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Power Manufacturing Excellence Leader

International Paper · Vicksburg, MS

Level
Manager
Team
Lean / CI
Base pay
$101k–$135k
Degree
Required
Certification
Green Belt preferred
Industry
Packaging
Posted
30+ days ago

The role in 30 seconds

A management continuous improvement role at International Paper (packaging) in Vicksburg, MS. Lead/provide ME support to project teams on budget initiatives (deliberate and continuous).

They ask for
degree required · Green Belt preferred
Tools it names
Green Belt, 5S, Minitab, Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ)
Base pay
$101k–$135k

Read from the posting. The full description is below.

From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026

Continuous Improvement roles in the US: typical posted base $105k–$150k. This one lists $101k–$135k.

Median of the low and high ends of 139 live postings that list pay, out of 361 continuous improvement openings in the US, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.

Mississippi plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →

How this role compares

Against 360 other live lean / ci postings in the US.

Base pay
In line with similar roles

Typical $101k–$144k, from 124 postings that list pay.

Experience asked
Not stated

Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.

Skills these teams ask for most

  • Lean 84%
  • Six Sigma 54%
  • Value stream mapping 48%
  • Kaizen 48%
  • Root cause 44%
  • ✓ 5S 32%

✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.

Stands out: this posting asks for Minitab, Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ), 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. 1

    Pick 2–3 people on the Lean / CI team at International Paper

    Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.

  2. 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. 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?
    • The posting mentions a Green Belt. Does the company sponsor certification?
    • How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
  4. 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. 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: International Paper in Vicksburg

1 other open role at this site.

Full description from International PaperAs posted on their careers site.Show

Power Manufacturing Excellence Leader

Pay Rate

$101,000-134,600

Multiple factors, including Individual experience, skills and abilities will determine where an employee is ultimately placed in the pay range.

Variable pay may provide additional opportunities for financial awards. This job is eligible to participate in IP’s short –term incentive plan.

Show full description ↓

Category/Shift

Salaried Exempt Full-Time

Physical Location

3737 Highway 3

Redwood, MS 39156

The Job You Will Perform

The Area Manufacturing Excellence Leader (AMEL) is a senior process engineer that reports directly to the Mill Manufacturing Excellence Leader (MME), and will be assigned to the Power Area at the Vicksburg Mill. The ME Leader is directly responsible for the Manufacturing Excellence process, which includes year-over-year (YOY) continuous improvement in the areas of safety, quality, productivity, reliability and cost reduction. They are a dedicated resource for improvement projects in their assigned operating area or mill wide, as necessary. The expectation is that a minimum of 75% of the ME Leader’s time will involve activities related to Cost Reduction and Deliberate Improvement. The ME Leader must ensure close coordination with resources at all levels of the organization, including Business Unit Managers, Area Managers, and the “improve” resources, to ensure the department’s improvement plan is coordinated and cohesive.

The AMEL is responsible for developing future leaders. They will have a varying number of REACH and Process Engineers reporting to them. The development process will include training, coaching and mentoring the engineers in mill operations and International Paper manufacturing excellence processes.

The Manufacturing Excellence Leader is responsible for

  • •Engage team in safety leadership efforts and encourage/support safe work practices in mill
  • •Ensure ME principles are properly utilized in daily operations for continuous improvement
  • •Lead Cost Reduction/Deliberate Improvement project identification and execution in Business Unit
  • •Support identification and validation of R-Gap and A-Gap opportunities in Business Unit
  • •Assist MME and BUM in developing department’s annual and long term gap closure plan for identified opportunities and incorporating in the Budget + 3
  • •Drive mill initiatives in the department to engage employees in improvement/sustain activities
  • •Lead/provide ME support to project teams on budget initiatives (deliberate and continuous)
  • •Coordinates the identification, developmental, and successful implementation by results tracking of cost reduction opportunities, both capital and non-capital
  • •Support/Mentor GB, YB and WB trainees during certification
  • •Support RCFA champion for Power Area
  • •Advocate for sustainable improvement practices and systems
  • •Mentor and advocate to support department’s 5S effort
  • •Develop REACH engineers as future operations and maintenance leaders.

The Skills You Will Bring

  • •It is required that the Manufacturing Excellence Leader role be filled by an individual with a strong manufacturing management background and a track record of achieving consistent, significant results through systems and teams.
  • •B.S. in Engineering, Business, related degree or experience
  • •Manufacturing management experience (First Line Leader, Operations Maintenance Coordinator or Area Manager) is highly preferred
  • •Experience with continuous improvement concepts and tools is required
  • •Candidate will be expected to become IP Green Belt certified if not already
  • •Possess good written and oral communication skills
  • •Possess strong computer knowledge and skills that include experience with spreadsheets, word processing, and Minitab (and/or other statistical analysis software)
  • •Key Competencies: Managerial Courage, Perspective, Motivating Others, Customer Focus, Learning on the Fly, Organizational Agility, Interpersonal Savvy, Developing Others, Building Effective Teams, Process Management, Organizing, Planning, Managing and Measuring Work, Presentation Skills, and Conflict Management.

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