Vice President, Product Delivery Excellence, Center Of Excellence

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:
As the VP Product Delivery Excellence, Center of Excellence you will be in a highly visible role which will provide strategic leadership for building portfolio and program management capabilities for predictable execution of Baxter's R&D pipeline and product lifecycle management. You will build new capabilities as the company's functional leader and key influencer to drive predictable cross-functional execution and timely Product Delivery and ensure the organizational rigor and discipline towards best-in-class product lifecycle management performance. You'll interface with key Operating Committee members (CEO, CIO, CFO) and their direct reports to ensure that Product Delivery standards are met using the appropriate tools and methodology. Working closely with internal/external stakeholders, you will ensure we create, maintain, and improve Baxter's standards for portfolio and project management and support strategic objectives of the business, while maintaining the voice of the customer. As a key leader you will possess a unique combination of technical experience in R&D and advanced project management skills and be responsible for the coordinated management of all active programs and projects, driving toward use of a common platforms/tools and reporting, and continuing to build functional project delivery expertise within the company. You will provide the governance for the Product Delivery Excellence work and coordinate across all segments and divisions to ensure consistent rigor and application of the product processes, tool/system utilization and competency of the cross-functional teams.
Bring your extensive program management and medical technology product development experience and capabilities managing geographically and/or functionally dispersed teams, with extensive leadership experience that demonstrates the ability to work effectively in a highly matrixed organization and set and manage strategy at scale!
In this senior level position, you'll build and lead the Product Development Center of Excellence. The CoE will be responsible for standardizing company-wide processes for Biodesign, NPD (New Product Development) and Life Cycle Management (LCM). This role includes governance, systems, competency development, implementing portfolio and related resource management process and tools in the organization and driving continuous improvement of those processes and tools. The goal is to have the organization utilize data, dashboard, and processes in a consistent and predictable manner creating increased transparency and reliability of our Product Delivery.
What You'll Be Doing:
Project Delivery Performance:

• Accountable for monitoring and supporting the performance improvement of all active pipeline programs and projects, working as partner with the various Segment Core Teams and R&D functional leaders to drive the right rigor in Product Delivery planning, execution, and governance.

• Clarifies ownership for delivery at all levels of the organization, focusing on Baxter's priorities for Product Delivery and launches, and ensures needed improvement plans are timely executed.

• Develops and implements project pipeline metrics, and actively engages senior management in review and continuous improvement based on project and pipeline performance.

• Develops and implements Program Management effectiveness metrics. Regularly surveys stakeholders, including core teams and management, to identify issues and opportunities for improving effective and efficient execution.

• Facilitates regular program and project reviews, testing for probabilistic planning, proactive risk management, and critical thinking to ensure predictability, quality, and communication.

• Create a systematic approach to improving project planning accuracy and project cycle time.

• Provides governance for all processes, systems/tools and reporting mechanisms and cross-segment decisions related to the above areas which enables consistent application of processes during execution, including joint requirements management and change control, risk management and issue escalation.

Project Portfolio & Resource Management (Working with Segment PMO and R&D Leadership):

• Effective execution of project governance meetings (gate- and project reviews), project intake/selection and regular portfolio reviews.

• Clear prioritization and execution of all projects in accordance with expectations in terms of milestone deliverables and budget.

• Conduct regular reviews to assess progress and adjusts to keep projects on track in terms of technical and quality deliverables, timelines, and budget.

• Provide regular progress reports to management and stakeholders - tailored to the segment or company level as appropriate.

• Provide critical information to functional leaders and Core Teams for coordinating, allocating and optimizing resources across the pipeline, and within a project.

• Communicate overall pipeline and project progress to the Segment and Corporate leadership teams, including providing up-to-date views on resource, milestone tracking, value and risk associated with NPD, LCM, and product support project investments.

• Establish a project management information system and tools to improve capturing, tracking and reporting of project information.

Enterprise-wide Program Management Capability Building:

• Creates, implements and maintains consistent adoption of enterprise standard across all projects, core teams, and functions.

• Establishes and maintains a standard project management approach for the segments/divisions, including project initiation, planning, and execution, tailored for robust delivery based on project and product type.

• Assesses cross-functional project team capability and defines specific improvement actions and training needs to improve competencies and skills including collaboration and team dynamics learnings to enable success project results. Partners with functional leaders in assessing and developing Core Team talent.

