Operations Manager (Los Angeles)
Los Angeles, CA /
Operations Management /
Full-time
/ On-site
About Ridwell
Ridwell is a service that inspires people to create a future without waste. Today, we make it easy to reuse and recycle more by identifying recyclable and reusable items that the city doesn't collect, picking them up from our customers' doorsteps, and matching them with local partners that can use them sustainably. Our future plans go much further and include making zero waste a reality for millions.
We are a social purpose corp, meaning sustainability is not just a company value - it's fundamental to the purpose and interests of our company. Our mission is to empower communities to waste less, and every success our team celebrates means more waste saved from the landfill, less clutter in our customer’s homes, and more valuable donations in the hands of local non-profits.
We’re funded and growing quickly and are excited to add to our team. We offer a strong benefits package, a flexible work and vacation schedule, and a team invested in the personal growth of its employees. This is a unique opportunity to get in at the beginning and help build something special!
About the role
We’re looking for an Operations Manager to lead Ridwell in Los Angeles. You will be responsible for establishing and growing Los Angeles' operations; hiring and managing a local team, and owning relationships with local partners. This role calls for a combination of hustle, bar-raising operational experience, creative problem solving, and interpersonal skills. You’ll be tasked with growing an existing market and delivering financial results and processes that can be replicated in other parts of the country in the next 18 months.
This is a full-time position for an Operations Manager starting this summer. You need to be based in the Los Angeles metro area. Prior, similar experience in Los Angeles is a plus. Due to business operations, you need to be comfortable being around a warehouse environment. We follow all local COVID-19 regulations.
Our values
- Our member is our hero. Our members are at the core of our company. Only by empowering them can we accomplish our vision.
- We Never Settle. We are relentlessly pursuing the exceptional and challenging the status quo–always making our service, experience, and company better.
- We Take Our Success Personally. We all have a stake in the success of Ridwell. You are empowered to make an impact.
- Purpose Drives Our Actions. Knowing why we are doing something enables us to focus on what is truly important.
- We Are Stronger Together. Every person is critical to our success. We need diverse perspectives to execute on creative solutions. By fostering collaboration and connection at every level, we can be phenomenal.
How to succeed in this role
- Work closely with cross-functional teams to establish and grow the Ridwell service in Los Angeles and surrounding areas.
- Hire and scale the Los Angeles team and operations as Ridwell grows, managing warehouse employees, drivers, and local community relations teams, leading this dynamic team to achieve operational excellence through coaching and mentoring, driving employee engagement, and building leadership bench strength within a warehouse environment.
- Establish a local Ridwell culture by working closely with members of the Los Angeles community, hiring local talent, and building relationships with Los Angeles-based organizations and stakeholders.
- Measure performance, provide feedback, and hold leaders accountable. Mentor and develop leaders and staff. Participate in recruiting to identify and evaluate internal/external candidates for promotion and hire.
- Manage and execute day-to-day operations, including making sure that customers have what they need to begin service, all pickups happen, and all material collected is delivered to reuse and recycling partners.
- Uncover creative and sustainable ways for the Los Angeles market to grow to many more customers in love with how they are contributing to create less waste in the world.
- Drive continuous improvement projects to optimize operations and improve productivity to meet and exceed business objectives; work on strategic projects that have total warehouse and market-wide impact.
- The focus of the early days in a market will be setting up sound operational practices, followed by being focused on member growth to grow as quickly as we can.
- Form relationships with Los Angeles customers, and build strategies around their needs.
- Identify and build partnerships with local recycling and reuse partners.
- Manage relationships with local regulatory stakeholders.
- Comfort with public speaking, media interviews and PR, and willingness to do what’s beneficial in getting more visibility to Ridwell in Los Angeles.
- Continuously identify and act on opportunities for growth and improvement.
- Use the technology that exists to manage Ridwell and suggest improvements based on how it’s being used in your market.
- Document what’s worked, what hasn’t and share learnings so future Ridwell markets follow your success.
We're open to a variety of backgrounds and experiences, but here are the general skills and experience we’re looking for
- 4+ years of startup growth, city management, operations management, or similar experience
- Ideally, you’ve established a new market by rolling up your sleeves and setting up the infrastructure for a successful business.
- Experience hiring, training, and leading teams. Warehouse experience is a plus.
- Resourceful and able to accomplish great things while staying in-line or under the budget you helped to set.
- Hands-on, scrappy, and proactive. Comfort with ambiguity, willing to take responsibility and ownership, and proven ability to take initiative and easily adapt in a fast-growing environment.
- You take ownership in your work and team and are available to work overtime and as needed year-round. In addition, you are flexible to work on any type of assigned shift (nights, weekends, etc.).
- Decision-making mentality and sound business judgment through analytical thinking. You enjoy analytical work and using data to provide thought-provoking and workable solutions. Data is what you look to when given a problem to solve.
- Grasp what makes our brand special for our members with the ability to articulate that to external stakeholders across scenarios.
- Curiosity and growth mindset that looks at each activity as a chance to learn and improve.
- In a future state, be able to look at your market’s P&L and focus your team’s time and effort towards improving costs and/or driving additional revenue via existing or new channels.
- Strong communication skills, both to get things done collaboratively with internal partners, and to speak with external stakeholders.
- Outgoing and friendly personality--you are the face of Ridwell in Los Angeles.
Benefits at Ridwell
- Flexible vacation and sick leave policy
- Comprehensive healthcare benefits including vision and dental
- Paid parental leave
- 401(k) plan
$90,000 - $110,000 a year
Individuals seeking employment at Ridwell are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation.
COVID-19 update for Ridwell employees
All Ridwell employees must be fully vaccinated except as necessary to accommodate disability or religious belief, candidates will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination (e.g., a copy of a vaccine card or other similar official document confirming vaccination status) prior to their first day of employment.
How we are protecting employees from COVID-19
At Ridwell, employee health and safety is our top priority. We have implemented processes and precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. For more information, please contact our HR department at HR@Ridwell.com.
