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Lean Project Lead

International Paper
United States, United StatesRemotefull_timeVerifiedPosted 19 Aug 2026

About the role

Position Title: 

Lean Project Lead

 

Category/Shift

Salaried Full-Time 

 

Pay Range: PL 16

$134,500 – $157,800

Multiple factors, including Individual experience, skills and abilities will determine where an employee is ultimately placed in the pay range.  

 

Physical Location

Remote

85% Travel to facilities

 

 

The Job You Will Perform: 

 

  • Deploy Daily Management at assigned plants: stand up the tiered meeting cadence, coach shift leaders and supervisors on running it, and hand off ownership to plant leadership before the site closes out.

  • Lead Gemba walk implementation — establish the routine, coach leaders on what to look for and how to engage the floor, and build the habit so it continues without a Lean team member present.

  • Build and launch Visual Management boards (performance, safety, and problem-solving boards) using plain, plant-floor language — no Lean jargon on materials hourly workers will use.

  • Coach hourly workers and frontline supervisors through structured Problem Solving (5-Why, A3) on real issues from their own line, positioning them as the process experts rather than recipients of top-down change.

  • Support installation and go-live of digital visual management tools (LIME, ACE, Kiwi run screens) at the site, coordinating with maintenance/IT on hardware needs (monitors, wiring, mounting).

  • Follow standard work for the Early Deployment process so the six-week cadence stays consistent and repeatable from site to site and wave to wave.

  • Flag risks, adoption gaps, or resource needs to Ben in real time so the team can problem-solve during the deployment window, not after.

  • Capture site-level progress and hand-off readiness to support steering committee and network-wide reporting.

 

 

The Skills You Will Bring:

 

Required:

  • 2+ years of hands-on plant, manufacturing, or operations experience (corrugated/packaging industry strongly preferred); internal operational background is preferred over a consulting-only background.

  • Working knowledge of Daily Management, Gemba, Visual Management, and structured Problem Solving — through direct application on a plant floor, not just classroom exposure.

  • Ability to coach and build trust with hourly workers and frontline supervisors, and to translate Lean concepts into plain, operational language.

  • Comfort working independently at a new site every few weeks, adapting to different plant cultures and leadership styles.

  • Basic comfort with digital visual management tools and willingness to coordinate on-site hardware installation logistics.

  • Willingness and ability to travel 80–85%, including regular Monday–Thursday or full-week site assignments.

 

Preferred:

  • Experience in corrugated packaging, converting, or a similar high-mix manufacturing environment.

  • Prior experience standing up a site from scratch (greenfield) or leading a rapid-cycle deployment.

  • Exposure to FMEA or maintenance-linked problem solving.

 

 

Competencies needed for this position:

  • Customer Focus

  • Action Oriented

  • Plans and Aligns

  • Collaborates

  • Communicates Effectively

  • Situational Adaptability

  • Instills Trust

The Benefits You Will Enjoy:
International Paper offers a benefits package that includes health, welfare and retirement plans including Medical, Dental, Life insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Short-term and Long-term Disability, 401(k), Company-funded retirement contributions, Paid Time Off, Education & Development (including Tuition Reimbursement), Student Loan Repayment Assistance, and Voluntary Benefits including insurance for home, auto, vision and pets

The Career You Will Build:
Leadership training, promotional opportunities

The Impact You Will Make:
We con

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Company

International Paper

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