Director of Landfill Operations

Director of Landfill Operations

Lead the operation. Develop the team. Build for the future.

Interstate Waste Services (IWS) is seeking an experienced Director of Landfill Operations to lead our rail-served landfill in Ohio. This is a high-impact leadership opportunity with overall responsibility for safety, environmental compliance, people, operations, asset reliability, financial performance, and long-range planning.

We're looking for a highly visible, hands-on leader who can develop strong teams, drive operational excellence, manage a P&L, and build the systems and infrastructure needed to support long-term performance and growth.

What You'll Do

• Provide overall leadership for landfill operations, translating company objectives into clear operating plans, priorities, and performance expectations.
• Lead, coach, and develop managers and supervisors while building accountability, succession planning, cross-training, and organizational depth.
• Maintain a visible field presence and foster a culture centered on safety, accountability, urgency, teamwork, and professionalism.
• Ensure compliance with company safety standards and applicable OSHA, DOT, federal, state, and local requirements.
• Oversee environmental compliance associated with waste acceptance, airspace management, stormwater, leachate, landfill gas, groundwater, inspections, reporting, and regulatory recordkeeping.
• Direct daily landfill activities, including waste placement, compaction, grading, cover, slope management, road maintenance, working-face operations, and airspace utilization.
• Coordinate rail, gondola, truck, scale, and internal hauling operations to support safe, reliable, and efficient waste flow.
• Partner with Maintenance to improve heavy-equipment reliability, preventive maintenance, equipment availability and utilization, lifecycle planning, and response to unplanned downtime.
• Own the facility's P&L, operating and capital budgets, forecasts, and financial performance, including tons, cost per ton, labor, overtime, fuel, maintenance, contractor, and vendor spending.
• Develop short- and long-range plans for staffing, equipment, airspace, cell development, roadways, rail infrastructure, environmental systems, and capital needs.
• Lead continuous-improvement initiatives focused on safety, productivity, quality, reliability, employee retention, service, and profitability.
• Lead emergency-response and business-continuity planning for severe weather, environmental events, equipment failures, fires, and other potential disruptions.
• Work cross-functionally with Environmental, Safety, Maintenance, Rail, Finance, Human Resources, Engineering, Commercial, and other teams.
• Build productive relationships with regulators, local officials, community stakeholders, customers, contractors, and business partners.

What We're Looking For

• 10 years of progressive operations experience in landfill, solid waste, heavy industrial, aggregate, construction, or a comparable operating environment. Direct landfill leadership experience is strongly preferred.
• 5 years of leadership experience managing managers or supervisors and a sizable frontline workforce.
• Demonstrated knowledge of landfill operations and environmental compliance, including waste acceptance, airspace management, stormwater, leachate, landfill gas, groundwater, and regulatory recordkeeping.
• Demonstrated experience managing a P&L, operating and capital budgets, forecasts, and operational KPIs.
• Experience leading safety programs, incident and root-cause investigations, corrective actions, and OSHA compliance.
• Strong understanding of heavy-equipment operations, preventive maintenance, equipment utilization, and asset planning.
• Strong leadership presence, judgment, communication, analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to lead effectively in a fast-paced operating environment while maintaining focus on safety, compliance, people, service, and financial performance.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and operational reporting systems.
• Valid driver's license and availability to respond to urgent site needs outside normal business hours.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, environmental science, business, operations management, or a related field. Significant relevant experience will be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Experience with rail-served operations.
• Experience working in a union environment.
• Manager of Landfill Operations (MOLO) certification or equivalent credential. Certification is preferred at hire and required within the first 12 months of employment.

Why Interstate Waste Services?

Interstate Waste Services is a progressive and innovative provider of solid waste, recycling, and environmental services throughout the greater New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut markets, with a rail-served landfill in Ohio.

Founded in 1998, IWS has grown through acquisitions, including many family-owned businesses whose employees remain part of our team today. We're proud to combine the resources and opportunities of a growing organization with the values and care of a family-run business.

At IWS, we're committed to delivering high-quality service while prioritizing the safety of our employees, customers, and communities.

If you're an experienced operations leader ready to take ownership of a complex operation, develop a strong team, and help shape the future of a critical IWS facility, we encourage you to apply.

Work Environment

This position works in both office and active landfill environments and requires regular presence in operating areas that may include uneven terrain, heavy equipment, noise, dust, odors, traffic, and weather extremes. The position may occasionally require lifting up to 30 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Interstate Waste Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.