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How to hire a continuous improvement manager

Continuous improvement manager hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring continuous improvement managers in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a continuous improvement manager is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new continuous improvement manager to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a continuous improvement manager, step by step

To hire a continuous improvement manager, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a continuous improvement manager:

Here's a step-by-step continuous improvement manager hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a continuous improvement manager job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new continuous improvement manager
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a continuous improvement manager do?

A Continuous Improvement Manager initiates and facilitates lean improvement programs and activities. They ensure that progress is maintained on an ongoing basis.

Learn more about the specifics of what a continuous improvement manager does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the continuous improvement manager you need to hire. Certain continuous improvement manager roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a continuous improvement manager to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a continuous improvement manager that fits the bill.

    The following list breaks down different types of continuous improvement managers and their corresponding salaries.

    Type of Continuous Improvement ManagerDescriptionHourly rate
    Continuous Improvement ManagerTop executives devise strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals. They plan, direct, and coordinate operational activities of companies and organizations.$35-63
    Manager/PartnerA manager/partner or managing partner is a professional who manages the daily activities of a company as well as guides its overall strategic business direction. Managing partners must cooperate with other executives, board members, and employees to implement organizational goals, procedures, and policies... Show more$30-67
    Day ManagerA day manager oversees the daily operations of an organization, ensuring everything runs smoothly and efficiently according to company standards and regulations. As a day manager, it is their duty to set priorities and goals, establish timelines and guidelines, manage budgets, delegate responsibilities among teams, and supervise staff performances, solving issues or concerns when any arise... Show more$14-30
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Lean Six Sigma
    • Sigma
    • Continuous Improvement
    • Lean Manufacturing
    • Project Management
    • Kaizen Events
    • Lean Tools
    • Logistics
    • DMAIC
    • TPM
    • Customer Service
    • Management System
    • Customer Satisfaction
    • Visual Management
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Lead many CI workshops with Toyota consultants.
    • Manage all admission & billing submission processes for long term care patients.
    • Lead SMED event, reducing change over from 1 hour to 10 minutes.
    • Facilitate and lead CPI events with chosen teams, SMEs, stakeholders, and commanders.
    • Manage the factory and product work in progress to meet production goals using an MRP system.
    • Manage and report daily on the KPI tracker and report weekly to the director of the region.
    More continuous improvement manager duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your continuous improvement manager job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A continuous improvement manager can vary based on:

    • Location. For example, continuous improvement managers' average salary in kentucky is 47% less than in district of columbia.
    • Seniority. Entry-level continuous improvement managers 44% less than senior-level continuous improvement managers.
    • Certifications. A continuous improvement manager with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a continuous improvement manager's salary.

    Average continuous improvement manager salary

    $99,644yearly

    $47.91 hourly rate

    Entry-level continuous improvement manager salary
    $74,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 17, 2025

    Average continuous improvement manager salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1District of Columbia$114,197$55
    2California$113,754$55
    3New York$110,622$53
    4Massachusetts$107,340$52
    5Washington$105,435$51
    6Maryland$104,991$50
    7Wisconsin$103,470$50
    8Pennsylvania$101,340$49
    9Michigan$97,903$47
    10Colorado$97,323$47
    11Indiana$97,314$47
    12Illinois$93,662$45
    13Texas$93,403$45
    14Alabama$92,946$45
    15Arizona$92,899$45
    16Tennessee$92,314$44
    17North Carolina$89,985$43
    18Oregon$89,279$43
    19Georgia$88,928$43
    20Ohio$88,579$43

    Average continuous improvement manager salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Google$131,571$63.2643
    2Five Below$130,726$62.85145
    3Benjamin Moore$130,163$62.58
    4Citi$129,435$62.2318
    5Bed Bath & Beyond$128,535$61.80
    6Amazon$128,320$61.69743
    7McKinsey & Company Inc$127,826$61.45
    8Buybuy Baby$126,410$60.77
    9Starbucks$121,458$58.39305
    10Koch Industries$121,371$58.35
    11Applied Materials$119,474$57.449
    12FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies$114,668$55.131
    13Arkema$113,253$54.452
    14Amelia$112,318$54.001
    15Intuit$112,293$53.9927
    16Bio-Rad Laboratories$111,274$53.501
    17Xylem$108,515$52.179
    18Greif$107,784$51.823
    19Groupon$107,759$51.81
    20ICU Medical$107,002$51.442
  4. Writing a continuous improvement manager job description

    A continuous improvement manager job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a continuous improvement manager job description:

    Continuous improvement manager job description example

    T he Kraft Heinz Company is one of the largest food and beverage companies in the world, with eight $1 billion+ brands and global sales of approximately $25 billion. We're a globally trusted producer of high-quality, great-tasting, and nutritious foods for over 150 years. Our brands are truly global, with products produced and marketed in over 40 countries. These beloved products include condiments and sauces, cheese and dairy, meals, meats, refreshment beverages, coffee, infant and nutrition products, and numerous other grocery products in a portfolio of more than 200 legacy and emerging brands.

