Director, Strategic Healthcare Programs

Baxter Healthcare; Deerfield (IL); On-site; USD 184,000 - 253,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

ESPP

401(k)

PTO 20–35 days

Educational assistance

Job summary

Baxter Healthcare seeks a commercially driven leader for the Director, Strategic Healthcare Programs role in the U.S. You will design and execute innovative programs across payers, providers, IP networks, and CMS initiatives, translating complex market dynamics into compelling customer narratives.

This position requires influencing senior leaders, collaborating across sales, HEOR, medical affairs, and contracting, and driving value-based partnerships with payers and providers.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in U.S. healthcare.
• Proven track record of commercial success in healthcare program models.
• Deep understanding of U.S. health system economics, including reimbursement pathways and provider incentives.

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 stakeholders and decision-makers.
• Stay ahead of policy and reimbursement shifts and translate them into actionable opportunities.
• Partner with key customers (IDNs, health systems, ACOs, and payers) to co-create programs aligned with their priorities.
• Build compelling, insight-driven narratives demonstrating how solutions improve outcomes and reduce costs.
• Lead development of pilot programs and partnerships with measurable customer impact.
• Identify partnerships aligned to rural health, health equity, and underserved population initiatives across funding mechanisms.

Skills

U.S. healthcare experience

Strategic program development

Executive communication

Cross-functional leadership

Job description

This is whereyour 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).

What you'll be doing

Market & Customer Strategy

• 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.

Customer Engagement & Program Development

• 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

Internal Leadership & Collaboration

• 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.

Insight & Advocacy

• 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.

What you'll bring

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

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 $184,000-$253,000 annually. The estimated range is meant to reflect an anticipated salary range for the position. We may pay more or less than 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. This position may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses, commission, and/or long-term incentive.

US Benefits at Baxter (except for Puerto Rico)

• Medical and dental coverage that starts 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

For additional information regarding Baxter US Benefits, 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.

1 Baxter Parkway|Deerfield, IL 60015|United States of America