Description

Head of Operations – Netherlands

Location: Netherlands

Salary: Euros 125,000-160,000

Sector: Waste Management / Environmental Services

We are searching for an experienced Head of Operations to lead and optimise all operational activities across our clients Netherlands sites. This senior leadership role will ensure regulatory compliance, drive efficiency and sustainability, and deliver operational performance aligned with our strategic objectives.

Reporting to senior leadership, you will play a pivotal role in stabilising existing operations, embedding best practice, and taking performance to the next level through structure, discipline, and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Performance

• Provide overall leadership of day-to-day operations across all Netherlands sites, ensuring safe, stable, and efficient performance.
• Lead, coach, and support Plant Managers and site leadership teams, driving ownership, accountability, and consistency of execution.
• Embed a strong safety culture, compliance mindset, and visible leadership across all locations.

Operational Excellence

• Drive the reliability and maintenance strategy, ensuring consistent and pragmatic application.
• Stabilise operations and continuously improve performance through structured processes and governance.
• Own and review operational KPIs including safety, availability, throughput, quality, cost, and service.
• Ensure strong focus on asset health and reliability, working closely with maintenance and engineering to minimise downtime and risk.

Planning, Cost & Coordination

• Oversee resource planning and labour productivity, ensuring the right capabilities are in place.
• Manage operational budgets and cost control, delivering within agreed financial targets.
• Coordinate effectively between operations, maintenance, logistics, engineering, HR, finance, and commercial teams.
• Act as escalation point for operational risks, incidents, and performance issues, ensuring timely resolution.
• Support capital projects and upgrades, ensuring alignment with operational needs and minimal disruption.

Stakeholder & Group Leadership

• Represent The Netherlands operations within group leadership forums, contributing to strategy and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders including municipalities, suppliers, and clients.
• Report operational performance and strategic initiatives to senior management.

Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Logistics, Business Administration, Environmental Science, or related discipline.
• Proven senior leadership experience within industrial, waste, recycling, energy, or processing environments.
• Strong track record managing multi-site or complex operations with accountability for safety, cost, and delivery.
• Hands-on operational background with deep understanding of day-to-day site performance.
• Solid knowledge of reliability, maintenance strategy, and asset health.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including budget ownership and cost control.
• Experience embedding structure, governance, and performance discipline across teams.
• Strong understanding of regulatory compliance, safety leadership, and operational risk management.

Skills & Competencies

• Passionate about Health & Safety, reliability, and building sustainable long-term performance.
• Results-driven, hands-on leader with sound judgment and decisive decision-making.
• Pragmatic, structured, disciplined, and accountable.
• Excellent communicator able to influence at all levels — from site teams to senior leadership.
• Calm, credible, and composed under pressure, with a strong operational mindset and bias for action.

Ready to make a real impact across The Netherlands waste management value chain?

Apply now by sending a cv to jack@wasterecruit.com or call +441252 353080 quoting reference M9616.