Senior HR Specialist

Job description

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 Team You will be part of the Human Resources team, serving as a trusted partner to leaders and employees across the organization. The team is focused on creating a positive employee experience, ensuring compliance with labor regulations, supporting business objectives, and driving workforce effectiveness through data-driven HR solutions. This role offers the opportunity to influence organizational outcomes, lead continuous improvement initiatives, and develop leadership capabilities in preparation for future people management responsibilities. What You'll Be Doing Lead employee relations investigations, providing recommendations for resolution, corrective actions, and risk mitigation strategies. Partner with managers to address attendance concerns, performance issues, disciplinary actions, and employee separations while ensuring compliance with company policies and applicable labor laws. Analyze key HR metrics, including turnover, absenteeism, retention, employee relations cases, and engagement survey results, to identify trends and improvement opportunities. Develop, implement, and monitor action plans with business leaders to address workforce challenges and achieve organizational goals. Coordinate performance management processes, including goal setting, performance reviews, calibration sessions, and performance improvement plans. Support talent review and succession planning initiatives by identifying talent risks, development opportunities, and retention strategies. Conduct job evaluations and provide recommendations related to compensation adjustments, promotions, organizational changes, and workforce planning activities. Ensure the consistent application of HR policies, procedures, and employment practices while maintaining compliance with Puerto Rico and Federal employment regulations. Lead HR projects and continuous improvement initiatives, influencing stakeholders through collaboration, data-driven decision making, and leadership without direct authority. Manage departmental budgets and monitor expenditures within assigned HR accounts. Provide administrative support to the Human Resources Department and perform other duties as assigned. What You'll Bring Education & Experience Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Labor Relations, Industrial Engineering, or a related field required. Master's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Labor Relations, or a related discipline preferred. Minimum of 5 to 8 years of progressive Human Resources experience, including: Employee Relations Labor Relations Performance Management HR Analytics Implementation of HR programs and initiatives Proven experience conducting workplace investigations, managing employee relations matters, interpreting employment laws and regulations, and providing guidance to managers on workforce-related issues. Strong knowledge of Puerto Rico and Federal employment laws and regulations. Ability to analyze HR metrics and workforce data, identify trends, and develop actionable recommendations. Ability to assess complex employee and organizational situations, evaluate alternatives, and recommend practical solutions aligned with company policies and legal requirements. Skilled in identifying root causes of workforce challenges and leading action plans in partnership with leaders and stakeholders. Ability to manage multiple priorities and projects while exercising sound judgment, confidentiality, and professional discretion. Demonstrated leadership potential with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively across all levels of the organization. Fully bilingual in English and Spanish. Preferred Certifications Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma certifications are a plus. 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. Recruitment Fraud Notice Baxter has discovered incidents of employment scams, where fraudulent parties pose as Baxter employees, recruiters, or other agents, and engage with online job seekers in an attempt to steal personal and/or financial information. To learn how you can protect yourself, review our Recruitment Fraud Notice .