Associate Director, OPEX

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 Associate Director, Operational Excellence, will support Manufacturing operations and associated key functions (such as Supply Chain & Purchasing) in the identification and implementation of continuous improvements. Will assist, coach, and mentor manufacturing areas in executing projects that drive elimination of waste, increase efficiency and productivity whilst driving quality improvements. Projects will support the Production Cells to achieve designated targets and drive sustainable long-term benefits. This person must demonstrate a high level of professional expertise and consulting skills with the ability to influence cross functional teams to ensure the implementation of recommendations to improve operating effectiveness.

Your Team at Baxter

Within Quality, every role makes a difference. Products that Baxter makes are shipped worldwide for patients in need. Whether it's building a new process from scratch or facing a never-before-seen production hurdle, individuals within Quality are given the trust and opportunity to bring creativity to the table. Regardless of your specific role with a product, it is sure to touch a portion of our global operation.

The mission of Baxter is to save and sustain lives. This mission is embedded into everything we do. This means if there is a decision to be made where quantity and quality are at odds, we will always choose quality. Our patients come first, always.

The Quality function values both working together as a team and independently. We draw energy from working in a plant or an office where there are opportunities to collaborate. As the company evolves, so does the way our team approaches work as it strives to create top-of-the-line products.

We build relationships with each other to get work done. Building these relationships is easy because we all share common traits of being reliable, ethical, and caring. We lean on our colleagues for their expertise and hold each other accountable. We feel empowered to speak up when there's a new insight or opportunity to improve something. This open dialog builds trust within the team and helps create a better product for our customers.

What we offer from Day One

• Medical, Dental and Vision coverage

• 160 hours of Paid Time Off and Paid Holidays

• 401K match

• Employee Stock Purchase Program

• Paid Parental Leave

• Tuition Reimbursement

What you will be doing

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute the site's Operational Excellence strategy aligned with global business priorities.
• Translate corporate strategy into operational initiatives that drive measurable business performance.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the Site Leadership Team on productivity, transformation and operational effectiveness.
• Establish governance mechanisms to monitor strategic initiatives, portfolio execution and value realization.

Continuous Improvement & Business Transformation

• Lead enterprise-wide Lean, Six Sigma and Continuous Improvement initiatives across manufacturing, supply chain and support functions.
• Build a sustainable Continuous Improvement culture through coaching, capability development and leadership engagement.
• Drive digital transformation initiatives that simplify processes, improve data visibility and increase operational efficiency.
• Identify operational risks, performance gaps and improvement opportunities using data analytics and structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Sponsor cross-functional transformation projects with measurable impact on productivity, quality and financial performance.

Manufacturing Excellence

• Ensure Operational Excellence standards are consistently deployed across production operations.
• Champion Lean Manufacturing principles include Standard Work, Visual Management, Daily Management Systems, TPM, Value Stream Mapping, 5S and Kaizen.
• Partner with Manufacturing and Engineering leaders to optimize capacity, productivity, process reliability and equipment effectiveness.
• Drive productivity improvements through process redesign, waste elimination and workflow optimization.

Performance Management

• Establish KPIs, dashboards and governance routines to monitor operational performance.
• Lead business performance reviews with senior leadership.
• Monitor project portfolio execution, savings realization and operational maturity.
• Ensure continuous alignment between operational objectives and financial targets.

Quality, Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure Operational Excellence initiatives fully comply with GMP, regulatory requirements and Quality Management System.
• Partner with Quality and Regulatory Affairs to strengthen process robustness, compliance and inspection readiness.
• Promote a proactive risk management culture using structured methodologies.

Financial Management

• Lead identification, prioritization and delivery of productivity and cost optimization initiatives.
• Own Operational Excellence investment portfolio and associated financial business cases.
• Monitor project financial performance, savings validation and return on investment.
• Support annual strategic planning, budgeting and forecasting activities.

People Leadership

• Build, develop and mentor high-performing Operational Excellence teams.
• Foster an inclusive, collaborative and accountability-driven culture.
• Develop organizational capability through coaching, succession planning and leadership development.
• Drive employee engagement and continuous learning across the organization.

What you will bring

• Bachelor's degree required, preferably in an engineering or science discipline. Master's degree preferred.
• 10+ years of relevant experience in manufacturing environments such as Manufacturing, Engineering, Maintenance, Supply Chain, Project Management, Operational Excellence or Quality. Preferably in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or comparable environments.
• Minimum 5 years in a lean/continuous improvement role preferred.
• Minimum 5 years in a people leadership role.
• Black Belt or Master Black Belt certification is desirable.
• Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Very strong attention to detail.
• Solid understanding of lean, kaizen, VSM and other improvement tools and techniques.
• Detailed operational knowledge of manufacturing environments. Previous experience of aseptic manufacturing is desirable.
• Ability to set priorities and manage multiple projects with minimal supervision.
• High energy, enthusiasm, and strong interest in continuous improvement.
• Advanced/Strong computer skills: MS Access, PowerPoint, Word and Excel.

Applicants must be authorized to work for an employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.

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 $152,000 - $209,000 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. 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.

Other Duties as Assigned

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Overtime is worked as required.

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

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