Continuous Improvement Manager
International Paper · Morristown, TN
- Level
- Manager
- Team
- Lean / CI
- Base pay
- $101k–$135k
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 10+ years
- Industry
- Packaging
- Posted
- 30+ days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A management continuous improvement role at International Paper (packaging) in Morristown, TN. Also, support safety initiatives such as safety audits, incident investigations and safety orientation for new hires.
- They ask for
- 10+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- Lean, Six Sigma, Internal audits
- 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.
Tennessee plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 8 other live lean / ci postings in Tennessee.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Lean 67%
- ✓ Six Sigma 67%
- Kaizen 67%
- ✓ Team leadership 44%
- 5S 44%
- Black Belt 33%
✓ = 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 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
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 International PaperAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
The Culture You Will Experience
International Paper promotes employee well-being by providing safe, caring and inclusive workplaces. We have team members all around the world with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. These are our strengths. We are committed to creating a culture where all individuals are respected, valued, engaged and have an opportunity to do their best work every day. We invite you to bring your uniqueness, creativity, talents, experiences, and safety mindset to be a part of our increasingly inclusive and diverse culture.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Pay Rate
$101,000 to $134,600 (USCORE)
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 annual incentive plan.
Category/Shift
Salaried Full-Time
Physical Location
5032 S Davy Crockett Pkwy
Morristown, TN 37813
The Job You Will Perform
The Continuous Improvement Manager (CIM) is responsible for establishing and sustaining a high-performing operating environment that embeds continuous improvement principles across the manufacturing facility. This role provides strategic leadership for quality systems, safety performance, and operational excellence while ensuring compliance with regulatory and customer requirements. The CIM partners closely with plant leadership to drive measurable improvements in safety, quality, reliability, and productivity.
- •Lead the development and execution of continuous improvement strategies across manufacturing operations.
- •Drive adoption and effective use of manufacturing reliability and continuous improvement tools (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma, problem-solving methodologies) to improve safety, quality, throughput, and cost.
- •Coach and influence supervisors and operating teams to build capability, accountability, and ownership of performance metrics. The CIM will manage a manufacturing department and be responsible for leading a team of supervisors to achieve operational goals.
- •Provide support by leading the plant safety team. Also, support safety initiatives such as safety audits, incident investigations and safety orientation for new hires. Must understand OHSA/EPA regulations.
- •Provide overall leadership and governance of plant quality systems, ensuring alignment with internal standards, customer requirements, and regulatory expectations.
- •Manage internal audit programs, including audit scheduling, execution, corrective action tracking, and continuous improvement of audit outcomes
- •Actively participate in the New Item process, as well as Customer audits and communication. Maintain knowledge of customer specific quality testing, expectations, and requirements.
The Skills You Will Bring
- •Bachelor’s degree required.
- •5–10+ years of progressive experience in manufacturing, quality, or continuous improvement leadership roles. Demonstrated knowledge and experience in developing, implementing and managing high performance work systems and teams
- •Knowledge of and compliance with local and corporate policies
- •Builds Effective Teams
- •Business Insight
- •Drives Results
- •Customer Focus
- •Manages Complexity
- •Optimizes Work Processes
The Benefits You Will Enjoy
International Paper offers a benefits package that includes health, welfare and retirement plans including Medical, Dental, Life insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Short-term and Long-term Disability, 401(k), Company-funded retirement contributions, Paid Time Off, Education & Development (including Tuition Reimbursement), Student Loan Repayment Assistance, and Voluntary Benefits including insurance for home, auto, vision and pets
The Career You Will Build
Leadership training, promotional opportunities
The Impact You Will Make
We continue to build a better future for people, the planet, and our company! IP has been a good steward of sustainable practices across communities around the world for more than 125 years. Join our team and you’ll see why our team members say they’re Proud to be IP.
The Company You Will Join
International Paper (NYSE: IP; LSE: IPC) creates sustainable packaging solutions that enable our customers, teammates and shareowners to thrive in an ever-changing world. We are a leader in corrugated packaging, partnering with customers across industries to protect what matters most, strengthen supply chains and create lasting value. Learn more at internationalpaper.com.
