Continuous Improvement Manager
Alcoa · New York
- Level
- Manager
- Team
- Lean / CI
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 6+ years
- Industry
- Metals
- Posted
- Today
The role in 30 seconds
A management continuous improvement role at Alcoa (metals) in New York. Lead the deployment and sustainability of Lean Manufacturing systems and continuous improvement initiatives across multiple functional areas, including Production, Maintenance, EHS, Procurement, Human Resources, and other support organizations.
- They ask for
- 6+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- Lean, Six Sigma, Value stream mapping, Root cause, EHS / safety
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026
Continuous Improvement roles in New York: typical posted base $109k–$150k.
Median of the low and high ends of 6 live postings that list pay, out of 10 continuous improvement openings in New York, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
New York plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 9 other live lean / ci postings in New York.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- Less than usual (6+ vs 7+)
Typical $109k–$150k, from 6 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 7+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Lean 100%
- ✓ Six Sigma 100%
- Kaizen 80%
- ✓ Value stream mapping 70%
- ✓ Root cause 70%
- Black Belt 60%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Lean / CI team at Alcoa
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
- 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is CI run from the plant floor or from a corporate OpEx group?
- Which metrics does leadership actually watch: OEE, scrap, cost per unit?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
Full description from AlcoaAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
About the Role
- ◆Lead the deployment and sustainability of Lean Manufacturing systems and continuous improvement initiatives across multiple functional areas, including Production, Maintenance, EHS, Procurement, Human Resources, and other support organizations.
- ◆Partner with leaders and employees to identify opportunities that improve safety, quality, productivity, reliability, and cost performance across the operation.
- ◆Facilitate improvement projects from concept through implementation, ensuring actions are aligned with site objectives and deliver measurable business value.
- ◆Lead initiatives focused on process optimization, cost reduction, operational effectiveness, industrial engineering studies, and business planning activities.
- ◆Develop, coach, and mentor employees and leaders in continuous improvement tools and methodologies, fostering a culture of accountability, ownership, and problem-solving.
- ◆Facilitate structured problem-solving efforts using A3 methodology, standardized work, root cause analysis, and other Lean principles.
- ◆Drive organizational change initiatives that improve customer-supplier connections, eliminate waste, and increase operational efficiency.
- ◆Track, validate, and document business improvements and savings through established reporting systems and performance metrics.
- ◆Support the development of annual operating plans, performance targets, and departmental budgets in partnership with site leadership
- ◆Serve as a trusted advisor and change agent, helping teams adopt and sustain best practices across the organization.
What You Bring
Required Qualifications
- ✓Bachelor's degree required.
- ✓4-6+ years of experience leading process improvement, operational excellence, continuous improvement, Lean Manufacturing, or related initiatives.
- ✓Strong understanding of budget development, implementation, and performance management processes.
- ✓Demonstrated experience implementing Lean Manufacturing principles and driving measurable operational improvements.
- ✓Excellent facilitation, coaching, and change management skills.
- ✓Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with the ability to translate data into actionable improvements.
- ✓Ability to influence stakeholders at all levels of the organization without direct authority.
- ✓Proven success leading cross-functional teams and driving results in complex environments.
Preferred Qualifications
- ✓Previous leadership experience within a manufacturing, industrial, metals, mining, chemicals, or heavy industrial environment.
- ✓Formal training or certification in Lean, Six Sigma, Operational Excellence, or Continuous Improvement methodologies.
- ✓Experience leading large-scale organizational change initiatives.
- ✓Knowledge of industrial production processes and value stream optimization.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Shape Your World
At Alcoa, you will become an essential part of our purpose: to turn raw potential into real progress. The way we see it, every Alcoan is a work-shaper, team-shaper, idea-shaper & world-shaper.
Alcoa Massena Operations is seeking a Continuous Improvement Manager to lead the advancement of operational excellence and continuous improvement initiatives across the site. This role serves as a key partner to leaders and employees throughout the organization, helping drive sustainable business improvements through the Alcoa Business System (ABS), Lean Manufacturing principles, and structured problem-solving methodologies.
This professional will work cross-functionally with operations, maintenance, support functions, and leadership teams to identify opportunities, improve processes, build internal capability, and deliver measurable business results. This is a highly visible role that combines strategic thinking, change leadership, coaching, and hands-on execution to strengthen performance across the operation.
What’s on Offer
- •Competitive compensation packages, including pay-for-performance variable pay as well as recognition and rewards programs
- •Flexible spending accounts and generous employer contribution to the HSA
- •401(k), employer match up to 6%, additional employer retirement income contribution (no vesting period), and a non-qualified deferred compensation plan
- •15 vacation days prorated in the 1st year based on hire date
- •Alcoa has been chosen as one of America’s Greatest Workplaces 2023 by Newsweek
Base Salary: 127,200 - 190,600 USD annually
Total rewards packages listed, including base salary and bonus eligibility, applies to US based applicants only. Actual salaries will vary and will be based on a range of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, and competencies in conjunction with multiple components of the Employee Total Rewards Package. Alcoa reserves the right to change plans at its discretion.
About the Location
Our Massena facility in New York State, established in 1902, is home to the longest continuously operating smelter in the world. Located on the St. Lawrence River, Massena, NY is the center for commercial, industrial, and manufacturing success in St. Lawrence County. Massena’s caring sense of community, affordable cost of living, and extremely low-cost locally supplied energy, coupled with four public and private universities nearby, make Massena a great place to call home. And within a two hour drive (or less) are cosmopolitan and historic Montreal and Ottawa, Canada to the north, and to the south are the tall, beautiful views of Adirondacks and within it is Lake Placid The Olympic Village.
We are values led, vision driven and united by our purpose of transforming raw potential into real progress. Our commitments to Inclusion, Diversity & Equity include providing trusting workplaces that are safe, respectful and inclusive of all individuals, free from discrimination, bullying and harassment and that our workplaces reflect the diversity of the communities in which we operate.