Sr Director, External Manufacturing & Strategic Procurement

This is where your work makes a difference. At Baxter, we believe every person—regardless of who they are or where they are from—deserves a chance to live a healthy life. It was our founding belief in 1931 and continues to be our guiding principle. We are redefining healthcare delivery to make a greater impact today, tomorrow, and beyond. Our Baxter colleagues are united by our Mission to Save and Sustain Lives. Together, our community is driven by a culture of courage, trust, and collaboration. Every individual is empowered to take ownership and make a meaningful impact. We strive for efficient and effective operations, and we hold each other accountable for delivering exceptional results. Here, you will find more than just a job—you will find purpose and pride. Your role at Baxter As the Sr Director, External Manufacturing & Strategic Procurement, you have the chance to create a significant impact on our global operations! This senior leadership position involves defining and delivering Baxter's global strategy for strategic sourcing, supplier partnerships, and outsourced manufacturing operations. You will be accountable for ensuring cost competitiveness, supply continuity, quality compliance, and operational performance across our external manufacturing network. Your role will drive long-term value creation through strategic partnerships, innovation, and operational excellence. What you'll be doing External Manufacturing Strategy & Operations - Lead the development and execution of external manufacturing strategies across Advanced Surgery, CCS, and FLC, ensuring alignment with business priorities, product portfolio requirements, and long-term network objectives. Supplier & Partner Leadership - Develop and maintain executive-level relationships with Contract Manufacturing Organizations (CMOs) and strategic suppliers, driving accountability, operational excellence, capacity alignment, and long-term partnership value. Commercial Negotiations & Value Creation - Lead complex supplier negotiations, including commercial agreements, payment terms, productivity initiatives, and cost optimization programs that improve profitability and support Margin Improvement Program (MIP) objectives. Operational Performance & Governance - Establish and drive standardized operating mechanisms, including business reviews, scorecards, escalation processes, and performance management frameworks to ensure consistent execution across the external manufacturing network. Financial Stewardship & Margin Improvement - Drive margin improvement, working capital optimization, and cost management initiatives while supporting budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning activities across the ECM portfolio. Cross-Functional Leadership & Business Partnership - Partner with leaders across Supply Chain, Quality, Regulatory, Manufacturing, Commercial, and Finance organizations to proactively address operational challenges, mitigate risk, support product launches, and ensure supply continuity. Risk Management & Supply Continuity - Identify and address supplier, operational, and market risks through effective governance, contingency planning, and partner performance management to ensure uninterrupted supply and business continuity. What you'll bring Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Life Sciences, Business, or a related field. Advanced degree (MBA, MS, or PhD) strongly preferred 15+ years of progressive leadership experience across manufacturing operations, external manufacturing, supply chain, procurement, supplier management, or related functions within highly regulated industries. Experience in medical devices, biologics, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, or other regulated manufacturing environments is strongly preferred. Exceptional communication, relationship-building, and executive presentation skills with the ability to engage and influence senior leaders, cross-functional stakeholders, and external partners while navigating ambiguity and competing priorities. Track record of establishing performance management frameworks, governance processes, and operating mechanisms that improve operational execution, supplier performance, supply continuity, and service reliability across complex manufacturing or supply networks. Strong business and financial acumen with experience leading margin improvement, productivity, working capital, cost optimization, and value creation initiatives that drive measurable business results. Up to 30–40% global travel We understand compensation is an important factor as you consider the next step in your career. At Baxter, we are committed to equitable pay for all employees, and we strive to be more transparent with our pay practices. The estimated base salary for this position is $208,000 - $286,000 annually. The estimated range is meant to reflect an anticipated salary range for the position. We may pay more or less than of the anticipated range based upon market data and other factors, all of which are subject to change. Individual pay is based on upon location, skills and expertise, experience, and other relevant factors. This position may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses, commission, and/or long-term incentive. For questions about this, our pay philosophy, and available benefits, please speak to the recruiter if you decide to apply and are selected for an interview. Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time. #LI-KV1 US Benefits at Baxter (except for Puerto Rico) This is where your well-being matters. Baxter offers comprehensive compensation and benefits packages for eligible roles. Our health and well-being benefits include medical and dental coverage that start on day one, as well as insurance coverage for basic life, accident, short-term and long-term disability, and business travel accident insurance. Financial and retirement benefits include the Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), with the ability to purchase company stock at a discount, and the 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan (RSP), with options for employee contributions and company matching. We also offer Flexible Spending Accounts, educational assistance programs, and time-off benefits such as paid holidays, paid time off ranging from 20 to 35 days based on length of service, family and medical leaves of absence, and paid parental leave. Additional benefits include commuting benefits, the Employee Discount Program, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and childcare benefits. Join us and enjoy the competitive compensation and benefits we offer to our employees. For additional information regarding Baxter US Benefits, please speak with your recruiter or visit our Benefits site: Benefits | Baxter Equal Employment Opportunity Baxter is an equal opportunity employer. Baxter evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status, disability/handicap status or any other legally protected characteristic. Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal Reasonable Accommodations Baxter is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities globally. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or interview process, please click on the link here and let us know the nature of your request along with your contact information. Recruitment Fraud Notice Baxter has discovered incidents of employment scams, where fraudulent parties pose as Baxter employees, recruiters, or other agents, and engage with online job seekers in an attempt to steal personal and/or financial information. To learn how you can protect yourself, review our Recruitment Fraud Notice. No matter your role at Baxter, your talent, skills, and time has a direct impact on people's lives. Since 1931, we have been at the forefront of innovation by bringing smarter, more personalized care to patients around the world. Now, we're more determined than ever to make a lasting impact as we are redefining healthcare delivery across the care journey. Our Mission to Save and Sustain Lives motivates us as we create a culture in which each of us can succeed. This is where you belong.