Director of Operations

Who We Are
Waste Solution Services (WSS) helps multifamily and commercial portfolios lower and stabilize waste spend. We act as dedicated advocates, bridging the gap between clients and haulers to audit invoices, optimize contracts, right-size service, and manage vendor issues.

Title: Director of Operations
Compensation: $160,000–$200,000 (DOE)
Location: Lawrence NY - in-person

The Role (What You’ll Do)
The Director of Operations at Waste Solution Services (WSS) reports to the Chief Operating Officer (COO). This role is responsible for the strategic and operational management of the Service Operations group, including Customer Service, Account Management, Proposals, and Vendor Relations.
This is a hands-on, execution-focused leadership role responsible for building operational processes, eliminating bottlenecks, improving cross-functional collaboration, and driving efficiency across the organization. The Director will challenge existing operations, create clarity between departments, and implement scalable processes that improve execution and accountability.
The Director serves as a key leader who holds the Operations team accountable for delivering high-quality outcomes and maintaining performance standards across all Operations departments.

Core Responsibilities

• Lead, manage, mentor, and hold the Operations team leads and staff accountable for meeting departmental goals and performance standards.
• Set KPIs, goals, and milestones for the operations teams.
• Identify and eliminate operational bottlenecks while improving efficiency across departments.
• Oversee the managers across Proposals, Vendor Relations, Account Management, and Customer Service to remove operational bottlenecks and improve interdepartmental communication, providing strategic oversight on complex escalations.
• Identify inefficiencies, root causes, and recurring operational issues, then develop and execute solutions that drive lasting improvements.
• Improve communication and problem-solving between departments.
• Create interdepartmental processes and workflows.
• Establish clear ownership, accountability, and handoff processes between departments to eliminate confusion and improve execution.
• Challenge existing workflows and operating procedures, recommending and implementing better ways of working when opportunities exist.
• Drive cross-functional initiatives from planning through execution, ensuring projects are completed on time and deliver measurable business impact.
• Act as the final point of escalation for customer retention efforts when all other strategies have failed.
• Maintain a hands-on approach, rolling up sleeves to solve problems rather than managing solely from a high level.

Requirements

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in customer and vendor operations, preferably within a service-based or waste industry.
• Experience architecting and building customer-facing operations teams.
• Experience training and mentoring managers and team leads.
• Proven ability to lead, manage, and hold staff and managers accountable.
• Expertise in providing executive oversight to complex business functions, including vendor negotiation and proposal management.
• Demonstrated success improving operational processes, removing inefficiencies, and leading cross-functional execution.
• Demonstrated experience in directing a Customer Service function, including serving as the final point of escalation for critical customer retention efforts.
• Experience with oversight of legal risks, litigation matters, and high-stakes contractual disputes.
• Exceptional communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Experience leading multiple departments or functions, not just a single team.
• Proven track record of improving processes, increasing efficiency, and creating measurable operational improvements.
• Experience reading and interpreting reports and presenting to leadership.

Preferred Experience

• Six Sigma Green Belt certification
• Experience in B2B service-oriented businesses