Value Stream Manager
Whirlpool · Tulsa, OK
- Level
- Manager
- Team
- Lean / CI
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 5+ years
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- 30+ days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A management continuous improvement role at Whirlpool (industrial) in Tulsa, OK. Leads, plans and tracks all phases of the product life cycle, from inception to introduction into the marketplace.
- They ask for
- 5+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- Lean, Kaizen, Value stream mapping, SMED, Root cause, Automation
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Continuous Improvement roles in the US: typical posted base $105k–$151k.
Median of the low and high ends of 126 live postings that list pay, out of 314 continuous improvement openings in the US, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Oklahoma plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 313 other live lean / ci postings in the US.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- Typical (5+ years)
Typical $102k–$145k, from 114 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Lean 85%
- Six Sigma 55%
- ✓ Kaizen 53%
- ✓ Value stream mapping 51%
- ✓ Root cause 46%
- 5S 33%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for SMED, Time studies, 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 Whirlpool
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.
This plant: Whirlpool in Tulsa
1 other open role at this site.
- Supplier Quality Engineer · Quality
Full description from WhirlpoolAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
responsibilities
will include
- ◆Creating and maintaining "Current State" maps to visualize how work flows today and "Future State" maps to design a more efficient tomorrow
- ◆End to end understanding of waste and losses related to performance, labor, scrap, usage, lack of quality, etc within the product’s value stream
- ◆Process Optimization: Analyzes, designs, and manages the entire flow of materials and information, identifying non-value-added activities to eliminate waste (time, materials, effort).
- ◆Use different methods and tools like problem solving tools, time studies, Kaizen, SMED, Tags, SOP, OPL, 7 WCM Tools (Prioritization, systematic, logical and detailed deployment of objectives, problem description with sketches, 5W+1H with 5G principles, Root cause analysis (4M+1D and 5 Whys), phenomena description with sketches, TWTTP (The way to teach people) and HERCA (Human Error Root Cause Analysis), 3M (Muri, Mura, Muda), line balancing.
- ◆Analyze work stations using the MODAPTS methodology
- ◆Understand the losses and calculate cost and savings for the different projects.
- ◆Identify bottlenecks and constraints impacting the flow and velocity of the value stream
- ◆Lead through influence by collaborating across manufacturing functions to build consensus on driving cost out
- ◆Lead rapid improvement events to solve specific bottlenecks and optimize efficiency
requirements
- ✓Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or Operations Management
- ✓5+ years of manufacturing engineering experience
Preferred skills and experiences
- ✓Lean background
- ✓Excellent communication skills
- ✓Value Stream Mapping
- ✓Low Cost Automation concepts
- ✓Product costing
- ✓Bill of Materials
Additional information
Whirlpool’s Ways of Working
Our goal is to provide an environment that helps you bring your best to Whirlpool every day. While employees in this role work in-person Monday through Friday. We offer flexibility and industry-leading time-off benefits that will help you balance what’s important at work and at home, including:
- ✓Always On Flexibility - You will have the autonomy to manage personal, family, and outside-of-work commitments as needed.
- ✓Two-Week Work from Anywhere - Minimum of one-week increments for a total of two weeks per year.
- ✓Sabbatical - Four weeks paid leave after every five years of service.
Connect with us and learn more about Whirlpool Corporation
See what it's like to work at Whirlpool by visiting Whirlpool Careers . Additional information about the company can be found on Facebook , Twitter , LinkedIn , Instagram and YouTube .
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
About Whirlpool Corporation
Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is a leading home appliance company, in constant pursuit of improving life at home. As the only major U.S.-based manufacturer of kitchen and laundry appliances, the company is driving meaningful innovation to meet the evolving needs of consumers through its iconic brand portfolio, including Whirlpool , KitchenAid , JennAir, Maytag , Amana, Brastemp , Consul , and InSinkErator . In 2024, the company reported approximately $17 billion in annual sales - close to 90% of which were in the Americas - 44,000 employees, and 40 manufacturing and technology research centers. Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com .
The team you will be a part of
The Engineering team discovers, develops and evaluates new product ideas, enhancements, or strategic product extensions, and translates research discoveries into usable and marketable products. Leads, plans and tracks all phases of the product life cycle, from inception to introduction into the marketplace. Coordinates with various functions to ensure successful product development and implementation.
This role in summary
The Value Stream Manager (VSM) leads efforts to optimize an entire product or service delivery process (the "value stream") from start to finish, focusing on efficiency, waste reduction (Lean principles), and maximizing customer value by aligning cross-functional teams, mapping processes (current vs. future state), and implementing continuous improvements, often without direct authority over all resources. They act as an "architect," influencing teams to create smoother, faster, and higher-quality flows for manufacturing.
Your