• Participates in the design and implementation of standard PM policies and tools; supports their implementation within each Segment PMO organization.

• Builds and leverages a network of program management trainers, coaches, and support resources to meet on-going learning needs of project teams and management.

Development of PMO COE Staff and Operations:

• Builds and leads a high-performing Product Delivery COE organization. Attracts and retains high-caliber talent, maintains clear roles and responsibilities, and determines development requirements for the team members.

• Develops and implements the Product Delivery COE operational plan, including a staffing plan for direct and indirect staff, hiring strategies, budget, and operational procedures.

• Provides direction, mentoring/coaching, and leadership to the Product Delivery COE staff.

• Participates in industry specific project forums, and professional organizations to identify competitive strategies, and to benchmark best practices. Relentlessly pursues making robust project execution a core competitive advantage for the organization.

• Develops and implements appropriate project management training to ensure consistency in the utilization of defined projects across the organization.

• Ensures that the R&D PM Organization follows established company processes, and that project managers know how to apply quality and safety standards, policies and procedures based on project types.

Your Team:
As the VP Product Delivery Excellence, Center of Excellence, you will report directly to Baxter's VP, WWM Strategy & Governance. You will have the opportunity to build out your team of 4. Furthermore, you will work cross-functionally across Baxter's organization.
Your Location:
The role is located at our global corporate headquarters in the greater Chicago, IL area northern suburb of Deerfield or Round Lake. Alternatively, the role can work at one of our facilities in Cary, NC, Batesville, IN, Bellevue, WA, St. Paul, MN or in beautiful upstate New York in a bedroom community outside of Syracuse, Skaneateles Falls. Baxter is committed to supporting the needs for flexibility in the workplace. We do so through our flexible workplace policy which includes a minimum of 3 days a week onsite. This policy provides the benefits of connecting and collaborating in-person in support of our Mission.
What You'll Bring:

• Bachelor's degree or higher and will have led global, cross-functional R&D programs and projects with experience in instituting standard practices is required. Demonstrated experience in project leadership of a diverse R&D portfolio is highly desirable, with experience in Medical Devices and/or Life Sciences strongly preferred.

• 5 years experience working with senior leaders, in a complex matrixed environment. Demonstrated executive leadership ability, to influence adoption of new methodology and discipline supporting product Development.

• Demonstrated success in leading multimillion-dollar product development projects from initiation through launch and close-out.

• Minimum of 15 years of progressive project and program experience, including setting up and promoting a Program Management Office.

• Prior experience in rolling out a common project management methodology, defining PM standards and tools. A proven track record of leading successful change across functional and geographic boundaries.

• Must be grounded in financial and operational management and able to translate project decisions to financial and operational implication and use the business case to understand and manage business value, risk and trade-offs.

• The successful candidate will be self-confident, results-oriented, persuasive, and influential.

• Experience in leading effective teams and fostering collaboration across organizational boundaries, as well as excellent communications and interpersonal skills, are essential.

• Prior experience in large scale corporate mergers or acquisitions, working closely to cross-functionally integrate project and program management principles.

Critical Competency Areas

• Practice-level knowledge of project planning and management processes and best practices

• Portfolio and resource management

• Team and organizational leadership

• Customer-value driven product design

• Project risk and trade-offs management

• Stakeholder engagement and relationship management

• Cross-functional collaboration and influence

• Operational and financial management

• Strong business and financial acumen (driving best value through projects)

• Project and pipeline governance

• Interpersonal effectiveness (EQ, communications, conflict resolution)

• Critical thinking and decision making.

• Talent development (incl. mentoring/coaching)

Specialized Knowledge Areas

• Medical Device and/or Life Sciences industry trends and market environment

• Medical Device and/or Life Science product development and commercialization

• Design controls and product risk management

• Metrics development and implementation

• Project and portfolio management tools

• Project governance and facilitation

• Capital and operating budget management

• Strategic alliance/partner management (co-development)

• Combination product development regulations (as applicable)

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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 our employees, and we strive to be more transparent with our pay practices. The estimated base salary for this position is $344,000 - $516,000 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 upon location, skills and expertise, experience, and other relevant factors. This position may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses, 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.
The successful candidate for this job may be required to verify that he or she has been vaccinated against COVID-19, subject to reasonable accommodations for individuals with medical conditions or religious beliefs that prevent vaccination, and in accordance with applicable law.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Baxter is an equal opportunity employer. Baxter evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender...