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What the market looks like

We've tracked 3,500+ mid-level postings in continuous improvement over the last six months across the US, with strongest hiring concentrated in Texas, California, and Florida. Manufacturing, professional services, financial services, and healthcare lead the sector demand. Compensation for this cohort clusters around $120,000 median, with top-performer ranges reaching $230,000. The strongest candidates bring deep process-mapping expertise, facility with Lean or Six Sigma methodologies, and a track record of driving measurable operational improvements—often across multiple departments or business units.

Job responsibilities

Lead end-to-end process improvement initiatives: map current state, identify bottlenecks, design and pilot improvements, and measure impact against defined KPIs
Partner with cross-functional teams and department heads to diagnose operational inefficiencies and build buy-in for change
Own continuous improvement program strategy—including Lean/Six Sigma deployment, training rollout, and sustainment
Drive root-cause analysis and data collection to support process redesign decisions
Build and mentor a team of process improvement specialists or coordinators
Establish metrics, dashboards, and reporting cadences to track program progress and business outcomes
Integrate process improvement initiatives with organizational AI and digital transformation efforts where applicable
Communicate improvements and lessons learned to senior leadership and across business units

Candidate requirements

5+ years in continuous improvement, operations, Lean/Six Sigma, or process engineering roles—ideally managing teams or owning program-level scope
Demonstrated expertise in process mapping, data analysis, and quantifying operational improvements (cost, cycle time, quality, throughput)
Hands-on fluency with Lean and/or Six Sigma frameworks; certification (Green Belt or Black Belt) preferred
Track record of leading cross-functional projects and translating improvement initiatives into sustained business outcomes
Strong communication and presentation skills; ability to engage stakeholders at all organizational levels
Comfortable with change management and driving adoption in process-resistant environments

Manager, Continuous Improvement