Continuous Improvement Manager

International Paper · Forest Park, GA

Level: Manager
Team: Lean / CI
Base pay: $115k–$135k
Degree: Preferred
Experience asked: 4+ years
Industry: Packaging
Posted: Today

The role in 30 seconds

A management continuous improvement role at International Paper (packaging) in Forest Park, GA. Also, support safety initiatives such as safety audits, incident investigations and safety orientation for new hires.

They ask for: 4+ years · degree preferred
Tools it names: Internal audits
Base pay: $115k–$135k

Read from the posting. The full description is below.

From the plant jobs report · week of November 9, 2026

Continuous Improvement roles in Georgia: typical posted base $101k–$148k. This one lists $115k–$135k.

Median of the low and high ends of 4 live postings that list pay, out of 10 continuous improvement openings in Georgia, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.

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

How this role compares

Against 9 other live lean / ci postings in Georgia.

Experience asked: Less than usual (4+ vs 8+)

Skills these teams ask for most

Lean 50%
Kaizen 40%
Six Sigma 40%
✓ Team leadership 30%
Root cause 30%
Power BI / Tableau 30%

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

It asks for 4+ years. If you're close, apply anyway: requirements are a wish list. Talk to someone doing this work there first.

At a glance

Promotion path mentioned

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.

Continuous Improvement Manager at International Paper in other locations

International Paper lists this title in 2 places. Pick the plant you can get to.

Morristown, TN · $101k–$135k

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

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 ↓

Continuous Improvement Manager

Pay Rate

$115,000 – $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

Forest Park, GA (Atlanta)

The Job You Will Perform

•Responsible for successfully establishing an operating environment that embraces the continuous improvement process. The CIM is also responsible for leading the facility efforts in quality through management of all quality systems, and facilitation of the plant safety committee and initiatives.
•Directly manage one or more manufacturing departments and develop direct reports.
•Work with supervisors and operating teams to understand and improve manufacturing and quality systems, while emphasizing use of manufacturing reliability tools to accomplish operating objectives.
•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.
•Manage internal auditing processes.
•Monitor Tracking Incidents and Credits System status and reporting.
•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 preferred
•2 - 4 years experience manufacturing experience; preferably in a corrugated or converting environment.
•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
•Courage
•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.