Director of Sustainability

Goodwill Industries of Houston•Houston, TX

About The Position

The Director of Sustainability leads the strategy, operations, and continuous improvement of Goodwill Houston’s salvage, waste, and recycling activities. The role owns the salvage and waste function’s P&L and is accountable for maximizing value recovery from donated goods while diverting materials from landfills. It provides strategic leadership to the Salvage department, develops vendors and markets, ensures operational excellence, and works across departments to optimize the end-of-life value chain for donated goods. The Director develops operating plans and budgets, oversees department activities and staff, manages external buyer and vendor relationships, and monitors performance against financial, operational, and sustainability measures. The position ensures accurate records and reporting, coordinates shipment planning, identifies new commodity markets, manages compliance with applicable regulations, and supports continuous improvement and contingency planning. The role reports to the Sr. Director of Post Retail Operations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
Five or more years of progressive experience in salvage, waste management, recycling, sustainability, or related operations preferred.
Experience managing teams, P&L responsibility, and vendor relationships preferred.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and strategic planning skills, including the ability to translate data into actionable improvements.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, and strong data analysis capabilities.
Excellent written and verbal communication, organizational, and time management skills.
Valid Texas driver’s license with a safe driving record and ability to travel between GWH locations as needed.
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without current or future employment sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in sustainability, environmental science, business, operations management, supply chain, or a related field; relevant professional experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
Five or more years of progressive experience in salvage, waste management, recycling, sustainability, or related operations.
Experience managing teams, P&L responsibility, and vendor relationships.

Responsibilities

Direct the strategy for salvage, waste, and recycling operations to maximize value recovery and landfill diversion.
Own the salvage and waste P&L, including revenue targets, expense management, and overall financial performance.
Develop and execute annual operating plans, budgets, and continuous improvement initiatives aligned with organizational goals.
Provide senior leadership with recommendations on commodity market trends, revenue opportunities, and operational investments.
Oversee salvage, waste, and recycling activities to promote efficient, safe, and profitable operations.
Ensure accurate records of inventory, commodity sales, revenue, weights, and schedules across locations.
Coordinate with transportation leadership on load planning, routing, and timely shipments of salvage goods.
Improve production reporting, load accuracy, and operational metrics.
Reduce waste volumes and disposal costs while maximizing commodity revenue.
Lead, coach, and manage the performance of the Salvage Operations Manager and Salvage Coordinators.
Select, train, develop, and mentor team members and foster accountability, continuous improvement, and professional development.
Lead operational huddles and meetings to communicate expectations and reinforce safety and compliance standards.
Build and maintain vendor and buyer relationships to maximize returns on salvage and recyclable commodities.
Research and develop markets, outlets, and processing partners for hard-to-place or emerging commodity streams.
Negotiate vendor terms, monitor performance, and coordinate timely collection of receivables with Accounts Receivable.
Evaluate market conditions and competitor positioning, including other Goodwill agencies, to maximize value.
Establish, track, and report KPIs for value recovery, landfill diversion, revenue, expenses, and operational efficiency.
Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal environmental, safety, and transportation regulations.
Maintain timely and accurate reports on salvage sales, weights, trash hauling costs, and other operational metrics.
Ensure incidents, near-misses, and property damage are reported promptly and corrective actions are implemented.
Partner with Transportation, Retail, Aftermarket, and other departments to optimize donated goods flow, processing, and end-of-life handling.
Train and guide retail and aftermarket leadership on salvage commodities, processes, and waste diversion opportunities.
Collaborate with leadership on contingency planning, process improvements, and sustainability and operational initiatives.
Perform other duties as directed by management.
Demonstrate professionalism, good judgment, a friendly and cooperative attitude, adaptability, and effective collaboration in a fast-paced team environment.
Follow GWH policies, procedures, guiding principles, loss prevention and safety regulations, and applicable laws; maintain punctuality, professional appearance, confidentiality, and good housekeeping.