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.

About the role

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.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of the Baxter-wide R&D IT strategy, including digital transformation initiatives that align with the organization's vision.
• Oversee all aspects of the R&D IT space, including operations, innovation, and strategic planning, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives.
• Collaborate with R&D Business leaders to align IT capabilities with business goals driving competitive advantage and long-term success.
• 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.
• 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.
• Spearhead comprehensive pipeline management initiatives and foster the growth of emerging leaders to drive organizational expansion and ensure effective succession planning.
• Champion the strategic use of Baxter’s 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.
• Manage relationships with key technology partners, vendors, and industry leaders to ensure effective collaboration and strategic alignment.
• 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.

Requirements

• 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.
• Ability to influence and inspire change throughout the organization.
• Demonstrated ownership of PLM platforms and complex R&D application ecosystems.

Skills

• 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: Work 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: Spearhead large-scale organizational changes, guiding the IT team through digital transformations and cultural shifts.

Pay

The estimated base salary for this position is $208,000-$286,000 annually. The estimated range reflects an anticipated salary range for the position. 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.

Benefits

• Health and Well-being: Medical and dental coverage starting on day one, insurance coverage for basic life, accident, short-term and long-term disability, and business travel accident insurance.
• Financial and Retirement: Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) with the ability to purchase company stock at a discount, 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan (RSP) with company matching, and Flexible Spending Accounts.
• Education and Development: Educational assistance programs.
• Time-off: 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: Commuting benefits, Employee Discount Program, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and childcare 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.