A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.
Facilities & Operations, Logistics, Transportation & Parking (LTP), is seeking an Operations Manager to lead the University of Michigan's Waste Management Services (WMS) operation. This position is responsible for the safe, reliable, efficient, customer-focused, and environmentally responsible collection of refuse, compost, recycling, and other designated waste
streams across campus. Waste Management Services also provides street-sweeping services for campus-owned roads and athletic facilities.
The Operations Manager provides administrative and operational leadership for a bargained workforce of approximately 10 skilled trades Heavy Equipment Operators, as well as seasonal
temporary labor. The manager oversees daily service delivery, staffing, safety, vehicles, equipment, customer relations, data management, and continuous improvement.
This position works closely with campus customers and partners, including U-M Procurement Services, U-M Fleet Services, architects, engineers, project managers, event organizers, construction teams, and other Facilities & Operations units. The Operations Manager reviews new-building construction plans to ensure that refuse, recycling, compost, and other waste-
collection needs are incorporated into building and site designs. The position also works with U-M Fleet Services to develop specifications for new waste-collection and street-sweeping
vehicles.
The position coordinates waste-management and street-sweeping services for significant campus activities, including student move-in and move-out, athletic events, commencement activities,
concerts, and construction projects.
The Operations Manager position is not part of a bargaining unit. The Waste Management Operations Managers reports to the General Manager of Transportation and Waste Management.
Waste Management and Street-Sweeping Operations
- Direct the daily collection of refuse, compost, recycling, and other designated waste streams throughout campus.
- Direct street-sweeping services for campus-owned roads and athletic facilities.
- Plan and assign collection routes, street-sweeping routes, and other work activities to meet established service levels and campus needs.
- Adjust staffing, vehicles, equipment, routes, and schedules in response to operational conditions, service requests, special events, and emergencies.
- Ensure collected materials are transported, staged, and delivered to the appropriate facilities in accordance with university requirements and applicable regulations.
- Monitor daily service completion and promptly resolve missed collections, contamination issues, equipment failures, access concerns, and other service disruptions.
- Coordinate waste-management and street-sweeping support for construction and renovation projects, athletic activities, and other non-routine campus operations.
- Evaluate routes, collection frequencies, street-sweeping schedules, staffing plans, and work methods to improve safety, productivity, service reliability, and environmental performance.
Maintain operational continuity during inclement weather, staffing shortages, vehicle or equipment downtime, and other unexpected conditions.
Staff Leadership and Labor Relations
- Hire, onboard, train, assign, coach, evaluate, and discipline staff in accordance with university policies and applicable collective bargaining agreements.
- Direct the work of approximately 10 bargained skilled trades Heavy Equipment Operators and seasonal temporary labor.
- Develop staffing plans and daily assignments for employees who normally operate Monday through Saturday.
- Establish clear performance expectations and hold employees accountable for safety, service, conduct, attendance, and work quality.
- Promote an inclusive, respectful, collaborative, and solutions-focused work environment.
- Conduct regular staff and safety meetings and communicate operational priorities, service changes, event requirements, and university policies.
- Ensure employees complete required training and maintain applicable licenses, qualifications, and certifications.
- Maintain accurate personnel, attendance, training, overtime, and performance documentation.
- Partner with Human Resources and labor-relations representatives to administer employment policies and collective bargaining requirements consistently.
- Develop employee capabilities and succession plans to support operational resilience and continuity.
Construction Planning and Design Review
- Review new-building construction plans to ensure the building's refuse, recycling, compost, and other waste-collection needs are adequately addressed.
- Evaluate projected waste volumes and recommend appropriate container types, quantities, sizes, and collection frequencies.
- Review proposed waste rooms, collection and staging areas, loading docks, exterior enclosures, compactors, containers, and roll-off locations for operational suitability.
- Confirm that waste-collection areas provide adequate capacity, access, equipment clearance, lighting, ventilation, drainage, and security, as applicable.
- Assess collection-vehicle access, including entry and exit routes, turning radius, overhead clearance, pavement capacity, backing requirements, traffic flow, and pedestrian safety.
- Ensure collection arrangements support safe and efficient year-round operations, including service during winter weather.
- Provide operational comments and recommendations to architects, engineers, project managers, and construction teams at appropriate design milestones.
- Participate in design-review meetings to resolve waste-collection concerns before construction.
- Review relevant design changes that could affect waste collection and participate in pre-occupancy inspections or project closeout activities as requested.
- Coordinate the transition from project planning to ongoing collection service, including container delivery, route changes, collection schedules, and customer communication.
- Document plan-review comments, decisions, and operational requirements.
Campus Events and Project Support
- Plan and coordinate waste-management and street-sweeping services for campus events and activities, including but not limited to:
- Student move-in and move-out
- Athletic events
- Commencement activities
- Concerts
- Construction and renovation projects
- Work with event organizers, athletics staff, construction teams, campus departments, and other stakeholders to identify service requirements.
- Develop staffing, container, equipment, vehicle, route, collection, and street-sweeping plans for special events.
- Coordinate setup, collection, material removal, street sweeping, and post-event cleanup support within the operation's scope.
- Evaluate event performance and adjust future service plans based on operational data, customer feedback, safety concerns, and service results.
- Work outside the regular schedule as needed to support special events, emergencies, and critical campus operations.
Customer Relations and Campus Partnerships
- Serve as a primary operational contact for campus customers receiving waste-management and street-sweeping services.
- Establish and maintain effective working
