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Continuous Improvement Leader

3M · Prairie du Chien, WI · $164,612–$201,193 a year · Full time

Posted Sep 14, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a complex problem you solved that crossed production, materials and transactional processes.

What they are checking: Whether they can lead improvement beyond the shop floor into end-to-end flow.

Tell me about an improvement that didn't stick. What would you do differently?

What they are checking: Whether they understand sustainment through standard work and follow-up.

Tell me about the biggest financial result you've delivered through improvement work.

What they are checking: Whether their past work produced validated savings they can explain.

What would you do

You'd develop the site CI strategy with the site leader. How would you decide what the strategy should focus on?

What they are checking: Whether they tie improvement to the site's biggest losses and business goals instead of favorite tools.

Leaders want quick wins, but the real problem needs a six-month project. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they can balance short-term results with lasting fixes and manage expectations.

An area manager resists a change your data clearly supports. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they influence through understanding concerns instead of forcing change.

About the work

How do you choose between a kaizen event, a DMAIC project and just-do-it fixes?

What they are checking: Whether they match the method to the size and uncertainty of the problem.

How do you set improvement objectives that are measurable and actually owned by area leaders?

What they are checking: Whether they build ownership in operations rather than making CI the CI team's job.

How do you build problem-solving skill in frontline supervisors?

What they are checking: Whether they coach people to solve problems themselves rather than doing it for them.

What statistical tools do you rely on most, and how do you explain them to people who don't use statistics?

What they are checking: Whether they can use analysis rigorously and make it understandable.

How do you know your CI program is creating value and not just activity?

What they are checking: Whether they track real business outcomes rather than counting events and projects.

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The full job description

As published by 3M.

Job Description: Continuous Improvement Leader Collaborate with Innovative 3Mers Around the World Choosing where to start and grow your career has a major impact on your professional and personal life, so it’s equally important you know that the company that you choose to work at, and its leaders, will support and guide you. With a wide variety of people, global locations, technologies and products, 3M is a place where you can collaborate with other curious, creative 3Mers. This position provides an opportunity to transition from other private, public, government or military experience to a 3M career. The Impact You’ll Make in this Role As a Continuous Improvement Leader, you will have the opportunity to tap into your curiosity and collaborate with some of the most innovative people around the world. Here, you will make an impact by: • Works with site leadership team to set short-term strategic direction and operating plans for assigned area of responsibility and defines guidelines/methods. • Responsible for development site CI strategy for Continuous improvement. Will have direct responsibility and work with site leader for strategic planning and establishing improvement objectives. • Complex problem solving requiring in-depth interpretation, analysis and improvement approaches. Improvement expertise/experience should encompass production, materials, transactional, warehouse, supply chain, Materials Resource Planning (MRP), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Portfolio and/or information flows. Ability to link process, execution and master data failure modes with projects to drive operational improvements that drive financial performance. • Responsible for site/organization level goals, objectives, strategy and performance. • Driving financial improvement across the site/organization • Collaborates with front-line employees, support teams, department/function, supervisors/managers and operations leaders to determine goals, direction, and approaches for improvement. • Responsible for working with site/ organization leadership team to determine approach and strategy for achieving operational and financial objectives. • Teaching, mentoring and developing others (e.g. peers, supervisors, managers) in their ability to establish Continuous • Improvement as a primary mechanism to improving financial and operational performance in their work centers, departments or areas. • Use CI Dashboard to manage, maintain and communicate CI impact/performance to leadership at all levels. Your Skills and Expertise To set you up for success in this role from day one, 3M requires (at a minimum) the following qualifications: • Bachelor’s degree or higher (completed and verified prior to start) • Five (5) years of experience in plant and/or operations leadership in a private, public, government or military environment • Three (3) years of experience in developing and leading kaizen events in a private, public, government or military environment Additional qualifications that could help you succeed even further in this role include: • Strong communication skills across all levels of the organization • Ability to develop and execute strategic plans • Ten (10) years of experience in plant operations, engineering, and/or maintenance functions • Strength in leading and managing culture change • Advanced data analysis and Microsoft Excel skills • Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt experience or certification • Coaching and teaching skills. • Lean Manufacturing experience. • Demonstrated results using continuous improvement methodologies. Work location: On-site Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin Travel: May include up to 10% domestic travel Relocation Assistance: May be authorized Must be legally authorized to work in country of employment without sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H1B status). Supporting Your Well-being 3M offers many programs to help you live your best life – both physically and financially. To ensure competitive pay and benefits, 3M regularly benchmarks with other companies that are comparable in size and scope. Chat with Max For assistance with searching through our current job openings or for more information about all things 3M, visit Max, our virtual recruiting Applicable to US Applicants Only:The expected compensation range for this position is $164,612 - $201,193, which includes base pay plus variable incentive pay, if eligible. This range represents a good faith estimate for this position. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may vary based on factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s relevant knowledge, training, skills, work location, and/or experience. In addition, this position may be eligible for a range of benefits (e.g., Medical, Dental & Vision, Health Savings Accounts, Health Care & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts, Disability Benefits, Life Insurance, Voluntary Benefits, Paid Absences and Retirement Benefits, etc.). Additional information is available at: https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/careers-us/working-at-3m/benefits/. Good Faith Posting Date Range 09/14/2026 To 10/14/2026 Or until filled All US-based 3M full time employees will need to sign an employee agreement as a condition of employment with 3M. This agreement lays out key terms on using 3M Confidential Information and Trade Secrets. It also has provisions discussing conflicts of interest and how inventions are assigned. Employees that are Job Grade 7 or equivalent and above may also have obligations to not compete against 3M or solicit its employees or customers, both during their employment, and for a period after they leave 3M. Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems at www.3M.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @3M. Responsibilities of this position include that corporate policies, procedures and security standards are complied with while performing assigned duties. Safety is a core value at 3M. All employees are expected to contribute to a strong Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) culture by following safety policies, identifying hazards, and engaging in continuous improvement. Pay & Benefits Overview: https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/careers-us/working-at-3m/benefits/ 3M does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Please note: your application may not be considered if you do not provide your education and work history, either by: 1) uploading a resume, or 2) entering the information into the application fields directly. 3M Global Terms of Use and Privacy Statement Carefully read these Terms of Use before using this website. Your access to and use of this website and application for a job at 3M are conditioned on your acceptance and compliance with these terms. Please click on the following links and select the country where you are applying for employment to review the applicable Terms of Use (link here) and Privacy Policy (link here) . Before submitting your application, you will be asked to confirm your agreement with the terms.

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