Junk removal director of operations job description
A junk removal director of operations turns company goals into the steps every branch follows, from the booking call to the last dump ticket. The director coaches the branch general managers and compares markets on truck-day revenue, disposal cost, ratings and on-time arrivals.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, waste collection companies · BLS, May 2025
Responsible for translating strategic goals into actionable Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that drive operational excellence across all regional and branch locations. Oversees regional/branch General Managers to ensure service quality, operational safety, and efficient unit economics within the junk removal industry. Plays a key role in integrating innovative processes that support business growth and customer satisfaction.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Develop and implement SOPs that align with the company’s strategic goals and industry standards.
Lead and mentor regional and branch General Managers to optimize team performance and service delivery.
Monitor and analyze key operational metrics, emphasizing service quality, safety, and unit economics.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure consistency and compliance across all locations.
Drive continuous process improvements and operational initiatives to enhance efficiency and service excellence.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Review daily operational reports and performance dashboards to address any issues promptly.
Conduct regular meetings with regional and branch GMs to discuss progress against KPIs and resolve operational challenges.
Oversee periodic audits and quality checks to maintain high safety and service standards.
Coordinate cross-departmental initiatives to support new service launches and operational updates.
Engage with customers and partners to gather feedback and drive improvements in service delivery.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Service Quality Rating: >4.8 stars across all locations.
Callback Percentage: <5% for service-related issues.
Unit Economics Efficiency: Achieve a minimum gross margin improvement of 15%.
On-time Service Delivery: 95% compliance across all branches.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related field.
Minimum of 7 years of operational leadership experience, preferably within a service-based industry.
Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.
Excellent communication and leadership skills with an ability to inspire and motivate teams.
Proficiency in data analysis and process optimization tools.
6. Preferred Experience
Experience within the home services or junk removal industry.
Proven track record of successfully scaling operations across multiple regions.
Familiarity with modern operational technologies and software systems.
Prior experience in a role involving P&L management and strategic planning.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to occasionally visit multiple branch locations, involving light travel.
Capability to participate in on-site safety reviews and briefings.
Occasional lifting of light materials (up to 25 lbs) during site assessments.
Comfortable working in various environments including outdoor and operational settings.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Standard business hours with some flexibility required during peak operational periods.
Minimal travel required to regional and branch locations.
Occasional after-hours work to accommodate operational emergencies or events.
Collaborative office setting with periodic on-site visits to field locations.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Salary range: $90,000 - $120,000 USD per year, commensurate with experience.
Eligibility for performance-based bonuses or incentive programs.
Comprehensive Health, Dental, and Vision insurance coverage.
401(k) retirement plan with company matching options.
Other fringe benefits including professional development opportunities and paid time off.
10. Company Culture and Overview
We embrace a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, and innovation, empowering our team to drive exceptional service for our customers while growing professionally.
Our company is dedicated to fostering a supportive, inclusive environment that values diverse perspectives and encourages personal as well as professional growth.
We pride ourselves on being at the forefront of the junk removal industry by delivering high-quality services that truly make a difference.
11. How to Apply
If you meet the above criteria and want to be part of a growth-oriented company focused on customer satisfaction, please send your resume to [INSERT EMAIL HERE] or apply online at [INSERT WEBSITE LINK HERE].
Need help filling this role? HireBus posts the ad, Iris interviews every applicant by phone before you do, and you decide who to hire. Start hiring now
A junk removal company sells truck space and labor one job at a time. The director's work is making that simple offer run the same way in every market.
The truck day is the unit
Fuel, insurance and crew wages run whether a truck hauls one load or four. So the director watches revenue per truck per day, loads per truck, crew hours and disposal cost per load. Those numbers show whether a branch has a pricing gap, a routing gap or a staffing gap weeks before the monthly profit report does.
Disposal costs change by market
Dump fees, scrap prices and donation partners differ from city to city, and so does the drive to reach them. The director sets the company order of donate first, recycle next, landfill last, and lets each GM pick sites that fit it. When a branch's disposal cost per load creeps up, visit and check its sites, routes and sorting before blaming the crews.
One set of procedures for every branch
Booking, on-site quotes, loading and sorting, job photos and closeout should look the same everywhere. The director writes those SOPs with the safety and environmental staff, so their rules show up as steps a crew can follow. Then the director checks them on branch visits and in the job data, and retires any step nobody uses.
One call center, many branches
The central call center books work for branches that may be full, short a truck or rained out. The director sets how far ahead each branch opens its calendar, how many same-day slots it holds back, and who decides when the call center and a GM disagree. Let the on-time numbers settle those arguments, not opinions.
