Operations Manager – Anaerobic Digestion & Food Recycling

CLP Circular Services•Southington, CT

7h•Onsite

About The Position

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.

Requirements

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

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

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.
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
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
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
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.