Quality GPS Lead

Baxter; Round Lake Beach (IL); On-site; USD 112,000 - 154,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) Plan with company match

Paid time off 20–35 days

Job summary

Baxter is seeking a Quality GPS Lead in Round Lake, IL to drive operational excellence within the Drug Delivery Quality organization. You will deploy GPS, build dashboards, and coach teams to identify and solve issues while ensuring compliance in a regulated pharma setting.

With a focus on sustaining improvements, you will connect frontline activities to leadership and lead Kaizen events to enhance quality and flow. Strong collaboration and change leadership are essential for success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Science, Pharmacy, Quality, Operations, Business, or related field.
• Eight+ years in quality, manufacturing, engineering, or related functions within a regulated industry.
• Experience implementing tiered daily management, visual management systems, and leader standard work.
• Expertise in root cause analysis, structured problem solving, and coaching teams.
• Experience leading Kaizen events and cross-functional transformation with measurable outcomes.
• Knowledge of pharmaceutical quality systems (CAPA, change control, data integrity).
• Strong facilitation, communication, and change leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead deployment of Baxter GPS across Quality, building operating systems to improve performance.
• Develop tiered daily management processes linking frontline activities with site leadership.
• Create visual dashboards to identify risks and enable timely decisions.
• Coach leaders in problem-solving, strengthening RCA and recurrence prevention.
• Ensure continuous improvement aligns with remediation objectives and compliance.
• Drive high-impact initiatives, reduce cycle times, and improve quality systems.
• Build organizational capability by growing internal coaches and facilitators.

Skills

Root cause analysis

Structured problem solving

Facilitation

Change leadership

Kaizen events

Coaching teams

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree (Engineering/Science/Pharmacy/Quality/Operations)

Tools

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt

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.

Your Role at Baxter

As the Quality GPS Lead, you will serve as a key driver of operational excellence within the Round Lake Drug Delivery Quality organization. You will partner closely with Quality Leadership, the Site Remediation Lead, and Operational Excellence teams to integrate Baxter GPS principles into quality operations in a way that strengthens performance while maintaining compliance within a regulated pharmaceutical environment.

In this highly visible role, you will establish the systems, routines, and behaviors that enable teams to identify problems earlier, solve issues more effectively, and sustain improvements over time. Success will be measured through stronger quality performance, increased organizational capability, improved operational flow, and the successful integration of continuous improvement practices into everyday quality operations.

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead the deployment of Baxter GPS across the Quality organization, building sustainable operating systems that improve quality performance, visibility, and accountability.
• Develop and implement tiered daily management processes that connect frontline quality activities with site leadership through clear communication and escalation pathways.
• Create visual management systems and performance dashboards that enable teams to identify risks, address challenges proactively, and drive timely decision-making.
• Coach leaders and teams in structured problem-solving methodologies, strengthening root cause analysis, investigation effectiveness, and recurrence prevention.
• Partner with Quality, Remediation, and Operational Excellence leaders to ensure continuous improvement efforts support remediation objectives, compliance expectations, and long-term organizational goals.
• Facilitate high-impact continuous improvement initiatives, including Kaizen events and value stream improvements that enhance quality systems, reduce cycle times, and improve operational effectiveness.
• Build organizational capability by developing leaders, facilitators, and teams who can independently sustain GPS practices and continuous improvement behaviors.

What You'll Bring

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Science, Pharmacy, Quality, Operations, Business, or a related field.
• Eight or more years of experience in Quality, Manufacturing, Engineering, Operational Excellence, Continuous Improvement, or related functions within a regulated industry.
• Proven experience implementing tiered daily management, visual management systems, leader standard work, and structured escalation processes with sustainable results.
• Demonstrated expertise in root cause analysis, structured problem-solving methodologies, and coaching teams to improve operational performance.
• Experience leading Kaizen events, process improvement initiatives, and cross-functional transformation efforts that deliver measurable business outcomes.
• Working knowledge of pharmaceutical quality systems, including investigations, corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), change control, and data integrity requirements.
• Strong facilitation, influencing, communication, and change leadership skills with the ability to build alignment across functions and organizational levels.

Preferred Qualifications

• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or comparable advanced continuous improvement certification.
• Experience implementing an enterprise operating system or production system within pharmaceutical, sterile, aseptic, biotechnology, or medical device manufacturing environments.
• Experience supporting organizations undergoing regulatory remediation, compliance transformation, or significant quality improvement initiatives.
• Knowledge of A3 thinking, PDCA, COMPASS, or similar structured continuous improvement methodologies.
• Experience improving quality system performance metrics such as batch release cycle times, investigation closure timelines, CAPA effectiveness, or right-first-time performance.
• Experience developing internal coaches, facilitators, and continuous improvement practitioners.

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 $112,000 - $154,000 annually. The estimated salary 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. For questions about this, our pay philosophy, and available benefits,

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. Baxter offers comprehensive compensation and benefits packages for eligible roles. Our health and well-being benefits include 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. We also offer 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. 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.

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.