    No matter the brand, we're united under one vision: To sustainably grow by delighting more consumers globally . Bringing this vision to life is our team of 39,000+ food lovers, creative thinkers, and high performers worldwide. Together, we help provide meals to those in need through our global partnership with Rise Against Hunger. We also stand committed to responsible, sustainable practices that extend to every facet of our business, our consumers, and our communities. Every day, we're transforming the food industry with bold thinking and unprecedented results. If you share our passion - and are ready to create the future, build a legacy, and lead as a global citizen - there's only one thing to do: join our table and let's make life delicious!

    Our Culture of Ownership, Meritocracy & Collaboration

    We're not afraid to think differently. Embrace new ideas. Dream big. We empower our people at every level - from entry-level intern to senior leader - to own their work. We share a responsibility to think like Owners - to be mindful of the collective and sustained success of Kraft Heinz - which we apply to every situation, every day. As part of Kraft Heinz, you're supported to grow and achieve. You're expected to bring your authentic self to work every day, to lead with humility, and drive outstanding performance at every level - and you'll be rewarded. You're given opportunities to leave a mark and build a legacy. But you won't do it alone. You're supported by passionate teammates along the way, and our collective, collaborative spirit fuels our incredible progress.

    Job Description

    Key Responsibilities of the Role

    Continuous Development of the productivity decks

    Generate cost reduction opportunities and implement process improvement to reduce manufacturing costs

    Coordinate major initiatives across Supply Chain to insure optimum cost. This coordination will include, but not be limited to, purchasing, distribution, manufacturing, research & development, packaging and engineering

    Implement and train MOS & Lean / Six Sigma processes to plant location personnel.

    Participate in the QRMP yearly audit and assist in the development of procedures and corrective actions

    Assist with the implementation of the QRMP (Quality Risk Management Process) system and operational standards as outlined in the plant accountability list in order to achieve targeted RCR

    Share and implement best practice initiatives across Supply Chain

    Coordinate the progression of KHMS using TRACC as a tool

    Develop and maintain performance (KPI) visuals

    Ownership of the Priority One system; responsible to ensure all users are trained and that all projects are current

    Develop key performance indicators (KPIs) and tracking system (where needed)

    Develop a waste analysis for all lines

    Lead and coordinate 5S initiatives plant-wide

    Develop and manage the department's operating budget

    Manage and evaluate the Continuous Improvement staff including but not limited to performance management and employee development, etc.

    Partner with business leaders on implementation of process improvement (Six Sigma / Lean)

    Qualifications

    Bachelor's degree is required; Preferably in Industrial Engineering or related discipline

    3-5 years of operations experience in a manufacturing environment is required

    2+ years CI leading CI projects or transformation projects required

    Black Belt Certification preferred; Green Belt Certification required

    Demonstrated experience overcoming the inevitable problems and obstacles that surface to meet project timelines and cost initiatives

    Creativeness and desire to not to be bound by past solutions and to think outside the box in order to drive productivity throughout the organization

    Ability to communicate and deal with a range of responsibilities is critical while managing multiple task

    Working knowledge of enterprise business principles and practices

    Presentation Skills

    Mentoring & coaching skills

    Location(s) Champaign Plant Kraft Heinz is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Underrepresented Ethnic Minority Groups/Women/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity and other protected classes. In order to ensure reasonable accommodation for protected individuals, applicants that require accommodation in the job application process may contact for assistance.
  5. Post your job

    There are a few common ways to find continuous improvement managers for your business:

    • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your continuous improvement manager job on Zippia to find and recruit continuous improvement manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting continuous improvement managers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new continuous improvement manager

    Once you've found the continuous improvement manager candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

    It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

    To prepare for the new continuous improvement manager first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a continuous improvement manager?

Before you start to hire continuous improvement managers, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire continuous improvement managers pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

The median annual salary for continuous improvement managers is $99,644 in the US. However, the cost of continuous improvement manager hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a continuous improvement manager for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $35 and $63 an hour.

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