Operations Manager

GFL Environmental; Coquitlam; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary with bonus

Car allowance

Life insurance

Retirement savings

Learning & development

Career growth

Team-focused environment

Job summary

GFL Environmental is seeking an Operations Manager to oversee daily residential curbside recycling collection, ensuring safety, efficiency, and regulatory compliance across zones.

Lead supervisors and drivers, optimize routes, manage budgets, and maintain strong stakeholder relationships with municipal partners.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations Management, Logistics, Environmental Science, or a related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
• Experience: 5+ years of progressive operations management experience in municipal waste management, logistics, or transportation.
• Regulatory Knowledge: Deep understanding of WorkSafeBC rules, motor vehicle safety regulations, and provincial waste management/EPR frameworks.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in automated route optimization tools, fleet telematics (GPS/LYTX), asset management software.
• Leadership Capabilities: Strong interpersonal, conflict-resolution, and change-management skills with a demonstrated track record of leading diverse teams.

Responsibilities

• Program & Operational Management: Oversee daily curbside collection execution for multi-stream residential recycling in alignment with Recycle BC material performance, contamination, and service-level agreements.
• Team Leadership & Development: Direct, coach, and support route supervisors and curbside drivers. Lead hiring, onboarding, performance evaluations, and workforce planning to promote a strong culture of accountability and retention.
• Safety & Environmental Compliance: Enforce strict adherence to WorkSafeBC standards, Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) policies, environmental regulations, and local municipal bylaws. Conduct incident investigations, safety audits, and continuous driver safety training.
• Fleet & Resource Optimization: Monitor equipment utilization, pre/post-trip inspection completion, and route productivity. Coordinate with maintenance teams to minimize fleet downtime, lower operating costs, and optimize vehicle lifecycle performance.
• Financial & KPI Performance: Develop and manage operational budgets, direct labor, and maintenance expenses. Track KPIs including missed stops, contamination rates, route efficiency, safety incidents, and downtime.
• Contract & Client Relations: Serve as a primary point of contact for Recycle BC program representatives and municipal partners. Resolve service escalations, review audits, and ensure high levels of customer satisfaction.
• Technology & Process Improvement: Drive adoption of route optimization software, onboard telematics, and digital reporting systems. Implement lean operational strategies to reduce carbon footprint and maximize material recovery rates.
• Reporting & Governance: Generate weekly/monthly performance metrics, compliance logs, and financial variance reports for senior leadership.

Skills

Team Leadership

Regulatory Knowledge

Operational Excellence

Safety Culture

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business/Operations/Logistics/Environmental Science

Tools

Route Optimization Tools

Fleet Telematics (GPS/LYTX)

Asset Management Software

Job description

Operations Manager

The Operations Manager oversees daily residential curbside recycling collection operations, with direct accountability for execution under the Recycle BC stewardship program. This role manages supervisors, drivers and resources to deliver safe, efficient, and fully compliant service across all contract zones. The ideal candidate will optimize multi-stream residential routing, manage municipal and contract stakeholder relationships, enforce WorkSafeBC and environmental regulations, and drive continuous improvement in safety, diversion efficiency, and cost management. GFL Environmental Inc. is one of North America’s leading waste management companies, proudly making communities cleaner, safer, and happier through first-class service. Together, our employees are known as “Team Green” — a name that unites us all under our shared purpose: making our customers and communities Green for Life! Working for GFL is more than a job — it’s an opportunity to grow in your career, make new friends, and make a difference each day.

