Associate Director, IT Portfolio Manager

Baxter International; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 168,000 - 231,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and dental coverage

ESPP stock purchase plan

401(k) Retirement Savings Plan

Paid holidays & PTO 20–35 days

Job summary

Baxter International is seeking an Associate Director, IT Portfolio Manager to lead Baxter's Supply Chain technology portfolio. You will drive prioritization, governance, planning, and execution across strategic initiatives, guiding a team of PMs/PMs and partnering with Finance and executives to optimize value realization.

This hybrid role is based in Deerfield, IL, with a focus on balancing strategy and hands-on leadership to deliver measurable business impact while aligning investments with

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in IT portfolio management, program management, and project management leadership.
• Experience partnering with senior business and IT leaders to facilitate prioritization, investment decisions, and strategic planning activities.
• Strong financial management capabilities, including budgeting, forecasting, investment governance, and portfolio performance management.
• Demonstrated experience leading teams of Project Managers and Program Managers in a complex, matrixed environment.
• Experience delivering technology initiatives that support manufacturing, supply chain, distribution, or other operational business functions.
• Strong communication, executive presentation, and stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization.
• Experience using employer-sanctioned AI tools and data-driven decision making to improve productivity, portfolio performance, and delivery outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary partner to business and IT leaders for project intake, portfolio governance, prioritization, and delivery.
• Lead the evaluation and business case development of new initiatives, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives, resource capacity, and funding constraints.
• Facilitate portfolio planning and prioritization discussions, balancing business value, risk, capacity, and investment requirements.
• Own portfolio-level financial performance, including budgeting, forecasting, investment planning, spend tracking, and variance management.
• Provide end-to-end accountability for project and program delivery, ensuring initiatives meet scope, timeline, budget, and value objectives.
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Project Managers and Program Managers while driving accountability and continuous improvement.
• Prepare executive-level portfolio reporting and present portfolio health, performance, risks, and investment recommendations to senior leaders.
• Partner with Finance, business stakeholders, and the PMO Center of Excellence to strengthen governance, improve processes, and drive successful value realization.

Skills

IT portfolio mgmt

Program management leadership

Stakeholder management

Financial management

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

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 role at Baxter

As the Associate Director, IT Portfolio Manager, you will serve as the primary technology portfolio leader for Baxter's Supply Chain organization, partnering closely with senior business and IT leaders to drive prioritization, governance, planning, and execution across a complex portfolio of strategic initiatives. You will be responsible for ensuring technology investments align to business priorities, deliver measurable value, and are appropriately funded, resourced, and governed throughout their lifecycle. In this highly visible leadership role, you will provide end-to-end accountability from project intake through value realization while leading a team of Project Managers and Program Managers. Acting as both a strategic advisor and hands-on coach, you will help shape investment decisions, facilitate executive prioritization discussions, and ensure successful delivery of projects that support critical business objectives. You will also partner closely with Finance, executive stakeholders, and the PMO Center of Excellence to optimize portfolio performance, improve governance, and drive consistent project management practices across the organization. This role is ideal for a leader who enjoys balancing strategy, execution, financial management, and people leadership in a fast-paced environment. This is a hybrid position based in Deerfield, IL.

What you’ll be doing

• Serve as the primary partner to business and IT leaders for project intake, portfolio governance, prioritization, and delivery.
• Lead the evaluation and business case development of new initiatives, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives, resource capacity, and funding constraints.
• Facilitate portfolio planning and prioritization discussions, balancing business value, risk, capacity, and investment requirements.
• Own portfolio-level financial performance, including budgeting, forecasting, investment planning, spend tracking, and variance management.
• Provide end-to-end accountability for project and program delivery, ensuring initiatives meet scope, timeline, budget, and value objectives.
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Project Managers and Program Managers while driving accountability and continuous improvement.
• Prepare executive-level portfolio reporting and present portfolio health, performance, risks, and investment recommendations to senior leaders.
• Partner with Finance, business stakeholders, and the PMO Center of Excellence to strengthen governance, improve processes, and drive successful value realization.

What you’ll bring

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in IT portfolio management, program management, and project management leadership.
• Experience partnering with senior business and IT leaders to facilitate prioritization, investment decisions, and strategic planning activities.
• Strong financial management capabilities, including budgeting, forecasting, investment governance, and portfolio performance management.
• Demonstrated experience leading teams of Project Managers and Program Managers in a complex, matrixed environment.
• Experience delivering technology initiatives that support manufacturing, supply chain, distribution, or other operational business functions.
• Strong communication, executive presentation, and stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization.
• Experience using employer-sanctioned AI tools and data-driven decision making to improve productivity, portfolio performance, and delivery outcomes.

Baxter is committed to supporting the needs for flexibility in the workplace. We do so through our flexible workplace policy which includes a required minimum number of days a week onsite. This policy provides the benefits of connecting and collaborating in-person in support of our Mission. The flexible workplace policy is subject to local laws and legal requirements. At its discretion, Baxter may decide to adjust, suspend, or discontinue as business needs change. 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 estimated base salary for this position is $168,000 -$231,000. The estimated range is meant to reflect an anticipated salary range for the position. 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 upon location, skills and expertise, experience, and other relevant factors. This position is also eligible for discretionary bonuses.

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) This is where your well-being matters.

• 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.
• 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.

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.

Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal.

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.

No matter your role at Baxter, your talent, skills, and time has a direct impact on people’s lives. Since 1931, we have been at the forefront of innovation by bringing smarter, more personalized care to patients around the world. Now, we’re more determined than ever to make a lasting impact as we are redefining healthcare delivery across the care journey. Our Mission to Save and Sustain Lives motivates us as we create a culture in which each of us can succeed. This is where you belong.