Sr. Director, IT - R&D Technology

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

We are seeking a skilled Sr. Director of IT, R&D to join our dynamic team.  The Sr. Director of IT, R&D is accountable for the strategy, delivery, and evolution of IT capabilities that enable Baxter’s global R&D organization, spanning Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), R&D applications, software‑enabled products, and capital equipment development.

This role plays a crucial role in defining and delivering the technological vision of an organization. This position requires a blend of technical expertise, business savvy, and visionary leadership to drive organizational success through technology.

What you'll be doing

• Enterprise-Wide R&D IT Strategy: Lead the development and execution of the Baxter-wide R&D IT strategy, including digital transformation initiatives that align with the organization's vision.

• Comprehensive IT Oversight: Oversee all aspects of the R&D IT space, including operations, innovation, and strategic planning, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives.

• Collaboration with Executive Leaders: Collaborate with R&D Business leaders to align IT capabilities with business goals driving competitive advantage and long-term success.

• Operational Excellence: Define and implement IT operational excellence strategies, spearhead transformative initiatives to drive innovation and efficiency, and leverage advanced analytics and emerging technologies to simplify and optimize IT operations across R&D.

• Innovation and Emerging Technologies: Drive innovation and the adoption of emerging technologies to enhance business capabilities, improve efficiency, and maintain a competitive edge, specifically in the spaces of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and MedTech Product Design capabilities.

• Pipeline and Leadership Development: Spearhead comprehensive pipeline management initiatives and foster the growth of emerging leaders to drive organizational expansion and ensure effective succession planning.

• Performance Management: Champion the strategic use of our Baxter performance management system across all of R&D, driving innovation in performance evaluation methodologies, aligning performance metrics with long-term organizational goals, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and excellence in IT leadership.

• Vendor and Partner Relationships: Manage relationships with key technology partners, vendors, and industry leaders to ensure effective collaboration and strategic alignment.

• Risk Management: Lead strategic risk management initiatives at the highest level, collaborating with executive leadership to integrate IT risk management with overall enterprise risk strategies and drive organizational resilience.

• Perform other job-related duties as assigned, which align with our organization's vision, mission, and values and fall within your scope of practice.

What you'll bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related discipline required

• Advanced degree (MBA, MS, PhD) preferred

• 15+ years of relevant and progressive experience in MedTech R&D.

• Demonstrated ability to lead and motivate teams. Can influence and inspire change throughout the organization.

• Demonstrated ownership of PLM platforms and complex R&D application ecosystems

Key Skills & Competencies

• Comprehensive Enterprise Risk Management: Develop and implement strategies to identify, assess, and mitigate organizational technology-related risk.

• Effective Partner Management and Reporting: Prepare and deliver impactful presentations to executive leaders, clearly communicating IT performance, risks, and central initiatives.

• Influential Thought Leadership: Provide strategic direction and inspiration to the entire IT organization, aligning technology initiatives with business goals.

• Collaboration: Collaborate with executive leaders to align IT capabilities with business goals, fostering partnerships that drive competitive advantage and long-term organizational success.

• Persuasive Executive Communication: Articulate complex technical concepts to executives influencing key decisions and securing buy-in for strategic IT initiatives.

• Pipeline and Leadership Development: Develop robust pipeline management strategies and cultivate additional people leaders to ensure organizational growth and succession planning. 

• Problem-Solving and Decision-Making: Demonstrate visionary problem-solving and decision-making leadership, adeptly navigating complex organizational challenges and making pivotal decisions that shape company direction.

• Strategic Networking: Cultivate and leverage high-level relationships within the industry to stay ahead of emerging trends and identify potential partnerships or opportunities.

• Transformative Change Leadership: Spearheaded large-scale organizational changes, guiding the IT team through digital transformations and cultural shifts.

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 $208,000-$286,000 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 upon location, skills and expertise, experience, and other relevant factors. This position may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses, commission, and/or long-term incentive. For questions about this, our pay philosophy, and available benefits, please speak to the recruiter if you decide to apply and are selected for an interview.

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.

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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, please speak with your recruiter or 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.

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