Associate Director, OPEX

Baxter International Inc. • Marion, NC

6d • $152,000 - $209,000 • Onsite

About The Position

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.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required, preferably in an engineering or science discipline.
• 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 people leadership role.
• 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.
• 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.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum 5 years in a lean/continuous improvement role preferred.
• Black Belt or Master Black Belt certification is desirable.
• Previous experience of aseptic manufacturing is desirable.

Responsibilities

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Benefits

• 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
• basic life, accident, short-term and long-term disability, and business travel accident insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• commuting benefits
• Employee Discount Program
• childcare benefits

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director