Operational Excellence - Manager II

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 Team

The Operational Excellence team is responsible for overseeing and directing the development, planning, implementation, and maintenance of manufacturing processes and operations for new and existing products and technologies. This role leads a significant portion of plant operations and partners closely with cross-functional teams to ensure compliance with current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) requirements, and other applicable regulations.

The team is focused on driving operational performance by optimizing safety, quality, service, and cost while supporting continuous improvement initiatives and strategic business objectives.

What You'll Be Doing

• Oversee daily manufacturing operations across one or multiple departments and shifts to ensure production objectives are achieved safely, efficiently, and in compliance with quality standards.
• Develop, implement, and maintain operational plans that drive performance and support annual operating plan commitments.
• Facilitate the evaluation, development, and implementation of improvements in materials, manufacturing processes, and assembly operations.
• Lead, coach, develop, and manage direct reports by setting performance expectations, providing regular feedback, and supporting career development.
• Ensure products are delivered on time while meeting quality, yield, operating cost, and process efficiency targets.
• Maintain compliance with all applicable cGMP, EHS, SOP, and regulatory requirements.
• Partner with internal customers, functional teams, and leadership to ensure quality commitments and operational goals are achieved.
• Identify, initiate, and lead continuous improvement initiatives including Lean Manufacturing programs, 5S, Visual Management, Kaizen events, and other Operational Excellence activities.
• Serve as a subject matter expert during internal, external, and regulatory audits.
• Support plant-wide strategic initiatives, programs, and operational improvement efforts.
• Collaborate with support functions to secure resources, resolve operational challenges, and drive business results.
• Develop and manage the annual manufacturing operating budget while maintaining expenses within approved plans.
• Analyze operational data and develop strategies that support the manufacturing operating system and business objectives.
• Lead both short-term and long-term planning activities for assigned functional areas.
• Track and improve key performance indicators (KPIs) related to staffing, labor efficiency, scrap reduction, production volume, quality, safety, and cost performance.
• Identify priorities and allocate resources effectively to support department goals and business needs.

What You'll Bring

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Science, Operations Management, or a related field.
• Minimum of 8 years of manufacturing or operations experience.
• Minimum of 3 years of supervisory or people leadership experience.
• In-depth knowledge of manufacturing processes, equipment, operations, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Experience working in cGMP-regulated environments and maintaining compliance with applicable quality and regulatory standards.
• Ability to collect, analyze, and interpret scientific, operational, and statistical data to identify opportunities for improvement and determine root causes.
• Experience developing and managing annual operating budgets.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and enterprise business systems.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to present information to employees, senior leaders, auditors, and regulatory inspectors.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing business operations and financial performance metrics.
• Green Belt or Black Belt Certification in Lean Six Sigma or equivalent continuous improvement methodology.
• Experience leading Lean Manufacturing, Operational Excellence, or process improvement programs.
• Ability to communicate effectively in both English and Spanish.

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 .