Operations Manager

WM; Carson (CA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Life Insurance

Short-term Disability

Stock Purchase Plan

401(k) Matching

Paid Vacation

Holidays

Personal Days

Job summary

WM is seeking an Operations Manager in Carson, CA to onboard, coach, and manage drivers and helpers. You will lead frontline teams, reinforce WM processes, and drive safe, efficient operations with hands-on leadership.

The role requires at least 2 years of people management in transportation/logistics, and a strong ability to coach and develop teams while maintaining safety and performance standards at all times.

Qualifications

• Associate's Degree or High School Diploma with two years of relevant work experience.
• Legally eligible to work in the country where the position is located.
• Must have a valid driver's license at hire.

Responsibilities

• Onboard, develop, coach, mentor, and manage drivers and helpers.
• Conduct daily meetings and provide feedback for onboarding.
• Review safety practices and ensure consistent performance and accountability.
• Lead by example to enforce WM safety standards and coaching conversations.
• Document and maintain records for regulatory compliance and route operations.

Skills

People Leadership

Adaptability

Logistics Understanding

Operational Knowledge

Data & Systems Proficiency

Education

Associate's Degree

High School Diploma + 2 years experience

Tools

Driver's License

Job description

The Operations Manager is responsible for the onboarding, development, coaching, mentoring, and performance management of drivers and helpers assigned to their location. This role requires a hands‑on leader who works closely with frontline employees to ensure safe, efficient, and consistent operations. The ideal candidate has a strong background in transportation and logistics, at least two years of people management experience leading teams, and a proven ability to coach and hold teams accountable.

Core Competencies

• Adaptability: Flexible and able to adjust to changing schedules and business needs
• People Leadership: Effectively leads, motivates, and develops teams while fostering accountability, engagement, and a strong safety culture
• Logistics Understanding: Applies logistics knowledge to improve operational efficiency
• Operational Knowledge: Brings a solid foundation in WM processes and systems
• Data & Systems Proficiency: Uses systems and data to drive decisions, improve efficiency, and manage labor

Schedule: PM Shift - 10am to close (7-8pm), we work Saturdays on rotation and after a holiday, or as operations demand.

II. Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Ensuring new frontline employees have tools, instruction, and feedback for successful daily duties
• Meet with new frontline employees daily to ensure consistent communication and support of onboarding
• Provide timely and consistent touchpoints with frontline employees.
• Regular review of best practices to enhance daily performance
• Focus on understanding and progress of frontline employee career goals
• Identify and address improvement opportunities and collaborate with frontline employees to ensure continued success
• Actively practice and seek feedback on coaching conversations.
• Lead by example to ensure safety practices are paramount with each employee and
• Teaching and developing an understanding of the WM Way
• Conducts Root Cause Investigations for all injuries and incidents, ensuring consistent discipline and retraining.
• Documents and maintains records required by regulatory agencies such as the Department of Transportation.
• Reviews and audits documentation related to route operations daily (e.g., DVIRs, driver time and attendance, open tickets), following up where appropriate.
• Visits customers and customer sites to evaluate and resolve safety issues, seeking service alternatives where appropriate.

III. Qualifications

• Required Qualifications
• Associate's Degree (accredited) or in lieu of a degree,
• High School Diploma (accredited) and two (2) years of relevant work experience.
• Must be at least 18 years of age and
• Legally eligible to work in the country where the position is located
• Driver's License Valid Driver's License Upon Hire
• Preferred Qualifications
• Successful completion of the WM Operations Manager Trainee program

IV. Physical Requirements

Listed below are key points regarding physical demands, physical and occupational risks, and the work environment of the job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Combination: This job operates in a mix between an office environment and plant/field environment and routinely requires the use of standard office equipment such as computers, phones, copy machines, etc.

PAY:

The expected base pay range for this office/on-site position is $75,000 - $85,000. This range represents a good faith estimate for this position. The specific salary offered to a successful candidate may be influenced by a variety of factors including the candidate’s relevant experience, education, training, certifications, qualifications, and work location. In addition, this position is eligible for incentive pay.

Benefits

• medical
• dental
• vision
• life insurance
• short-term disability
• stock purchase plan
• company matching on a 401(k)
• paid vacation
• holidays
• personal days
• benefits may vary by site