Opening the next market
A new branch needs disposal sites, donation and recycling partners, a truck yard, a hiring plan and a GM. The director keeps a written checklist from the last opening and runs it again, so the new branch starts with the same SOPs, pricing guide and scorecard as the rest on its first day.
How much junk removal directors of operations make
The closest BLS group for junk removal directors of operations is general and operations managers. General and operations managers who work for waste collection companies earned a median of $99,070 a year ($47.63 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s below the $105,770 median for general and operations managers in all industries. About 6,290 of the 3,503,020 general and operations managers in that survey work for waste collection companies.
Salary plus a bonus or incentive plan, per the template. Weigh the bonus across all four template measures, so margin gains don't come from rushed jobs or late trucks.
Waste collection companies
$99,070$99,070 median Middle half $74,290–$136,520 10th–90th $50,920–$202,350
All industries
$105,770$105,770 median Middle half $72,320–$167,280 10th–90th $50,090–$253,390
$0k$50k$100k$150k$200k$250k$300k
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Waste collection companies
$50,920
$74,290
$99,070
$136,520
$202,350
All industries
$50,090
$72,320
$105,770
$167,280
$253,390
BLS doesn’t publish pay for junk removal companies on their own. These figures cover waste collection, which include them. Post a real range for your market in the ad.
The pay line in the template above is an example from our Role Blueprint. Set yours from these figures and what local companies pay.
Skills to hire for, and what you can teach
Hire for these
Has run several locations or managers in a route-based service business
Reads a branch P&L and truck-level numbers and can explain the gaps
Writes SOPs short enough for crews to follow
Coaches GMs who came up through sales, operations or other industries
Holds people to a standard without driving off good managers
Teach these on the job
Your pricing model and truck volume tiers
Your disposal sites and donation partners by market
Your job software reports and dashboards
Waste and safety rules set by your compliance staff
Your call center's booking rules
The director lives in branch dashboards built from your job and routing software, the branch P&Ls in accounting, and the disposal and donation reports. Tell candidates how many branches and trucks the role covers and how often you expect branch visits.
Junk removal director of operations interview questions
Two of the 6 questions we'd ask, and what a strong answer sounds like. Ask every candidate the same questions, and rate each answer on your own before you compare notes.
Situational · Callback analysis
Callbacks for missed items and property damage are rising at two branches. How do you dig in?
A strong answer: Breaks callbacks down by crew and job type, reviews photos, talks with the GMs, and adds fixes like a final walk-through with the customer and floor protection.
Behavioral · Developing GMs
Tell me about a general manager you developed into a stronger leader. What did you do?
A strong answer: Describes specific goals, regular coaching, the feedback given and the results.
Base each branch's targets on its past results and local disposal costs, then compare branches on how much they improve as well as where they stand.
Service Quality Rating
Average rating per branch from post-job surveys and review sites, read monthly. Go over the comments on low scores with each GM, not just the averages.
Callback Percentage
Count every trip back to fix a service problem, per branch, against jobs completed, from job records. Keep customer add-ons, which are new sales, apart from true callbacks.
Unit Economics Efficiency
Gross margin per truck day and per job for each branch, set beside the matching quarter of the prior year. Break out labor, disposal and fuel to see which line moved.
On-time Service Delivery
Jobs where the crew arrived inside the promised window, from arrival times in the job software. Split by branch and by whether the call center or the branch booked the slot.
How is a junk removal director of operations different from the COO and a branch GM?
The COO sets the plan for the whole company, including new markets and big purchases like trucks. A branch GM runs one market's profit, crews and sales. The director sits between them: turning the COO's plan into SOPs, coaching the GMs and comparing branches so problems show up early.
How much does a junk removal director of operations make?
General and operations managers who work for waste collection companies earned a median of $99,070 a year ($47.63 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $74,290 and $136,520 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and bonus terms.
At what point should a junk removal company add a director of operations?
Look for three signs: GMs waiting days for decisions, branches quoting the same pile at very different prices, and a COO who spends more time on daily fixes than on growth. With one or two markets, strong GMs can report to the COO directly.
What numbers should a junk removal director of operations review each week?
Hold a set call with each GM and keep it to the branch scorecard: revenue per truck day, disposal cost per load, on-time arrivals, callbacks, ratings and open crew positions. Spend the time on the one or two numbers that moved. Each month, add gross margin and the share of each load that was donated or recycled.
Should the director come from waste hauling or home services?
Either can work. Someone from a hauling company knows trucks, disposal sites and routing. Someone from a home service company with several branches knows booking, in-home service and reviews. Ask each finalist to take you through a branch they turned around and the numbers they watched while doing it.
