What are the responsibilities and job description for the Continuous Improvement Manager L2 position at Cascades?
WELCOME HOME! – CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT MANAGER
Cascades – Schenectady, NY Manufacturing Facility
Cascades is seeking a collaborative, results-driven Continuous Improvement Manager to lead and embed a culture of operational excellence at our Schenectady, NY packaging manufacturing facility. This role partners closely with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Safety, and Supply Chain to identify, prioritize, and execute continuous improvement initiatives that improve safety, quality, service, and cost performance in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. This is a full-time salaried leadership role.
What We Offer
Key Responsibilities
Continuous Improvement Leadership
Education & Experience
Cascades believes in the success of an inclusive organization that values diversity within its team. All qualified candidates will be considered for this position in a fair manner.
To be part of Cascades is to reveal the full potential of materials, people and ideas. We are a source of possibilities! Since 1964, Cascades has been providing sustainable, innovative, and value-creating solutions in packaging, hygiene, and recovery. Join 9,000 talents working across nearly 60 operating units throughout North America.
Cascades – Schenectady, NY Manufacturing Facility
Cascades is seeking a collaborative, results-driven Continuous Improvement Manager to lead and embed a culture of operational excellence at our Schenectady, NY packaging manufacturing facility. This role partners closely with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Safety, and Supply Chain to identify, prioritize, and execute continuous improvement initiatives that improve safety, quality, service, and cost performance in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. This is a full-time salaried leadership role.
What We Offer
- Career pathways that support your goals in a collaborative, values driven environment where your work directly supports customer success.
- Excellent Benefits Package: Health Plan Options, Life Insurance, Paid Time Off
- Financial Benefits: Retirement Savings Plan, Profit Sharing, Stock Purchase Plan
- Wellness Benefits: Employee Assistance Plan, Lifestyle Flex Benefit
- Salary Range: $98,000 – $115,000 Profit Sharing
- Salary is based on experience, and qualifications that alignment with requirements
Key Responsibilities
Continuous Improvement Leadership
- Lead the development and execution of site-level continuous improvement strategy aligned with Cascades’ operational excellence framework.
- Champion Lean manufacturing principles, including problem-solving methodologies (A3, root cause analysis, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping).
- Facilitate Kaizen events and improvement workshops to drive measurable gains in safety, productivity, quality, service, and cost.
- Partner with site leadership to prioritize CI initiatives based on business impact and operational needs.
- Analyze operational performance data to identify trends, losses, constraints, and improvement opportunities.
- Drive standard work development, process stability, and waste elimination across manufacturing, warehousing, and support functions.
- Support capacity optimization, asset utilization improvements, and cost reduction initiatives.
- Establish, track, and report KPIs to measure CI progress and sustain results.
- Coach and mentor leaders and frontline teams on continuous improvement tools, behaviors, and mindset.
- Build internal CI capability through training, effective facilitation, and hands-on project support.
- Encourage employee engagement by creating opportunities for team members to contribute ideas and lead improvements.
- Support change management efforts to ensure improvements are adopted, sustained, and standardized.
- Integrate safety-first thinking into all continuous improvement initiatives.
- Partner with Safety and Quality teams to eliminate risks, reduce defects, and improve process reliability.
- Ensure CI activities align with OSHA requirements, environmental standards, and Cascades’ policies.
Education & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Industrial Systems, Business, or a related field; equivalent experience considered.
- 5 years of continuous improvement or operational excellence experience in a manufacturing environment (packaging, paper, or converting preferred).
- LEAN Certification highly desirable - Proven experience leading Lean initiatives and cross-functional improvement projects.
- Strong knowledge of Lean manufacturing and CI methodologies (Kaizen, A3, 5 Why, DMAIC, Value Stream Mapping).
- Ability to analyze and interpret operational data to support fact-based decision-making.
- Experience working within ERP and manufacturing systems (SAP preferred).
- Proficiency with Microsoft 365, including strong Excel and data presentation skills.
- Influential leader with the ability to engage and partner across all levels of the organization.
- Strong facilitation, coaching, and change management skills.
- Results-oriented mindset with a balance of strategic thinking and hands-on execution.
- Clear, confident communicator with the ability to translate complex concepts into practical actions.
Cascades believes in the success of an inclusive organization that values diversity within its team. All qualified candidates will be considered for this position in a fair manner.
To be part of Cascades is to reveal the full potential of materials, people and ideas. We are a source of possibilities! Since 1964, Cascades has been providing sustainable, innovative, and value-creating solutions in packaging, hygiene, and recovery. Join 9,000 talents working across nearly 60 operating units throughout North America.
Salary : $98,000 - $115,000