Manager , Operational Excellence

Job Summary

At Baxter Healthcare Corporation, the Manager I, Operational Excellence, plays a pivotal role in driving the deployment of Operational Excellence (OpEx) programs at our site. This position is crafted for an ambitious leader who excels in process improvement and project management. You will work closely with department management to improve processes and develop support and deployment plans, ensuring flawless execution and continuous improvement.

• Lead the rollout of the OpEx program within operations functions.
• Ensure each applicable function has OpEx support infrastructure and a deployment plan.
• Work together with department management to identify how OpEx can support their ongoing improvement efforts.
• Develop and carry out an OpEx team support and deployment plan.
• Assist in coordinating and developing the organization's OpEx deployment plan.
• Establish baseline and target metrics for key processes with leadership.
• Install organizational supports for Operational Excellence.
• Coach and mentor site-wide Black Belt and Green Belt candidates.
• Handle several projects while exhibiting expertise in planning, budgeting, and project management.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary groups, demonstrating effective negotiating and influencing abilities.
• Develop and present training materials and facilitate workshops.

• Develop and carry out training programs to educate site employees on OpEx principles, tools, and methodologies, including Lean principles, Six Sigma methodologies, and quality standards.
• Provide training and mentoring on LEAN manufacturing principles such as Value Stream Mapping (VSM), Kaizen events, and Root Cause Analysis (RCA).
• Deliver training sessions on process improvement, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Coordinate with department managers to assess training needs and formulate training plans.
• Offer ongoing coaching and mentoring to support professional development and improve skills and knowledge.
• Maintain a training schedule to ensure all site employees have access to training and development opportunities.

• BS/BA degree in Business Management, Engineering, or a related field.
• Certified Black Belt with strong understanding of LEAN Manufacturing principles.
• Minimum of 5 years of business operations and/or plant manufacturing or engineering experience, including 3+ years of demonstrated process improvement success.

• Skilled in managing various projects and exhibiting planning, budgeting, and project management proficiency.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with cross-functional groups.
• Strong skills in negotiation and persuasion.
• Excellent reading, writing, and verbal communication skills.
• Strong analytical and statistical problem-solving skills.
• Strong mentoring and facilitation skills.
• Experience with Lean tools and approaches like Kanban, Heijunka, and Poka-Yoke.
• Experience with quality standards like ISO 9001 and cGMP.
• Knowledge of Six Sigma techniques including DMAIC and DMADV.

• Six Sigma Black Belt certification, Master Black Belt preferred.
• Practical experience with LEAN tools and methodologies.
• Familiarity with quality standards, established operational guidelines, and current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP).

• Site employee training and development measurements.
• Metrics from the OpEx program implementation, like process improvements and expense savings.
• Leadership and management indicators, such as employee engagement and retention rates.
• Quality metrics, including defect rates and customer happiness scores.

• Overtime as required.
• Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

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 base salary range for this position is $128,000 - $160,000. 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 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.

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):
Baxter offers comprehensive compensation and benefits packages for eligible roles. 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…