[Hiring] Project Manager of Lean Excellence @International Paper

Role Description

The Project Manager of Lean Excellence will propagate scalable operational improvement across the Containerboard business through lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and disciplined execution. The Lean Leader will serve as a hands-on change agent, partnering with mill teams to deploy lean tools and methodologies, lead Kaizen events, and embed standard work and problem-solving capabilities into daily operations.

The ideal candidate will have significant and relevant direct manufacturing experience using and leading continuous improvement tools, systems, and methodologies. The candidate must be a proven shop floor leader who is comfortable influencing others, coaching teams, and delivering measurable gains in safety, quality, delivery, and cost.

Key Responsibilities

• Implement lean tools such as 5S, Kaizen, Standard Work, Visual Management, SMED and Value Stream Mapping
• Drive waste elimination, process flow optimization, and variation reduction
• Facilitate structured problem solving using A3, DMAIC, 5-Why, RCFA, and similar methodologies
• Deliver measurable improvements in safety, quality, delivery, and cost
• Use data to identify gaps in performance versus best practices and work with the mill team to execute an improvement plan
• Document best practices and share improvements to leverage results
• Understand and apply financial drivers and key performance indicators
• Assist with implementing and managing systems that will sustain improvement efforts
• Lead and coach CI events / kaizen through hands-on participation
• Assist with developing and effectively delivering training materials in multiple formats to ensure team members throughout the organization are trained in CI concepts and philosophy
• Evaluate and drive opportunities for appropriate CI and lean tool applications
• Provide support, assistance, and communication to the mill leadership teams regarding CI initiatives

This position will require 75-90% travel.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred in business, engineering, operations management, or related field
• Minimum 5 years of manufacturing experience with proven change leadership skills
• Demonstrated success utilizing and deploying lean tools
• Strong analytical, facilitation, coaching and change leadership skills
• Ability to influence without formal authority across multiple functions
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office

Benefits

• Health, welfare and retirement plans including Medical, Dental, Life insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Short-term and Long-term Disability
• 401(k) with company-funded retirement contributions
• Paid Time Off
• Education & Development (including Tuition Reimbursement)
• Student Loan Repayment Assistance
• Voluntary Benefits including insurance for home, auto, vision and pets

Company Description

International Paper (NYSE: IP) is the global leader in sustainable packaging solutions. With company headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, and EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) headquarters in London, UK, we employ more than 65,000 team members and serve customers around the world with operations in more than 30 countries. Together with our customers, we make the world safer and more productive, one sustainable packaging solution at a time. Net sales for 2024 were $18.6 billion. In 2025, International Paper acquired DS Smith creating an industry leader focused on the attractive and growing North American and EMEA regions.