Continuous Improvement Leader

Compass Minerals Intl Inc; Overland Park (KS); On-site; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Compass Minerals seeks a Continuous Improvement Leader to drive Lean/Six Sigma at scale, coaching teams and designing roadmaps that deliver measurable gains in productivity and quality. The role partners with senior leaders to embed a culture of continuous improvement across multiple functions.

You will apply AI-enabled tools, foster collaboration, and lead strategic initiatives while traveling up to 50% to meet business needs, ensuring safe, sustainable, and customer-focused outcomes.

Qualifications

• 5+ years applying Lean/Six Sigma at scale.
• Cross-functional exposure across departments.
• Strong facilitation and group leadership skills.
• Ability to coach, influence, and inspire teams toward improvement.
• Customer-obsessed mindset with curiosity for solving real-world challenges.
• Results-driven with credibility in continuous improvement.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• BS/BA required; MBA preferred.
• Willingness to travel up to 50%.

Responsibilities

• Coach teams through Lean transformations, Kaizen events, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Partner with leadership to design strategic roadmaps delivering measurable results.
• Facilitate problem solving and value-stream mapping across functions.
• Collaborate to develop annual operating plans and KPI alignment.
• Leverage AI and modern tools to accelerate efficiency and innovation.
• Benchmark with other companies to raise performance.
• Grow expertise by applying continuous improvement across the organization.

Skills

Lean Six Sigma

Facilitation

Coaching

Cross-functional

Communication

Customer focus

Team leadership

Education

BS/BA

MBA preferred

Tools

AI tools

Digital tools

Job description

We invite you to Explore the Potential of being part of something Clearly Essential!

Compass Minerals (NYSE: CMP) is a leading global provider of essential minerals focused on safely delivering where and when it matters to help solve nature’s challenges for customers and communities. The company’s salt products help keep roadways safe during winter weather and are used in numerous other consumer, industrial, chemical and agricultural applications. Its plant nutrition products help improve the quality and yield of crops while supporting sustainable agriculture. Compass Minerals operates 11 production and packaging facilities with more than 1,800 employees throughout the U.S., Canada and the U.K. Visitcompassminerals.com for more information about the company and its products.

At Compass Minerals, we want continuous improvement to be the heartbeat of our culture and performance. It drives innovation, empowers teams, and keeps us ahead of the curve. As a Continuous Improvement Leader, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping how we work, how we grow, and how we deliver excellence to our customers.

This is more than a process role—it’s a chance to inspire teams, elevate customer outcomes, and position Compass Minerals as the industry benchmark for efficiency, productivity and quality.

What You’ll Do

• Champion the Continuous Improvement culture across Compass Minerals through coaching, training, and hands‑on support.
• Partner with leadership to design and execute strategic Continuous Improvement roadmaps that deliver measurable results.
• Facilitate Kaizen events at Gemba, ensuring planning, execution, and sustainment drive lasting impact.
• Guide teams in problem solving, value stream mapping, and customer‑focused improvements.
• Support leadership in building strategy, annual operating plans, operations reviews, and daily management, ensuring alignment with KPIs.
• Leverage AI and modern tools to accelerate efficiency and innovation.
• Collaborate with leaders to evolve best practices and benchmark against other companies.
• Continuously grow your own expertise by applying continuous improvement across functions and collaborating.

What You Bring

• Proven experience (5+ years) applying Lean/Six Sigma at scale.
• Cross‑functional career exposure; software/digital experience is a plus.
• Strong facilitation skills—able to lead diverse groups through complex challenges.
• Ability to coach, influence, and inspire teams toward sustainable improvement.
• A customer‑obsessed mindset, with empathy and curiosity for solving real‑world challenges.
• Results‑driven focus with technical credibility in continuous improvement.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• BS/BA required; MBA preferred.
• Willingness to travel up to 50%.

Why Join Us

• Work in a culture that values Integrity, Respect, Collaboration, Value Creation, and High Performance.
• Gain exposure to cutting‑edge tools and AI‑driven processes.
• Make a tangible impact on productivity and quality.
• This is your opportunity to lead transformation, empower teams, and shape the future of Compass Minerals.

Compass Minerals is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. We are firmly committed to making all employment-related decisions without regard to race, ancestry, ethnicity, color, religious creed or belief, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity, and pregnancy and breastfeeding), age, military or veteran status, status as a qualified individual with a disability, genetic information, and any other characteristic protected by law. Learn more about equal employment opportunity laws atdol.gov . January 2025

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.