Lead Dispatcher

Interstate Waste Services•Secaucus, NJ

19h•Hybrid

About The Position

Interstate Waste Services (IWS) is a leading provider of solid waste and recycling services in the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut markets, with a rail-served landfill in Ohio. Founded in 1998, IWS combines the resources of a large company with the values of a family-run business, serving a diverse range of industrial, medical, and commercial/residential customers. The Lead Dispatcher coordinates and manages daily waste collection operations across multiple sites, ensuring efficient route execution, timely customer service, and compliance with operational standards. This role acts as the central communication hub between drivers, supervisors, and customers, optimizing vehicle deployment and responding to dynamic operational challenges. The Lead Dispatcher is also responsible for promoting and monitoring employee safety and taking proactive steps to identify, evaluate, and remove safety hazards. This is a self-directed role responsible for establishing and documenting procedures for live dispatching and assisting with the onboarding of new dispatch team members.

Requirements

3-8 years of Dispatching experience.
Completion of relevant undergraduate degree or certificate program.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to remain calm and focused under pressure.
Demonstrated ability to work independently.
Strong organization and time management skills.
Demonstrated commitment to workplace safety.
Knowledge of applicable traffic, transportation, and other laws and regulations.
Intermediate to excellent computer skills, including Microsoft Excel.
Defensive Driving (Knowledge of Smith System).
Basic understanding of vehicle operations and limitations.
May require occasional field visits to understand route challenges.
May require early morning, evening, or weekend hours based on operational needs.
Experience from the waste management, transportation, or related industry.
Experience working with operations software and tablet solution.

Nice To Haves

Fluency in Spanish preferred not required.

Responsibilities

Coordinate and oversee dispatch activities for a large group of routes spanning multiple sites, ensuring timely and accurate route execution.
Serve as the primary point of contact for all Drivers as well as other colleagues at our depots and transfer stations.
Analyze route data to identify opportunities for optimization, cost reduction, and service improvement.
Collaborate with Operation Site Managers and customer service to resolve service disruptions and ensure alignment on priorities.
Ensure Drivers and trucks are being utilized to their full potential.
Manage daily truck activity to ensure driver productivity is commensurate with hours worked.
Set up crew sheets and notify all employees of their schedules.
Continuously monitor hours worked and ensure DOT compliance for Drivers.
Continuously monitor Driver performance and provide coaching as well as discipline as necessary.
Ensure compliance with safety policies and protocols as well as federal, state and local regulations.
Perform routine inspections on the trucks and equipment to ensure proper care and routine maintenance.
Review Driver requests for container switches or repairs and enter service tickets into the company database.
Ensure all accidents and injuries are thoroughly documented and distribute reports to the Safety and Risk teams for follow up.
Prepare and Deliver Regular Reports to Senior Management.
Field calls from customer service and handle appropriately.
If call is related to service not performed on a specific site address by speaking with the driver.
Monitor dispatch mailbox and handle requests appropriately.
Monitor system for missed pick ups and disposition them within 60 minutes.
Monitor system for driver progress, comments, skips, extras.
Conduct employee check-in procedure: inspect DVIR for completion, inspect route coversheet for completion of all necessary fields, inspect dump tickets being received, check route has been appropriately closed in the system.
Reschedule any customers that were blocked.
Tag any extra pick-ups in the system, follow-up with exceptions, stop services, missed stops, on call work orders and review pictures.
Close out outstanding tickets in the system.
Act on loaded truck list from end of day.
Monitor the call out line and adjust route and scheduling as necessary.
Coordinate with other sites for equipment when necessary.
Monitor and manage idle time.
Ensure accurate geocoding of stops.
Manage tablet inventory and ensure tablet use consistently across all routes.
Timely and accurate service alert notifications to customers.
Optimize driver assignments to maximize efficiency and minimize overtime.
Respond appropriately to vehicle breakdowns, accidents, or other field emergencies.