Master Black Belt

WestRock Company; Evadale (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental & Vision

Life insurance

401k with match

Tuition reimbursement

Employee discounts

Employee referral bonus

Job summary

WestRock Company in Evadale, TX seeks a Master Black Belt to lead the Operational Excellence program and drive Lean-Six Sigma initiatives across the mill. This site-based role requires coaching several belts, leading cross-functional teams, and translating improvements into financial gains.

The ideal candidate has a chemical engineering or Paper Science background, 5–10 years of leadership experience, and strong financial acumen to support project selection and budgeting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering or Paper Science preferred.
• 5–10 years of relevant industry experience with leadership growth.
• Ability to execute complex projects in fast-paced environments using team-based, data-driven approaches.
• Coaching and mentoring both hourly and salaried employees to drive business results.
• Strong financial acumen with ability to create financial models used to support project selection and P&L impact.
• Intermediate knowledge of Lean Six Sigma tools and methodology.
• Smurfit Westrock Black Belt certification within 2 years.
• Excellent interpersonal and presentation skills from shop floor to executive level.
• Capable of influencing and persuading others; team builder.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Operational Excellence Program focusing on Lean-Six Sigma tools and methodology.
• Lead and/or support Mill Division Initiatives.
• Coach and mentor multiple belts on projects and lead multiple process improvement teams.
• Identify productivity opportunities and align with the annual financial plan.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams to deliver projects with significant financial impact.
• Identify training candidates and support local and corporate training programs.
• Translate improvement findings into production specifications and standard work.
• Maintain project documentation in the project management system.
• Ensure DMAIC, Kaizen, and E3 project execution standards.
• Support mill initiatives and weekend duty coverage.

Skills

Lean Six Sigma

Leadership

Project management

Coaching/Mentoring

Financial modeling

Interpersonal skills

Presentation skills

Influence & persuasion

Team building

Travel planning

Education

Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering or Paper Science preferred

Tools

DMAIC

Kaizen

Job description

Position: Master Black Belt

Job Code: MOPIP5 + Sr. Mgr, Process Improv, MBB

Location: Evadale, TX

The Opportunity:

We are seeking a Master Black Belt to work in partnership with the leadership and employees at our Evadale Mill. This individual will lead the Operational Excellence Program focusing on continuous improvement utilizing Lean-Six Sigma Tools and Methodology. This individual will also lead and/or support all Mill Division Initiatives. Must work effectively with leadership and the financial community to translate sustainable process improvements into budgeted financial improvements (productivity impact). The Master Black Belt will coach and support part-time belts on projects and lead multiple process improvement teams concurrently. This position is site based, in person reporting at the Evadale, TX mill and reports to the Regional Master Black Belt.

How you will impact Smurfit Westrock:

• Work with mill leadership in the identification and alignment of mill productivity priorities, business needs, and project opportunities.
• Align overall productivity project pipeline with annual financial plan and division objectives.
• Consistently identify project opportunities to improve the business.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams in process and systems improvement projects that result in significant financial impact.
• Coach and mentor multiple Yellow, Green, and Black Belt projects per year.
• Identify Lean-Six Sigma training candidates and support local and corporate training programs.
• Work effectively with operations to translate process improvement findings into production specifications and standard work.
• Maintain project documentation within the project management system.
• Ensure standards of project execution for DMAIC, Kaizen, and E3 projects are met.
• Support business unit or divisional initiatives.
• Support mill during upset events and be responsible for a department on the weekend duty roster.

What you need to succeed:

• Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering or Paper Science preferred.
• 5 - 10 years of relevant industry experience with progressive growth in leadership and business.
• Passion and drive to improve systems and processes.
• Demonstrated ability to execute complex projects in fast paced and dynamic environments using team-based, data-based approach.
• Capability to coach, teach, and mentor technical and non-technical knowledge to hourly and salaried employees to drive business results.
• Strong financial acumen with ability to create financial models used to support project selection and determine net project value to the P&L.
• Intermediate knowledge of Lean Six Sigma Tools and Methodology.
• Smurfit Westrock Black Belt certification within 2 years.
• Driven with a sense of urgency to achieve results.
• Exceptional interpersonal and presentation skills from the shop floor to executive level.
• Skilled decision maker and systematic problem solver.
• Ability to positively influence and persuade others.
• Capable of providing ad-hoc leadership as needed.
• Team builder.
• Average of <10% travel.

Preferred

• Subject matter expert with paper manufacturing or related industry experience (e.g., Wood, Packaging, etc.).
• Experience in change management and organizational redesign.
• 2+ years as lean six sigma black belt with documented project portfolio.

What we offer:

• Corporate culture based on integrity, respect, accountability, and excellence.
• Comprehensive training with numerous learning and development opportunities.
• An attractive salary reflecting skills, competencies, and potential.
• Benefits package to include medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401k with match, tuition reimbursement, employee discounts, employee referral bonus, and much more!
• A career with a global packaging company where Sustainability, Safety and Inclusion are business drivers and foundational elements of the daily work.