Associate Director, Baxter GPS Operational Excellence

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

The Baxter Associate Director, Baxter GPS Operational Excellence leads complex, enterprise-level improvement projects across business units and corporate functions.

This role exemplifies Baxter GPS leadership and serves as a key enabler of embedding GPS into how Baxter operates. It applies Kaizen methodology, Lean principles, and Six Sigma tools to simplify end-to-end value-stream processes, eliminate waste and non-value-added complexity, solve high-impact business problems, accelerate growth, strengthen customer outcomes, and deliver measurable operational and financial results. The Black Belt partners with business-unit and functional leaders to align stakeholders, implement solutions rapidly, and sustain improvements across organizational boundaries.

This role can be based in Deerfield, IL; St. Paul, MN; Bellevue, WA; Skaneateles, NY; or Raleigh, NC and follows a hybrid work model, with regular in-office presence expected at the selected Baxter location.

Candidates should expect approximately 50% travel to Baxter sites and business locations to lead Kaizen events, facilitate improvement initiatives, coach leaders, and support operational excellence priorities.

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead high-impact projects and Kaizen events across business units and functions from problem definition through rapid implementation and sustained performance, using Kaizen, DMAIC, and other fit-for-purpose improvement methods.

• Map, simplify, and improve end-to-end value streams that span Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Finance, Commercial, Quality, Engineering, and other enabling functions by removing handoffs, duplication, delays, rework, and non-value-added steps.

• Analyze operational, financial, customer, and commercial data to identify root causes, variation, waste, growth opportunities, and performance gaps.

• Plan and facilitate Kaizen events, value-stream mapping, process-simplification workshops, and structured problem-solving sessions with senior leaders, functional experts, and frontline teams across organizational boundaries.

• Develop business cases, project charters, implementation plans, performance measures, and control plans; validate operational and financial results with Finance and process owners.

• Align sponsors and stakeholders across business units and functions, resolve competing priorities, and drive decisions required to advance enterprise initiatives.

• Train and coach business leaders, Lean leaders, project teams in Kaizen, Lean Six Sigma, change leadership, and practical problem-solving; mentor them in applying continuous process improvement methods, leading effective improvement events, and sustaining results.
• Exemplify Baxter GPS leadership and partner with business-unit and functional leaders to embed GPS principles, behaviors, improvement methods, management routines, and standard work into how Baxter operates.

• Communicate project progress, interdependencies, risks, decisions, and results to executive sponsors and senior leaders.

• Ensure changes support applicable quality, safety, financial-control, privacy, and regulatory requirements.

What You’ll Bring

• ~15+ years of relevant experience.
• Current Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, operations, business, supply chain, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience leading Kaizen events and end-to-end value-stream simplification projects with measurable outcomes.
• Strong proficiency in statistical analysis, root cause analysis, process mapping, and change management.
• Ability to influence stakeholders and lead teams without direct authority.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills.
• Flexibility to travel based on business needs, potentially up to 50%.

What Will Help You Stand Out

• Experience leading enterprise or multi-business-unit transformation initiatives in a complex, matrixed organization.
• Broad business experience across several functions, such as Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Finance, Commercial, Quality, Engineering, or shared services.
• Experience in medical devices, pharmaceuticals, or another regulated industry.
• Experience coaching Green Belts and building continuous improvement capability.
• Familiarity with operational, financial, commercial, and customer performance measures, including quality, yield, cycle time, productivity, inventory, cost, revenue, and service.

What Success Looks Like

• Success in this role will include delivering sustained improvements across business units and functions, simplifying end-to-end value streams, shortening lead times, reducing handoffs and non-value-added steps, and delivering verified financial and operational benefits.
• You’ll also contribute to stronger customer and commercial outcomes, effective adoption of new ways of working, and increased Kaizen and problem-solving capability across the organization. 

Baxter is committed to supporting the needs for flexibility in the workplace. We do so through our flexible workplace policy which includes a required minimum number of days a week onsite. This policy provides the benefits of connecting and collaborating in-person in support of our Mission. The flexible workplace policy is subject to local laws and legal requirements. At its discretion, Baxter may decide to adjust, suspend, or discontinue as business needs change.

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 $160,000 - $220,000. 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 is also eligible for discretionary bonuses. 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.

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.

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 .