Operations Manager

Full-time
On-site
$90,000-115,000/yr
Chicago, IL

Benefits

Bonus
Paid Time Off (PTO)

Job description

The Operations Manager oversees the daily operations of our, Construction Waste Recycling, Recovered Paper Baling Operation, and Municipal Solid Waste Transfer Station. This role ensures safe, efficient, and environmentally compliant performance while driving process improvement. The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader with strong operational expertise, excellent communication skills, and a passion for sustainability and continuous improvement.


Key Responsibilities
Operations Management
• Direct daily operations for sorting, processing, and material recovery.
• Plan and coordinate plant production schedules and material shipments.
• Manage inventory of recyclables, supplies, and spare parts.
Team Leadership
• Supervise and develop team leaders, equipment operators, forklift operators, sort line workers, and yard laborers.
• Conduct regular safety meetings, 5S audits, and performance reviews.
• Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, and environmental stewardship.
Compliance & Safety
• Ensure all activities comply with environmental regulations, safety policies, and company standards.
• Oversee waste diversion programs and ensure accurate material reporting.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective action for process deviations or safety incidents.
Continuous Improvement
• Implement and sustain Lean Six Sigma initiatives to increase efficiency and reduce operating costs.
• Monitor KPIs such as equipment uptime, tonnage processed, and contamination rates.
• Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all major operations.
Equipment & Maintenance
• Strong understanding of operating wheel loaders, excavators, forklifts, balers, and wood grinders.
• Ensure daily maintenance tasks are completed (greasing, cleaning, conveyor belt alignments).
• Verify pre-trip and post-trip inspections on all equipment.
• Collaborate with maintenance teams to minimize downtime and improve equipment reliability.

More information

Minimum education level

N/A

Experience level

Mid-level (3-4 years)

Job skills

Leadership

Problem-solving

Communication

Lean

Bilingual

Languages

English

Spanish

Company overview

company-logo
GreenWay Recycling

Environmental Services·11-50 employees

GreenWay Recycling Services is an Independently owned and operated waste and recycling company located in Chicago Illinois. We offer a wide array of services that your company might want to consider that truly makes us the on stop shop. Some of them are: • Equipment Sales: (Balers, Compactors, Extruders, Can Densifiers, etc.) • Complete recycling system design and installation • Service and preventative service on all recycling equipment • Bale wire sales (spools, boxes, and ties) • Training on all equipment • Transfer trailer service for large destroy quantities • Van trailer service for recyclable or trash collection • Rolloff boxes for destroy material, waste disposal, or construction projects • Custom reporting to suit your needs • We operate all of our own trucks. • We operate our own transfer station and MRF that is open to the public.