General Manager - Recycling Plant Operations

General Manager – Recycling Plant Operations

Recycle1 (a Canusa Hershman Recycling company)

Location: Phoenix, AZ (on-site)

Job Type: Full-time, Exempt

Reports To: President

Compensation: Strong base + performance bonus tied to Net Income per Ton and EBITDA

Relocation: Assistance available for the right candidate

About the Role

Recycle1 is hiring a General Manager to lead our Phoenix recycling operation — a mature plant within a national network. This is a high-ownership role: you'll run the P&L, lead the team, and be measured by Net Income per Ton, the metric that drives our business.

We're not looking for a caretaker. We're looking for a builder who has owned operational performance before and wants their next chapter to be bigger than their last.

Why This Role Matters

The recycling industry is consolidating. The plants that win are the ones with strong leadership, disciplined operations, and a clear focus on margin per ton — not just volume. Phoenix is a strong operation today. Our next General Manager will take it from strong to industry-leading and be a key voice in the broader Recycle1 network.

What You'll Do

Own the P&L

• Drive Net Income per Ton as the primary measure of success
• Manage cost structure across labor, freight, and processing
• Execute pricing strategy and protect margin in volatile commodity markets
• Surface performance issues early — and act on them

Grow the Business

• Develop supplier relationships that bring in profitable tons
• Expand fee-for-service revenue streams
• Partner with our trading team to optimize commodity sales
• Be the senior commercial face for top accounts in the Phoenix market

Run the Plant

• Own the safety culture — visible on the floor, leads the morning huddle, treats every incident as a leadership moment
• Drive productivity per labor hour and per machine hour
• Maintain quality standards that meet mill requirements
• Solve bottlenecks fast — no drift

Build the Team

• Assess every direct report within 90 days and make clear keep / develop / upgrade calls
• Set clear Who / What / When expectations and hold the line on accountability
• Be a direct communicator who genuinely cares about the people on the floor
• Develop your leaders so decisions don't all funnel through you

Operate Inside Our Cadence

• Weekly accountability calls with the President — show up with data and commitments
• 3–5 quarterly priorities with measurable financial impact
• Maintain a clear scorecard tied to network-wide KPIs
• Manage up — surface issues early, never hide bad news

What Success Looks Like in Year One

• Phoenix hitting or exceeding network Net Income per Ton targets
• A stable, accountable leadership team in place — every direct-report seat has the right person
• Increased percentage of contracted and fee-for-service volume
• Improved throughput and lower cost per ton, measured against documented Q1 baseline
• Industry-leading safety performance, culturally embedded
• You operating like a business owner — present in the trading desk, the network peer group, and the corporate strategic conversation

What You'll Bring

Required

• Proven full-P&L ownership at meaningful scale (multi-site GM, plant manager with full P&L responsibility, or business owner)
• 10+ years of progressive operations leadership
• Strong decision-making in uncertain or fast-moving conditions
• Track record of upgrading talent — you've made hard people calls and would make them again
• Commercial instinct: pricing, volume, margin, supplier and customer negotiation
• Bias for action — you don't wait for perfect data
• Direct communicator who builds, not breaks, the team

Preferred

• Recycling, waste, logistics, or industrial operations experience
• MRF, single-stream, or commodity marketing exposure
• Multi-site leadership at $10M+ revenue scale
• Post-acquisition integration experience
• Background in entrepreneurial or owner-operated business
• Bachelor's degree, or equivalent experience

What We Offer

• Competitive base salary
• Substantial performance-based bonus tied to Net Income per Ton and EBITDA — designed to reward builders, not caretakers
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off, paid holidays, and paid sick leave
• Life and disability insurance
• Relocation assistance for the right candidate
• A structured operating model that supports your success — clear cadence, clear metrics, no chaos
• A leadership team that values direct conversation, ownership, and results

About Recycle1

Recycle1 operates a network of recycling plants across the United States, processing post-consumer and post-industrial materials into commodity products for domestic and export markets. We are a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canusa Hershman Recycling, a long-standing player in the North American recycling industry.

Our core values — Do the right thing always, Legendary service, Experts at what we do, Find a way to deliver results, Think team first — are non-negotiable. We hire people who share them and develop people who live them.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Recycle1 is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, or disability.

How to Apply

Submit your resume along with a short note covering:

• The most consequential P&L decision you have owned, and what it cost or earned the business.
• Why this role is your next chapter.

We review every application personally. Strong candidates can expect a response within two weeks.

— Apply today —