Operations Manager – Anaerobic Digestion - Southington, CT, US

About Circular Services: · Circular Services is the largest privately held recycling and organics service provider in the U.S. It operates over 30 facilities serving major long-term municipal and commercial contracts. The mission of Circular Services is to keep valuable materials ...

Job description

About Circular Services:
Circular Services is the largest privately held recycling and organics service provider in the U.S. It operates over 30 facilities serving major long-term municipal and commercial contracts. The mission of Circular Services is to keep valuable materials in circulation and minimize the cost and environmental impact of landfills. The company services municipal contracts with some of the largest and fastest growing cities in the U.S. including New York City, Austin, San Antonio, and Phoenix.  

About the Role: 

The Operations Manager is the senior on-site leader responsible for the safe, compliant, and financially disciplined operation of the anaerobic digestion plant and depackaging facility located in Southington, CT. This role oversees approximately 16 team members through direct reports, including the Superintendent and Depackaging Facility Manager, and serves as the critical link between frontline operations, leadership, compliance, and financial performance.

This individual must be equally effective in the control room, on the plant floor, and in performance reporting, setting clear expectations, holding teams accountable, and making timely, data-informed decisions that move the business forward.

Responsibilities: 

Operational Leadership & Team Management

• Provide direct leadership and oversight of the Superintendent and Depackaging Facility Manager, ensuring alignment on priorities, standards, and execution across both facilities
• Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations for all operations personnel
• Build and sustain a high-performance culture rooted in safety, accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement
• Maintain a strong on-site presence, working directly with operators to troubleshoot issues, reinforce standards, and model expected behaviors
• Make sound and timely personnel decisions, including hiring, development, role realignment, and corrective action
• Coach, mentor, and develop future leaders within the organization of operations.

Safety, EHS & Compliance Leadership

• Own and champion all Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) programs across the anaerobic digestion plant and depackaging facility
• Partner closely with the campus EHS lead to schedule, conduct, and track required training, certifications, and refresher programs
• Establish and reinforce a culture where safety is non-negotiable and accountability is clear at every level
• Ensure consistent implementation of safety procedures, hazard identification, incident reporting, and corrective actions
• Work closely with compliance leadership to ensure adherence to all local, state, and federal regulations, permits, and reporting requirements
• Serve as the primary operational point of contact during inspections, audits, and regulatory interactions

Performance Management & Continuous Improvement

• Track, analyze, and report key operational KPIs including throughput, uptime, downtime, yield, safety metrics, and compliance performance
• Identify inefficiencies and lead root-cause analysis to drive corrective and preventive actions
• Implement and maintain standardized operating procedures and best practices to improve reliability, consistency, and scalability
• Establish a disciplined cadence of daily, weekly, and monthly operational reviews
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives that enhance safety, productivity, and cost efficiency

Financial & Business Management

• Partner with accounting and finance teams to monitor historical and real-time operational and financial performance
• Manage the operational drivers of the P&L, including labor, maintenance, downtime, disposal costs, and yield performance
• Evaluate the financial impact of operational decisions and prioritize initiatives that improve margin and asset utilization
• Participate in budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis for plant and depackaging operations
• Balance operational excellence with cost discipline, ensuring decisions are practical on the floor and sound financially

Cross-Functional Coordination & Project Support

• Partner with the Director of Special Projects to support new equipment installations, upgrades, and process improvements while minimizing operational disruption
• Serve as the operational voice in project planning to ensure safety, feasibility, and smooth integration into existing workflow
• Collaborate with maintenance, engineering, EHS, compliance, and corporate teams to align priorities and execution.

Minimum Job Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Industrial Technology, or a related field (or equivalent operational experience)
• 7+ years of experience in industrial operations, plant management, or process-driven environments
• Demonstrated experience leading supervisors and frontline teams in a 24/7 or industrial setting
• Strong working knowledge of EHS principles, regulatory compliance, and operational best practices
• Proven ability to analyze operational and financial data to drive decisions
• Excellent leadership, communication, and accountability skills

Preferred Job Qualifications: 

• Experience in anaerobic digestion, waste processing, recycling, energy production, utilities, or similar industrial environments
• Prior responsibility for full-site or multi-facility operations
• Experience managing union and/or non-union workforces
• Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement methodologies

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements: 

• Work is performed primarily in an industrial plant environment with exposure to noise, odors, dust, and varying temperatures
• Regular presence on the plant floor, including walking, standing, climbing stairs, and navigating operating equipment
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds as required
• Must wear required personal protective equipment (PPE) and comply with all safety policies and procedures
• May require extended or flexible hours to support operational needs

EEOC: Circular Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Prohibits Discrimination and Harassment of Any Kind: Circular Services is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at Circular Services are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, HIV Status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. Circular Services will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.