Vice President of Landfill Operations in Columbia, South Carolina at Capital Waste Services LLC

About Capital Waste Services

At Capital Waste Services (CWS), we are committed to delivering reliable, customer-focused waste collection services across our communities. Our team members are the foundation of our success, and we pride ourselves on fostering a supportive, high-integrity work environment where people can grow and thrive.

Position Summary

The Vice President of Landfill Operations is an executive leader responsible for the strategic, operational, and financial performance of all landfill operations across the organization. Reporting to the COO, this role provides enterprise-level oversight of permitted facilities, ensuring safe operations, regulatory compliance, cost control, revenue optimization, and long-term asset sustainability.

This position sets landfill strategy, drives operational excellence, and ensures alignment between landfill operations, hauling/division leadership, environmental compliance, and capital planning. The VP of Landfill is the senior authority for landfill performance, risk management, and regulatory readiness.

Key Responsibilities

Executive & Operational Leadership

• Lead all landfill operations across multiple sites, including municipal solid waste (MSW), C&D, and special waste facilities.
• Establish and execute landfill strategy aligned with company growth, hauling needs, and long-range disposal capacity planning.
• Serve as the executive point of accountability for landfill safety, performance, and compliance.
• Partner closely with the COO on operational planning, budgeting, and system-wide optimization.

Regulatory Compliance & Environmental Stewardship

• Ensure full compliance with federal, state, and local environmental regulations governing landfill operations.
• Oversee permit management, regulatory reporting, inspections, audits, and corrective action plans.
• Partner with Environmental Compliance, Safety, and Legal teams to mitigate risk and maintain audit-ready operations.
• Proactively manage relationships with regulatory agencies and local stakeholders.

Financial & Asset Management

• Own landfill operating budgets, forecasting, and cost controls.
• Drive revenue optimization through tipping fees, contracts, and volume management.
• Oversee life cycle planning for landfill assets including cell development, airspace utilization, and closure/post-closure planning.
• Collaborate with Finance on capital planning, depreciation, reserves, and long-term cost modeling.

Operations Excellence

• Standardize operating procedures across all landfill sites.
• Drive continuous improvement in safety, productivity, uptime, and equipment utilization.
• Oversee heavy equipment operations, maintenance coordination, scale operations, and material flow efficiency.
• Identify and implement operational best practices across facilities.

Cross-Functional Alignment

• Coordinate with hauling, transfer station, and brokerage leadership to optimize waste flow and capacity utilization.
• Partner with Sales and Commercial teams on landfill contracts, pricing strategy, and customer relationships.
• Collaborate with HR on leadership development, staffing models, and workforce planning.
• Support acquisitions through landfill due diligence, integration planning, and stabilization.

People & Leadership Development

• Lead and develop landfill managers, superintendents, and support leaders.
• Establish performance expectations, accountability measures, and succession plans.
• Foster a culture of safety, compliance, professionalism, and operational discipline.
• Address performance, engagement, and retention challenges proactively.

Required Qualifications (Must-Have)

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Environmental Science, Operations Management, or related field.
• 10+ years of progressive landfill or environmental operations leadership experience.
• 5+ years in a senior management or executive role overseeing multiple landfill facilities.
• Deep knowledge of landfill regulations, permitting, airspace management, and environmental compliance.
• Strong P&L ownership and capital planning experience.
• Proven ability to lead large, field-based teams in regulated environments.

Preferred Qualifications (Nice-to-Have)

• Master’s degree or MBA.
• Professional Engineer (PE) or similar certification.
• Experience in waste management, environmental services, or vertically integrated disposal organizations.
• M&A or landfill acquisition/start-up experience.
• Advanced data, analytics, or operational reporting expertise.

Core Competencies

• Executive operations leadership
• Regulatory and environmental compliance
• Asset and capital management
• Risk mitigation
• Cross-functional influence
• Safety-first operational culture

What Success Looks Like

• Fully compliant, audit-ready landfill operations
• Optimized airspace utilization and long-term disposal capacity
• Strong safety performance and reduced operational risk
• Controlled operating costs with improved margin performance
• High-performing landfill leadership teams across all sites