Operational Excellence Specialist

Baxter International Inc.; Round Lake (IL); On-site; USD 76,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking company where your role as an Operational Excellence Specialist will significantly impact the lives of patients. This position offers a unique opportunity to lead and sustain improvement projects within a dynamic manufacturing environment. You will utilize your expertise in Lean and Six Sigma methodologies to foster a culture of continuous improvement, collaborating with various teams to enhance operational efficiency. If you are passionate about driving change and making a meaningful difference in healthcare, this role is tailored for you. Embrace the chance to grow and thrive in a supportive environment dedicated to innovation and excellence.

Qualifications

• 2+ years in manufacturing or 5-7 years without degree in relevant areas.
• Green Belt required; Black Belt highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead deployment of the Baxter Operating System and project management.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives and coach teams.

Skills

Continuous Process Improvement

DMAIC

Lean Six Sigma

Interpersonal Skills

Analytical Skills

Project Management

Coaching

Communication Skills

Education

BS/BA in Business Management

Engineering degree

Lean Training/Certification

Black Belt Certification

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

This is where you save and sustain lives

At Baxter, we are deeply connected by our mission. No matter your role at Baxter, your work makes a positive impact on people around the world. You’ll feel a sense of purpose throughout the organization, as we know our work improves outcomes for millions of patients.

Baxter’s products and therapies are found in almost every hospital worldwide, in clinics and in the home. For over 85 years, we have pioneered significant medical innovations that transform healthcare.

Together, we create a place where we are happy, successful and inspire each other. This is where you can do your best work.

Join us at the intersection of saving and sustaining lives— where your purpose accelerates our mission.

Your role at Baxter

The Operational Excellence Specialist is responsible for identifying opportunities to support the Margin Improvement Projects pipeline of the Round Lake Drug Delivery site and is instrumental in the implementation of the Baxter Operating System (BOS) strategy for each value stream within the plant. This role will require the ability to be multidisciplinary, utilize DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) to problem solve, and interact/partner with many groups within the plant (Manufacturing, Chem Lab, Warehouse, Maintenance, etc) to unlock value for the site.

The scope of the position is also to be a coach for the organization in the following areas: Kaizen Culture, Daily Accountability & Visual Management Systems, Lean Transformation, Value Stream Mapping, Workshop creation and facilitation, Problem Solving, use of lean and six sigma tools and basic statistical analysis. This individual should have good business acumen as well as good interpersonal, and communication skills. This position reports to the Operational Excellence Sr. Manager, but will be imbedded within a value stream of the site (Ceph, Non-Ceph, Peni).

What you'll be doing

• Be a leader and enabler of the deployment/sustaining of BOS and project creation and management within the VCD system and ideation through implementation and control using DMAIC methods.
• Work as a change agent and drive the continuous improvement cultural transformation for the plant.
• Coach and assist on resolving priorities and achieving results. Oriented toward value added process improvements and program management (EMS, Kaizen Culture, Certification Programs, Project Management Office, iCare and others)
• The position can lead and support continuous improvement initiatives for waste elimination and reducing process variation through Kaizens and problem-solving workshops, assessments and trainings.
• The position can lead the Value Improvement Program, by identifying and helping other areas in the execution of the projects to accomplish yearly targets.

• Identifies areas of improvement for complex plant opportunities. Works closely with plant staff to drive changes and improvements that impact the bottom-line results on Quality, Service, Delivery and Cost.
• Deliver improvement projects through the appropriate project management and benefits realization.

What you'll bring

• BS/BA degree or equivalent degree in Business Management, Engineering, or other related field of study with 2 or more years of experience in manufacturing environments in areas such as: Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality or Operational Excellence.
• If candidate has no BS/BA degree or equivalent, then at minimum 5-7 years of manufacturing experience with a foundational understanding of DMAIC and Six Sigma.
• Must have working knowledge and understanding of Continuous Process Improvement methodologies such as Lean and Six Sigma.
• Green Belt, Root Cause Problem Solving or Lean Training/Certification required.
• Black Belt training/Certification highly desirable.
• Must have excellent interpersonal and communication skills as well as exhibit initiative and a high level of energy.
• Must have strategic planning and business acumen skills.
• Very good coaching, facilitation and presentation skills.
• Ability to manage complex projects simultaneously and drive change.
• Exhibits cross functional leadership, teamwork and influencing skills.
• Good analytical/statistical problem-solving skills.
• Ability to operate in the complex, matrixed environment.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

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 $76,000 - $104,500 annually. 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 on location, skills and expertise, experience, and other relevant factors. This position may also be 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.

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.