Director, Strategic Healthcare Programs

Baxter•Deerfield, IL

1d•Remote

About The Position

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. Position Summary We are seeking a commercially driven leader to serve as Director, Strategic Healthcare Programs, leading the design, development, and execution of innovative healthcare programs across the U.S. healthcare landscape. This individual will bring a deep understanding of the U.S. health system—including payers, providers, IDNs, ACOs, GPOs, and CMS programs—combined with exceptional commercial instincts and the ability to translate complex market dynamics into compelling customer narratives. The role requires a natural connector and influencer who thrives on customer mapping, insight generation, and narrative building, while also orchestrating collaboration across multiple internal functions (sales, marketing, HEOR, medical affairs, contracting, policy, finance, operations).

Requirements

10+ years of experience in U.S. healthcare (provider, payer, medtech, pharma, or consulting).
Proven track record of commercial success in healthcare program models such as bundled payments, shared savings, risk-based contracts, or CMS innovation models.
Deep understanding of U.S. health system economics, including reimbursement pathways, risk models, and provider incentives.
Exceptional commercial acumen—able to see opportunities, build narratives, and close them.
Strong executive presence and communication skills—able to influence C-suite customers and senior internal leaders.
Demonstrated ability to build networks and lead without authority, orchestrating diverse functions to deliver outcomes.

Nice To Haves

Experience with HEOR, policy, or health economics is a strong plus.

Responsibilities

Lead the development of strategic healthcare program approaches that differentiate our portfolio in the U.S. market.
Map healthcare ecosystems at national, regional, and local levels to identify key stakeholders, influencers, and decision-makers.
Stay ahead of policy and reimbursement shifts (e.g., CMS TEAM, DRGs, bundled payments, shared savings models) and translate them into actionable opportunities.
Partner with key customers (IDNs, health systems, ACOs, and payers) to co-create strategic healthcare programs aligned with their priorities.
Build compelling, insight-driven narratives that demonstrate how our solutions improve outcomes, lower cost of care, and support customer success.
Lead the development of pilot programs and partnerships that demonstrate measurable outcomes and customer impact.
Identify and develop partnerships aligned to rural health, health equity, and underserved population initiatives, leveraging federal, state, and value-based funding mechanisms to expand access to care and improve outcomes.
Serve as the internal “glue” across commercial, medical, HEOR, finance, and contracting teams to align on strategy and execution.
Drive cross-functional collaboration to integrate strategic healthcare programs into go-to-market plans and commercial execution.
Influence senior leadership and regional teams by providing thought leadership, business cases, and field insights.
Translate complex healthcare economic and clinical data into compelling commercial stories.
Represent the company in external forums (congresses, roundtables, and advisory boards) to shape perception and build credibility in strategic healthcare programs.
Build evidence, case studies, and customer success stories that can be scaled across markets.

Benefits

Medical and dental coverage that start on day one
Insurance coverage for basic life, accident, short-term and long-term disability, and business travel accident insurance
Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), with the ability to purchase company stock at a discount
401(k) Retirement Savings Plan (RSP), with options for 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