Manager of Manufacturing Excellence

What if you were given the opportunity and responsibility to make a difference? At International Paper, you control your destiny. We offer challenging assignments and total rewards in countries around the world. When we say infinite possibilities, we mean it. Apply now and join a community that improves people’s lives, the planet and our company’s performance by transforming renewable resources into products people depend on every day.

Position Title: 

Manager of Manufacturing Excellence

Category/Shift:

Salaried Full-Time

Physical Location:

401 Avenue U

Bogalusa, LA 70427

Pay Range:

(PL18)

$164,900- $183,200

The Job You Will Perform:

The MME is a lead team position reporting to the Mill Manager. They are responsible for the platform and process for managing improvement within the facility. This position works closely with the mill lead team to champion year-over-year improvement and coordinates the identification, evaluation, prioritization, and implementation of mill performance improvement opportunities. This role is responsible for advancing disruptive technologies, particularly in advanced data analytics to provide a platform to make data based operating decisions to improve mill performance. The MME is tasked with sustaining progress through the effective use of the sustainability model/concepts. This position works with the mill lead team members to integrate and prioritize Manufacturing Excellence (ME) initiatives for the mill, and champions the mill’s overall improvement process. The MME organization consists of 10-15 salaried employees across the mill’s ME Team, Quality Team, and intern/co-op program.

• Safety leadership development of team, and safety leadership activities across the mill in all areas
• Lead ME organization, which includes ME leaders and ME engineers, ensuring the overwhelming majority of the team’s time and energy is devoted to improvement
• Member of the Mill People Development Council
• Administers the development process of engineers recruited directly from college/new in their career
• Core member of college recruiting team at the mill, and oversees the mill’s intern/co-op program
• Ensure penetration of LEAN tools/Six sigma processes, including development of White/Yellow/Green belts within the mill
• Champion best practices processes both specific to ME in business and region, and coordinate with operating BUMs to ensure participation in area/department specific best practice teams, replicates successes across the mill
• Collaborate with mill controller to develop the annual budget and strategic plan to ensure alignment of YOY improvements and capital plan
• Collaborate with mill manager to lead strategy deployment for the facility
• Collaborate with mill capital manager to develop portfolio of cost reduction and strategic capital projects to enhance mills capability for quality and cost
• Liaise with subject matter experts during process audits, project identification, and project development for strategic and cost reduction projects
• Annual outage operational support and operational support as needed (weekend duty, process troubleshooting, etc.)

The Skills You Will Bring:

Bachelor of Science degree in engineering (chemical, electrical, or mechanical) or related field.

Significant previous operations or maintenance assignments, APM/AMM assignments, or business unit level leadership assignments. Six Sigma Green belt preferred.

Desired Competencies:

Organizing, planning, priority setting, process management, managing through systems, confronting direct reports and others, developing direct reports and others, caring about direct reports and others, listening, motivating others, drive for results, sizing up people, building effective teams, understanding others, action oriented, command skills, comfort around higher management, creativity, conflict management, timely decision making, decision quality, ethics and values, functional/technical skills, innovation management, interpersonal savvy, learning on the fly, managerial courage, managing and measuring work, problem solving, standing alone, dealing with ambiguity, approachability.

The Benefits You Will Enjoy:

• Paid time off including Vacation and Holidays
• Retirement, and 401k Matching Program
• Medical & Dental
• Education & Development (including Tuition Reimbursement)
• Life & Disability Insurance

The Career You Will Build:

• Leadership training
• Promotional opportunities

The Impact You Will Make:

We continue to build a better future for people, the plant, and our company! IP has been a good steward of sustainable practices across communities around the world for more than 120 years. Join our team and you’ll see why our team members say they’re Proud to be IP.

The Culture You Will Experience:

International Paper promotes employee well-being by providing safe, caring and inclusive workplaces. You will learn Safety Leadership Principles and have the opportunity to opt into Employee Networking Circles such as IPVets, IPride, Women in IP, and the African American ENC. We invite you to bring your uniqueness, creativity, talents, experiences, and safety mindset to be a part of our increasingly diverse culture.

The Company You Will Join:

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. Additional information can be found by visiting internationalpaper.com

International Paper is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.  International Paper complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact reasonable.accommodations@ipaper.com or (877) 973-3919.
Bogalusa  LA  70427-1060