Principal Process Improvement Specialist

Principal Process Improvement Specialist

The Principal Process Improvement Specialist is the sole subject matter expert in the analysis, design, and improvement of the processes, tools, and automation utilized by the Corporate Strategy and Performance Improvement team at Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines. As an individual contributor, this role defines the long-term continuous improvement strategy exercises considerable latitude and initiative.

Key Duties

• Leads the full lifecycle of enterprise-wide process improvement and automation initiatives from problem definition and root cause analysis through solution design, implementation, and sustainment delivering measurable operational results.
• Partners with leadership to set the long-term strategy and priorities for continuous improvement and automation efforts to ensure the greatest enterprise benefit.
• Exercises considerable judgment to make decisions regarding performance management and improvement processes to ensure a positive, measurable, and sustainable impact on the organization.
• Leads end-to-end process mapping and use-case discovery with AI teams to identify where artificial intelligence (AI), agents, and data automation can eliminate manual, repetitive work, and defines how AI and automation opportunities are prioritized and aligned to financial and cost-analysis guardrails.
• Partners with technology teams and external partners to design, facilitate, and implement AI-enabled and automation solutions from discovery through MVP and enterprise adoption.
• Identifies issues and opportunities within current team processes, and recommends improvements to their structure, governance, capabilities, quality, efficiency, effectiveness, measurement, and communication.
• Influences and coaches cross-departmental and cross-divisional teams to develop and implement new or improved processes and new AI and automation capabilities that deliver significant change to the business.
• Builds collaborative, process-centric, cross-divisional teams and forums to influence sustainable change.
• Oversees the continuous improvement of products, processes, and automation solutions, and grows the organization's continuous-improvement capabilities in partnership with leadership including leading Lean Six Sigma Green Belt training and embedding AI tools into improvement projects.
• Partners with leaders to conduct data analysis and apply a data-driven approach to setting priorities and identifying opportunities to increase efficiency and effectiveness.
• Monitors and understands process, automation, and AI trends and leading practices occurring in the marketplace, bringing emerging capabilities back into the enterprise.
• Identifies and communicates unresolved problems or timeline risks and recommends corrective actions.

Job-Specific Experience, Education & Skills

Required

• 7 years of experience in management consulting, project management, change management, organizational development, Lean/Six Sigma process improvement, or a related area.
• Bachelor's degree with a focus in business administration, organizational development, human resources, or a related discipline, or an additional two years of training/experience in lieu of this degree.
• Proven project and change management skills and the ability to apply research and best practices to existing business problems.
• Demonstrated experience leading the full Lean DMAIC lifecycle and delivering measurable value.
• Ability to lead analytical studies, project definition, and recommendations.
• Demonstrated experience using a data-driven approach for decision-making and solution implementation.
• Experience identifying and delivering process automation, and applying AI and automation tools (e.g., Microsoft Copilot, Power Automate, agents) to improve business processes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Minimum age of 18.
• Must be authorized to work in the U.S.

Preferred

• Certified practitioner in one or more of the following areas: Accelerated Improvement Workshop (AIW) certified, Green Belt/Black Belt, Lean, or Six Sigma.
• Experience leading AI-enablement or automation initiatives or serving in an AI champion/enablement role.

Starting Rate

Salary Range

$122,800-$184,200 / year

Total Rewards

Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air pay and benefits can vary by company, location, number of regularly scheduled hours worked, length of employment, and employment status.

• Free stand-by travel privileges on Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines & Horizon Air
• Comprehensive well-being programs including medical, dental and vision benefits
• Generous 401k match program
• Annual bonus plans
• Generous holiday and paid time off

For more information about Alaska/Hawaiian/Horizon Total Rewards please visit our career site and view benefits.

Regulatory Information

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement

It is the policy of Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment and to ensure equal opportunity in all terms, conditions, and benefits of employment or potential employment.

We also prohibit discrimination and harassment against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected categories.

To implement this policy, we will:

(1) Recruit, hire, train and promote qualified persons in all job titles, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information and any other legally protected categories; (2) Ensure that employment decisions are based only on valid job requirements; and (3) Ensure that all personnel actions and employment activities such as compensation, benefits, promotions, layoffs, return from layoff, Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air sponsored programs, and tuition assistance will be administered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected categories.

Employees and applicants for employment will not be subjected to harassment, intimidation, threats, coercion or discrimination because they have engaged or may engage in (1) filing a complaint, (2) opposing any act or practice made unlawful by, or exercising any other right protected by, any Federal, State or local law requiring equal opportunity, including Section 503 and the equal opportunity provisions of VEVRAA, or (3) assisting or participating in any investigation, compliance evaluation, hearing, or any other activity related to the administration of any Federal, State or local law requiring equal opportunity, including Section 503 and the equal opportunity provisions of VEVRAA.

Government Contractor & Department of Transportation (DOT) Regulations Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines & Horizon Air are regulated by the Department of Transportation (DOT regulations, 49 CFR part 40) and all applicants are advised that post-offer and/or pre-employment drug testing will be conducted to determine the presence of marijuana, cocaine, opioids, phencyclidine (PCP) and amphetamines or a metabolite of these drugs prior to any offer or employment or transfer into a safety-sensitive position. Failure to submit to testing or positive indications of drug use will render the applicant ineligible for employment with Alaska Airlines/Hawaiian Airlines/Horizon Air and any employment offer will be withdrawn.

Apply by 7:00 PM Pacific Time on

8/14/2026

FLSA Status

Exempt

Employment Type

Full-Time

Regular/Temporary

Regular

Requisition Type

Management

Location

Seattle - Corporate HQ