Operations Manager

CERES ENVIRONMENTAL INC•Sarasota, FL

7d•$115,000 - $165,000

About The Position

Ceres Environmental Operations (CEO) is a leader in crisis management, rapid response, and disaster recovery, committed to rebuilding stronger, safer communities. We specialize in emergency response, environmental services, planning, and consulting, including debris removal, blue roofs, logistics, debris management, demolition, recycling, forest management, and coastal and marine restoration. As a licensed general contractor, we offer unparalleled expertise to restore stability where it’s needed most. The Operations Manager (OM) serves as the senior operational leader responsible for planning, directing, and overseeing all debris management and field operational activities for the organization. This role ensures mission readiness, efficient mobilization, coordinated field execution, and effective management of personnel, subcontractors, equipment, and resources across multiple projects or activation areas. The OM is accountable for operational quality, safety, compliance, productivity, and performance outcomes while ensuring all work is executed in alignment with organizational standards, regulatory requirements, and project‑specific scopes of work. Success in the first 12 months includes consistently meeting production and compliance targets, strengthening operational efficiency, maintaining strong relationships with government clients, and ensuring safe, coordinated, and compliant execution across multi‑region mission scopes.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Emergency Management, Engineering, Construction Management, Logistics, or equivalent practical experience serving in similar FEMA‑directed disaster roles.
Minimum 7 years of operational leadership experience in debris management, emergency response requiring rapid mobilization, or comparable large‑scale field operations.
Experience leading field teams, subcontractors, equipment fleets, and multi‑scope operational activities.
Strong knowledge of safety, environmental, and quality compliance requirements.
Proven ability to make high‑pressure decisions and adapt operational strategies in dynamically changing environments.
Ability to deploy and work extended field assignments in demanding conditions.

Nice To Haves

Use and familiarity with ADMS and LOADM reporting and data validation systems.
OSHA 30‑Hour Construction Safety.
FEMA ICS‑100, ICS‑200, ICS‑300, ICS‑700.
Professional certifications such as CEM or PMP.

Responsibilities

Direct all debris removal, reduction, hauling, PPDR, waterway debris removal, stump removal, hazardous tree operations, and TDSR operations.
Lead mobilization and demobilization activities and ensure timely activation following Notice to Proceed (NTP).
Manage operations during concurrent or multi‑region activations, ensuring effective resource deconfliction.
Coordinate operational workflow, staffing, equipment allocation, and subcontractor activities.
Serve as primary operational liaison to the client and contracting officer representative.
Ensure operational compliance with safety, environmental, cultural, and quality requirements.
Ensure accurate daily reporting, ticketing and volumes, job scaling, and all required contract documentation.
Identify and mitigate mission risks, including labor, equipment, disposal site availability, and surge requirements.
Adjust operational plans to evolving debris volumes, terrain, weather, and infrastructure conditions.