Key Responsibilities

• Program & Operational Management: Oversee daily curbside collection execution for multi-stream residential recycling in alignment with Recycle BC material performance, contamination, and service-level agreements.
• Team Leadership & Development: Direct, coach, and support route supervisors and curbside drivers. Lead hiring, onboarding, performance evaluations, and workforce planning to promote a strong culture of accountability and retention.
• Safety & Environmental Compliance: Enforce strict adherence to WorkSafeBC standards, Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) policies, environmental regulations, and local municipal bylaws. Conduct incident investigations, safety audits, and continuous driver safety training.
• Fleet & Resource Optimization: Monitor equipment utilization, pre/post-trip inspection completion, and route productivity. Coordinate with maintenance teams to minimize fleet downtime, lower operating costs, and optimize vehicle lifecycle performance.
• Financial & KPI Performance: Develop and manage operational budgets, direct labor, and maintenance expenses. Track key performance indicators (KPIs) including missed stops, contamination rates, route efficiency, safety incidents, and downtime.
• Contract & Client Relations: Serve as a primary point of contact for Recycle BC program representatives and municipal partners. Resolve service escalations, review audits, and ensure high levels of customer satisfaction.
• Technology & Process Improvement: Drive adoption of route optimization software, onboard telematics, and digital reporting systems. Implement lean operational strategies to reduce carbon footprint and maximize material recovery rates.
• Reporting & Governance: Generate weekly/monthly performance metrics, compliance logs, and financial variance reports for senior leadership.

Qualifications & Experience

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations Management, Logistics, Environmental Science, or a related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
• Experience: 5+ years of progressive operations management experience in municipal waste management, logistics, or transportation. Direct experience managing curbside collection contracts (Recycle BC or similar Extended Producer Responsibility programs) strongly preferred.
• Regulatory Knowledge: Deep understanding of WorkSafeBC rules, motor vehicle safety regulations, and provincial waste management/EPR frameworks.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in automated route optimization tools, fleet telematics (GPS/LYTX), asset management software.
• Leadership Capabilities: Strong interpersonal, conflict-resolution, and change-management skills with a demonstrated track record of leading diverse teams.

Working Conditions

• Work Environment: Split between an office environment and field sites, including municipal routes, transfer stations, and material recovery facilities (MRFs).
• Physical Expectations: Occasional exposure to outdoor weather conditions, noise, and site environments during audits and safety reviews.
• Schedule & On-Call: Standard business hours with required on-call availability for operational incidents, winter weather emergencies, or routing disruptions.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and a reliable vehicle for site visits and travel between locations.

Why Join TEAM GREEN

• Competitive salary with bonus eligibility and comprehensive benefits (health, vision, and dental)
• Car allowance
• Life insurance and retirement savings options
• Ongoing learning and development opportunities
• Career advancement potential within a growing company
• Team-focused and supportive work environment

We thank you for your interest. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

GFL is committed to equal opportunity for all, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic.

If you are interested in applying for employment and need special assistance or an accommodation to apply for a posted position, please contact [e-mail]

Please note that GFL does not provide visa sponsorship for this position. Valid work authorization in the country where the job is located is required.

Successful candidates will be required to provide valid documentation confirming their eligibility to work in the country where the job is located prior to their start date.

This hiring process may utilize machine-based systems to assist in screening and assessing applicants. Final selection decisions are made by our recruitment team.

Current GFL Employees

If you are an existing GFL employee and would like to search and apply to current job openings, please visit the internal GFL Jobs Hub.

At the heart of GFL lies our greatest asset—our people. So, we're glad you landed here! We believe in great careers, making a positive impact on the environment and supporting our people with their life ambitions. We aspire to create the right jobs in a way that brings you along with us. At GFL, growth isn’t just for our business—it’s for our people. Because we see the potential in all our employees to do whatever it is they set their mind to, and we’re proud to support them in that journey. We consider our employees’ personal goals, helping them create the career, and life, that they desire—whether it’s advancing in their job, learning new skills, forming lasting relationships, or mentoring others, while having time to pursue other life ambitions. With safety and sustainability at the core of what we do, we all come together to form “Team Green”—united by our shared purpose to provide environmental solutions that enable our customers and the communities we serve to be Green For Life. We’re proud to say that working for GFL is more than a job. It’s an opportunity to make a difference and grow tremendously along the way. Regardless of the work we’re doing today, we’ve got our sights set on the big picture—not just tomorrow, but for life. GFL empowers those looking for growth in their career and lives, whether that's on our Field Operations teams or Professional Services teams. Field Operations – Our Field positions offer candidates across North America the potential for limitless growth and skill expansion as the front line of our organization, making them central to our company's vision of creating cleaner and more sustainable communities. Professional Services – Our Corporate positions located in key North American offices grow candidates to form strong client relations, manage key programs and accounts, and ensure our Field teams are operating at maximum efficiency.