Manager, 80/20 Process Improvement - Global (Engineer IV, Quality)
Gates Industrial · Denver, CO
- Level
- Manager
- Team
- Lean / CI
- Base pay
- $120k–$135k
- Experience asked
- 10+ years
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- 3 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A management continuous improvement role at Gates Industrial (industrial) in Denver, CO. Map, analyze, and redesign core business processes to reduce waste, cut cycle times, and improve quality.
- They ask for
- 10+ years
- Tools it names
- Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen
- Base pay
- $120k–$135k
- Day to day
- some off-shift / weekend coverage
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 9, 2026
Continuous Improvement roles in Colorado: typical posted base $130k–$170k. This one lists $120k–$135k.
Median of the low and high ends of 9 live postings that list pay, out of 12 continuous improvement openings in Colorado, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Colorado plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 11 other live lean / ci postings in Colorado.
- Base pay
- About 20% below similar roles
- Experience asked
- More than usual (10+ vs 5+)
Typical $150k–$170k, from 8 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Lean 100%
- Value stream mapping 83%
- ✓ Kaizen 50%
- ✓ Six Sigma 42%
- Root cause 33%
- ✓ Team leadership 25%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for Cost reduction, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with 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 Gates Industrial
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 does off-shift and weekend coverage work?
- 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.
This plant: Gates Industrial in Denver
1 other open role at this site.
- Continuous Improvement Engineer · Lean / CI
Full description from Gates IndustrialAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Responsibilities
At Gates Corporation, we’re driven by a simple but powerful purpose: to advance the way the world moves . From powering critical industrial applications to enabling cleaner, more efficient mobility, our products and solutions keep industries, communities, and economies moving forward. We believe in innovation with purpose, operational excellence, and empowering our people to make a measurable impact.
The 80/20 principle is at the heart of how we focus—identifying the 20% of products, customers, and processes that deliver 80% of our value, and optimizing them for maximum efficiency and growth.
The Impact You'll Make
As our 80/20 Process Improvement Manager , you’ll be the catalyst for execution excellence. You’ll identify the high-impact processes that move the needle, simplify workflows, and empower teams to work smarter, not harder. Your work will directly influence profitability, customer satisfaction, and team productivity—helping us achieve more with less.
What You'll Do
- ◆Lead cross-functional improvement initiatives using the Pareto Principle (80/20) to prioritize high-value opportunities.
- ◆Map, analyze, and redesign core business processes to reduce waste, cut cycle times, and improve quality.
- ◆Implement data-driven decision-making by creating dashboards and KPIs that highlight the most impactful metrics.
- ◆Facilitate workshops and training sessions to embed continuous improvement thinking across teams.
- ◆Partner with department heads to ensure changes are adopted, measured, and sustained.
- ◆Leverage Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies to deliver measurable ROI on improvement projects.
- ◆Formalize process improvements into standard work across the entire global organization
Responsibilities
- ◆None
- ◆Leads others to solve complex problems; uses analytical thinking, tools and judgement to identify innovative solutions
- ◆Assists upper level management and staff as a technical specialist or advisor
- ◆May lead teams or projects with moderate resource requirements, risk, and/or complexity
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Keys to Success
- •Requires in-depth conceptual and practical knowledge in own areas and knowledge of other areas
- •Independently applies extensive and diversified knowledge of principles and practices in broad areas of assignments and related fields.
- •Uses advanced techniques in the modification or extension of theories and practices of sciences and disciplines to complete assignments.
- •Works on a major project or several projects of moderate scope with complex features.
- •Reviews complete project documents for conformity and quality assurance.
- •Develops new techniques and/or improved processes, materials, or products.
- •Interprets internal/external business challenges and recommends best practices to improve products, processes or services
- •Impacts the achievement of customer, operational, project or service objectives; work is guided by department objectives
- •Communicates complex concepts; anticipates potential objections and influences others to adopt a different point of vie
Supervisory
and Preferred Skills
- +8-10 years of experience
- +Proven experience in process improvement, operations, or business transformation roles.
- +Strong understanding of the Pareto Principle and how to apply it in real-world business contexts.
- +Hands-on experience with Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, or similar frameworks.
- +Analytical skills to interpret complex data and translate it into actionable insights.
- +Excellent facilitation and communication skills—you can inspire change and bring people along for the journey.
- +A track record of delivering measurable results in efficiency, cost savings, or quality improvements.
Pay & benefits
- •Full-Time
- •Pay Range: $120,000 - $135,000
- •Bonus Eligible
- •Relocation is provided
- •Medical, Dental, Vision insurance and other voluntary benefit options: benefits begin on the first day of the month immediately following your date of hire
- •Eligible for 3 weeks of paid vacation + 11 holidays (9 scheduled & 2 floating) + 8 sick days. All vacation days are accrued
- •401(k): 3% company contribution and additional 3% company match
- •Tuition Reimbursement
WHY GATES?
Founded in 1911 in Denver, Colorado, Gates is publicly traded on the NYSE. While we might operate in a vast amount of time zones we operate as 'One Gates' and have a common goal of pushing the boundaries of materials science. We invest in our people, bringing real-world experience that enables us to solve our customers' diverse challenges of today and anticipate those of tomorrow.
Work environment
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; use hands and fingers to work with objects, tools, or controls; and use office equipment including computers, telephones, and/or copiers/scanners. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
For individuals assigned and/or hired to work in Colorado, Gates is required by law to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role. This compensation range is specific to the State of Colorado and takes into account various factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to the candidate's relevant experience, qualifications, skills, competencies, and proficiency for the role.