Associate Director, Operational Excellence

Baxter International Inc.

. Lead complex, enterprise-level improvement projects across business units and corporate functions .

Posted 11/5/2026full-timeUnited StatesSenior💰 $160,000 - $220,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in leading complex enterprise-level improvement projects, utilizing Lean Six Sigma methodologies, and driving measurable outcomes through effective stakeholder engagement and communication. Proficient in analyzing operational and financial data to identify performance gaps and implement sustainable process improvements across various business functions.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt CertificationKaizen Event LeadershipStatistical AnalysisProcess MappingChange Management

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Value-Stream MappingRoot Cause AnalysisPerformance MeasuresContinuous Process ImprovementProject Charter DevelopmentImplementation PlanningFinancial ControlQuality AssuranceOperational AnalysisData Analysis

Soft Skills

Clear CommunicationStakeholder InfluenceTeam LeadershipCoachingFlexibility

Certifications & Qualifications

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt

Industry Keywords

ManufacturingSupply ChainFinanceCommercialQualityEngineeringMedical DevicesPharmaceuticalsRegulated IndustryContinuous Improvement

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead complex, enterprise-level improvement projects across business units and corporate functions
Lead high-impact projects and Kaizen events from problem definition through rapid implementation and sustained performance
Map, simplify, and improve end-to-end value streams across Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Finance, Commercial, Quality, Engineering, and other enabling functions
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
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, resolve competing priorities, and drive decisions for enterprise initiatives
Train and coach business leaders, Lean leaders, and project teams in Kaizen, Lean Six Sigma, change leadership, and practical problem-solving
Mentor teams in continuous process improvement, effective improvement events, and sustaining results
Embed Baxter GPS principles, behaviors, improvement methods, management routines, and standard work into operations
Communicate project progress, interdependencies, risks, decisions, and results to executive sponsors and senior leaders
Ensure changes support quality, safety, financial-control, privacy, and regulatory requirements
Travel approximately 50% to Baxter sites and business locations

Requirements

What you’ll need

~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%
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
Must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S.
Baxter is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time

Benefits

Comp & perks

Medical and dental coverage starting on day one
Basic life, accident, short-term and long-term disability, and business travel accident insurance
Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) with discounted company stock
401(k) Retirement Savings Plan (RSP) with employee contributions and company matching
Flexible Spending Accounts
Educational assistance programs
Paid holidays
Paid time off ranging from 20 to 35 days based on length of service
Family and medical leaves of absence
Paid parental leave
Commuting benefits
Employee Discount Program
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Childcare benefits
Flexible workplace policy with a required minimum number of days onsite
Discretionary bonuses