Senior Vice President, Recycling

About the role

Rumpke Waste & Recycling is a leader in the waste and recycling industry, aiming to expand its recycling capabilities and strengthen its position in every market it serves. The company is seeking a visionary leader to oversee its recycling business end-to-end, including its Material Recovery Facility network, capital plan, and commodity value.

Responsibilities

• Own the recycling P&L — processing cost, commodity revenue, tip and processing fees, and facility operating expense.
• Set cost-per-ton targets by facility and hold teams accountable.
• Build plans that ensure stability even through commodity pricing downturns and deliver a return on Rumpke’s capital investments.
• Safety: Own safety performance across the recycling organization and make it a priority for every operating review.
• Facility & Management Consistency: Lead every material recovery facility and processing operation according to a common operating model encompassing throughput, uptime, quality specifications and maintenance discipline.
• Commodity Quality & Value: Own commodity marketing and the sale of processed material, including long-term supply agreements with mills and end markets.
• Capital Planning: Lead multi-year planning for recycling infrastructure, sorting technology, and automation.
• Growth: Pursue new material streams, processing services, and third-party volume. Serve as technical lead on municipal and large commercial recycling bids. Evaluate acquisition and partnership opportunities.
• Recycling and Diversion Programs: Set diversion goals and track performance against them. Lead identification and outreach to new end users. Develop a customer program that improves inbound material quality and strengthen local relationships.
• Bench: Build a recycling leadership team with ready successors for every critical role, including your own.

Requirements

• 12+ years of progressive leadership in waste management, recycling operations, or environmental services, including 7+ years at senior executive level.
• Demonstrated multi-site operational leadership with full profit and loss ownership.
• Experience with material recovery facility operations, commodity markets, municipal contracts, and recycling program design.
• Experience leading capital-intensive operational transformation.
• A bachelor’s degree in Business, Environmental Science, Engineering, Sustainability, Operations Management, or a related field is required; a master's degree is preferred.
• Approximately 50% travel across our five-state footprint, with flexibility for nights, weekends, and emergency response as needed.
• A valid driver's license and legal eligibility to work in the United States.

Qualifications

A successful candidate should be an operator with a strategist's range, commercially literate about commodity markets, willing to say no, a builder of standards, and externally credible. They must also possess strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate with various stakeholders.

Skills

• Strategic vision and execution
• Operational leadership and management
• Commodity markets and economic analysis
• Facility and process improvement
• Capital planning and project management
• Customer and municipal relations
• Public speaking and stakeholder engagement

Benefits

Rumpke Waste & Recycling offers competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and a supportive work environment that fosters growth and innovation. The company is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace, promoting diversity and inclusion, and supporting professional development.

Pay

The salary range for this role is $200,000 - $250,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications.

Schedule

The position is full-time, with approximately 50% travel across the company's five-state footprint. Nights, weekends, and emergency response may be required.