Manufacturing · Operations & Plant Management · Continuous Improvement Manager

Retained Recruitment for Continuous Improvement Managers

Continuous Improvement Managers build and sustain the lean manufacturing and CI culture that drives efficiency, quality, and cost reduction across a manufacturing operation. Found through dedicated retained search — not job boards.

Retained Only 21–40 Day Placement 90-Day Guarantee $90,000 – $135,000
CI ManagerLean ManagerSix Sigma ManagerOperational Excellence ManagerLean Black Belt

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310+Manufacturing Placements
21–40Days to Placement
96%1-Year Retention
90-DayGuarantee
4.9★Client Rating
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What Does a Continuous Improvement Manager Do?

Leading kaizen events and lean transformation projects, facilitating root cause analysis and problem-solving workshops, developing CI capability in production staff and supervisors, tracking and reporting CI savings, maintaining the lean management system, and partnering with operations on waste elimination projects.

What We Screen For

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification, 5–10 years of manufacturing experience with demonstrated CI project delivery, training and facilitation skills, and the credibility to influence operators, supervisors, and senior leadership simultaneously. Toyota Production System or Danaher Business System experience is particularly valued.

💡 Hiring Insight

CI managers who can point to sustained improvement — results that held for 12+ months after the initial project — rather than short-term gains that reverted demonstrate the training and follow-through capability that separates transformative CI leaders from event facilitators.

Typical Compensation
$90,000 – $135,000
Black Belt certification, multi-site CI programme leadership, and DBS or TPS background command the top of this range.
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Also Known As

CI ManagerLean ManagerSix Sigma ManagerOperational Excellence ManagerLean Black Belt

Ready to start a Continuous Improvement Manager search?

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25 min · Google Meet · No obligation

Every Day Without a Continuous Improvement Manager Has a Real Cost.

Retained recruitment delivers a pre-screened shortlist within 21–40 days. Start with a free 25-minute consultation.

📅 Book a Free Consultation No obligation · 25 minutes · Google Meet · Confidential
Common Questions

Recruiting a Continuous Improvement Manager — FAQ

Most Continuous Improvement Manager searches are completed within 21–40 business days. We provide a realistic timeline at the start of every engagement and weekly progress updates throughout.
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification, 5–10 years of manufacturing experience with demonstrated CI project delivery, training and facilitation skills, and the credibility to influence operators, supervisors, and senior leadership simultaneously. Toyota Production System or Danaher Business System experience is particularly valued.
CI managers who can point to sustained improvement — results that held for 12+ months after the initial project — rather than short-term gains that reverted demonstrate the training and follow-through capability that separates transformative CI leaders from event facilitators. A retained search means one dedicated recruiter works exclusively on your role — passive outreach, credential screening, and a curated shortlist.
Every permanent retained placement includes a 90-day guarantee. If the placed professional departs or is released within 90 days for covered reasons, we conduct a full replacement search at no additional fee.
Compensation typically ranges from $90,000 – $135,000. Black Belt certification, multi-site CI programme leadership, and DBS or TPS background command the top of this range. Every retained search includes real-time compensation benchmarking.
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