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Area Manufacturing Excellence Leader

International Paper · Rome, GA

Level
Manager
Team
Lean / CI
Base pay
$101k–$148k
Degree
Required
Experience asked
25+ years
Certification
Green Belt preferred
Industry
Packaging
Posted
Today

The role in 30 seconds

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

They ask for
25+ years · degree required · Green Belt preferred
Tools it names
Green Belt, Minitab, Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ)
Base pay
$101k–$148k

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–$148k.

Median of the low and high ends of 148 live postings that list pay, out of 393 continuous improvement openings in the US, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.

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

How this role compares

Against 392 other live lean / ci postings in the US.

Base pay
In line with similar roles

Typical $101k–$144k, from 133 postings that list pay.

Experience asked
More than usual (25+ vs 5+)

Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.

Skills these teams ask for most

  • Lean 85%
  • Six Sigma 55%
  • Kaizen 50%
  • Value stream mapping 49%
  • Root cause 46%
  • 5S 33%

✓ = 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.

It asks for 25+ 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. 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.

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 ↓

Area Manufacturing Excellence Leader

Pay Rate

$101,000 – 148,100

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.

Category/Shift

Salaried Full-Time

Physical Location

238 Mays Bridge Road SW

Rome, GA 30165

The Area Manufacturing Excellence Leader (AMEL) reports directly to the Manager of Manufacturing Excellence (MME) and will be assigned to the Utilities and Fibers areas at the Rome Mill.

The Area Manufacturing Excellence 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. They coordinate project identification, evaluation, prioritization, and implementation to achieve year-over-year savings. The expectation is that a minimum of 70% of the AMEL’s time will involve activities related to Deliberate Improvement.

The AMEL is responsible for developing future leaders for mill operations. They will have a varying number of 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 Area Manufacturing Excellence Leader is responsible for

  • •Engage team members in safety leadership and encourage/support safe work practices.
  • •Ensure ME principles are utilized for continuous improvement.
  • •Lead deliberate improvement project identification, development, prioritization and execution.
  • •Participate in A-Gap and R-Gap validation.
  • •Assist development of gap closure plans for identified opportunities to incorporate in the Budget + 4.
  • •Develop Early Career engineers as future operations and maintenance leaders.
  • •Lead/provide ME support to project teams on budget initiatives (deliberate and continuous).
  • •Support/mentor GB, YB, and WB trainees during certification.
  • •Lead GMS sub-element development in the area of Cost Reduction
  • •Support and assist with Pro Audits and other efforts collaborating with technology subject matter experts.
  • •Lead Area Strategy Deployment development and execution.
  • •Lead Monthly CR Alignment meetings with Power operations team to report out project updates, review and evaluate new project ideas, and check/adjust department deliberate/continuous improvement priorities.
  • •Provide area support for weekend duty coverage

The Skills You Will Bring

It is required that the Area Manufacturing Excellence Leader role be filled by an individual with a strong manufacturing management background and a track record of achieving consistent results through systems and teams.

  • •B.S. in Engineering, Business, related degree or experience
  • •5 or more years engineering experience, Manufacturing and continuous improvement preferred
  • •Manufacturing management experience (Area Process Manager or Area Manager)
  • •Experience with continuous improvement concepts and tools
  • •Candidate will be expected to become IP Green Belt certified, if not already
  • •Ability to engage stakeholders, coordinate with various resources, and develop and lead teams
  • •Possess good skills in written and oral communication, problem-solving, time management, conflict resolution and task group facilitation
  • •Possess strong computer knowledge and skills that include experience with spreadsheets, word processing, and Minitab (and/or other statistical analysis software)
  • •Ability to collect, process, and analyze data for supporting troubleshooting efforts, assessing gaps/opportunities for improvement, quantity implemented process improvements/changes, and monitor process performance.
  • •Ability to excel with minimal supervision in a team environment

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.

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