Demonstrated knowledge of E2E Supply Chain Management and Commercial Operations.
Proven ability designing and deploying fit-for-purpose supply chain solutions.
Comfortable with Budget Management and Business Process management.
Experience instituting risk mitigations plans and responding to potential supply disruptions.
Cross-Functional Team Leadership and a demonstrated leadership presence among executives.
Superior business & scientific acumen.
Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills.
Able to develop complex concepts, techniques, and standards.
Able to develop solutions to complex problems which require an in-depth degree of ingenuity, creativity and innovation.
Demonstrated history of leaning into professional challenges which, based on the nature of our work, are frequently unique and solutions may serve as precedent for future decisions, which affect the entire organization.
Recommends organizational objectives and interprets company policies.
Establishes organizational policies in a major segment of the company.
Able to interpret, execute, and recommend modifications to department policies.
Demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the financial aspects of Supply Chain operations.
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 them on current performance and future potential. They ensure employees are receiving the feedback and 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: $191,250.00 - $247,500.00. Kite 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.
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 .
For jobs in the United States:
Kite Pharma 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.com for assistance.
For more information about equal employment opportunity protections, please view the 'Know Your Rights' (https://www.eeoc.gov/employers/eeo-law-poster) poster.
NOTICE: EMPLOYEE POLYGRAPH PROTECTION ACT (http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/eppac.pdf)
YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THE FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT
Kite Pharma 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.
Kite Pharma provides a work environment free of harassment and prohibited conduct. We promote and support individual differences and diversity of thoughts and opinion.
For Current Kite Pharma Employees and Contractors:
Please apply via the Internal Career Opportunities portal in Workday.
Change The World With Us
Everyone at Kite is grounded by one common goal - curing cancer. Every day, we aim to establish a direct line between that purpose and our day-to-day work.
We are creating Kite together, with the recognition that the best teams are built by the best people. We maintain an attitude of curiosity, and creativity with each challenge as we develop a new market for cancer therapies. We appreciate and respect one another, and most importantly, we don't take success for granted.
While we've come a long way to make what others viewed as impossible, possible, we know one thing is certain. Today is just the beginning.
