How to hire a value stream manager

How to hire a value stream manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step value stream 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 value stream manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new value stream manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a value stream manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your value stream manager job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a value stream manager for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

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   Hiring the perfect value stream manager also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of value stream manager salaries for various roles:

   Type of Value Stream Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Value Stream Manager	Industrial production managers oversee the daily operations of manufacturing and related plants. They coordinate, plan, and direct the activities used to create a wide range of goods, such as cars, computer equipment, or paper products.	$37-71
   Plant Superintendent	Plant superintendents must have skills in operations, productions, and management. They also need a 4-year degree in business or industrial management... Show more	$32-64
   Production Administrator	Production administrators support all artistic and production functions with expert administrative support to the entire production team. Part of their responsibilities includes maintaining the annual production expenses and production calendar, researching potential venues and maintaining a venue database, and preparing expense reports for artists and production staff... Show more	$12-28

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Value Stream
   • Lean Manufacturing
   • Sigma
   • On-Time Delivery
   • Process Improvement
   • Kaizen Events
   • Quality Standards
   • KPIs
   • Corrective Action
   • Lean Six Sigma
   • Direct Reports
   • Product Quality
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Production Control

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Oversee and manage all TPMO activities to increase OEE while maintaining throughput.
   • Manage day-to-day operations for two CNC machine shops that produce heads and blocks for company equipment.
   • Lead sigma program driving quality, productivity and delivery improvements.
   • Schedule the monthly production plan and perform the product quality control base on ISO standard.
   • Implement TPM, HACCP and GMP guidelines.
   • Receive and maintain QS 9000 and ISO 14001 certification.

   More value stream manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your value stream manager job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A value stream manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a value stream manager in Wyoming may be lower than in Connecticut, and an entry-level value stream manager usually earns less than a senior-level value stream manager. Additionally, a value stream manager with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average value stream manager salary

   $107,526yearly

   $51.70 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level value stream manager salary

   $77,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average value stream manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Connecticut	$124,152	$60
   2	California	$120,660	$58
   3	North Carolina	$118,454	$57
   4	Utah	$114,688	$55
   5	Kansas	$112,650	$54
   6	Oregon	$110,750	$53
   7	New York	$110,462	$53
   8	Michigan	$109,006	$52
   9	Illinois	$108,623	$52
   10	Colorado	$107,662	$52
   11	Pennsylvania	$107,361	$52
   12	Wisconsin	$106,291	$51
   13	Arizona	$105,648	$51
   14	New Mexico	$104,706	$50
   15	Massachusetts	$103,978	$50
   16	Florida	$102,686	$49
   17	Georgia	$101,175	$49
   18	Tennessee	$100,555	$48
   19	Texas	$100,127	$48
   20	Ohio	$97,490	$47

   Average value stream manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Boehringer Ingelheim	$127,233	$61.17
   2	Legrand	$125,979	$60.57	5
   3	Radial	$125,865	$60.51
   4	Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.	$125,456	$60.32	4
   5	Pwc	$125,244	$60.21	196
   6	American Metal Technologies	$124,482	$59.85
   7	Odyssey Systems	$122,446	$58.87
   8	The Hackett Group	$122,278	$58.79	1
   9	SAP	$120,492	$57.93
   10	Baldwin Richardson Foods	$120,331	$57.85
   11	TalentBurst	$119,194	$57.30
   12	PLZ	$118,965	$57.19
   13	Remington Arms	$117,647	$56.56
   14	AdvanSix	$117,601	$56.54
   15	Nike	$117,242	$56.37
   16	BD	$116,278	$55.90	1
   17	Sealed Air	$116,118	$55.83	14
   18	Price Industries	$115,780	$55.66
   19	JELD-WEN	$114,822	$55.20	4
   20	RSM US	$113,672	$54.65	1

4. Writing a value stream manager job description

   A job description for a value stream manager role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a value stream manager job description:

   Value stream manager job description example

   The Value Stream Manager (VSM) is a strategic manufacturing partner for the product line business teams that is accountable and responsible for increasing the ratio of value to non-values activities in the production processes focusing on delivering high quality products while eliminating waste and reducing costs in the overall supply chain from start to finish. The VSM leads and collaborates with a diverse team of production, engineering, supply chain and commercial talent to ensure that the value stream meets or exceeds customer requirements. The VSM is responsible for all operations, processes and productions plans within Value Stream Manager production plans within the Value Stream and is accountable to ensure those plans and processes deliver on operational performance targets. The VSM ensures products are manufactured with the highest level of quality in a safe and timely manner that will meet or exceed customer expectations.
   Responsibilities
   • Provides leadership and direction to the production team including developing a culture of teamwork, continuous improvement, and collaborative action.
   • Working with product line management, engineering, quality and supply chain, drives continuous improvement and achievement of the team's contribution to critical operational KPIs, including production, material and non-material productivity, on-time delivery, and quality matrix within the value stream.
   • Develop and utilize capacity plans to accurately understand resource planning and headcount requirements.
   • Develop, review, and present various work/management reports to accurately measure production processes and make improvements to produce improved results.
   • Participate with Quality, Supply Chain, R&D and Engineering on new product introductions, lead pilot and production trial runs.
   • Maintain positive employee relations using transparency, open communication skills and building an environment of trust.
   • Ensure that the standard work for methods and specifications are current and are followed
   • Ensure a balanced flow of work, prioritize work orders and capacity to meet customer needs and efficient use of resources
   • Communicate regularly with team members on Safety, Quality, Delivery, inventory and Continuous Improvement
   • Manage departments budget and costs
   • Define training and development requirements and ensure the appropriate training of personnel.
   • Regularly provide constructive, verbal and written, performance feedback. Proactively correct performance deficiencies using the Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) process through all the required steps, including out-processing employee if necessary.
   • Supervise the timely and accurate reporting of labor and production data. Monitor labor and expense budgets and institute necessary cost controls to meet company's profit goal on assigned programs.
   • Prepare and conduct presentations to senior management and external representatives. Such as Program Reviews and Quarterly Business Reviews (QBR)
   • Ensure adherence to federal and state laws and company policies and procedures including: Human Resources, labor, safety and housekeeping practices, etc.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right value stream manager for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your value stream manager job on Zippia to find and recruit value stream manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit value stream managers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   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 value stream manager

   Once you have selected a candidate for the value stream manager position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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 value stream manager?