Hate the idea of sitting behind a desk all day? Good — this isn’t that kind of job.
This is a hands-on management trainee role where you learn how a real business runs by being out in the city, working with customers, moving, lifting, problem-solving, and getting results you can actually see.
* A UK driving licence is required. (some foreign licenses can be exchanged fairly quickly so let us know)
*Start and Finish London, W10 5AZ
* The shift pattern needs to cover Sat and Sun, likely Friday - Tues working, with Wed and Thurs off, (initially you may be able to choose which days off in the week).
You’ll be active all day, work as part of a tight 2-person team, and build the skills to move into team leadership and operations management.
We are planning to hire our next Operations Manager within 6–12 months.
Instead of hiring externally, we want to grow that person from the ground up.
*So the path is to grow to £40,000 annual earnings*.
This role starts on the truck — learning the business properly — before moving into leadership.
If you want to understand how a real service business works, build something in a defined area, and progress into managing multiple teams, read on.
What This Role Actually Is:
You will initially work as part of a two-person truck team, covering a specific local area in London.
Your early focus will be:
- Ground-level marketing (leaflets, quote cards, local presence)
- Speaking directly with customers and giving quotes (experience selling stuff is helpful)
- Completing domestic and commercial collections
(eg: sofas, wardrobes, office furniture, white goods, DIY waste)
- Learning pricing, routing, compliance and customer standards
This is a hands-on, physical role.
You will lift heavy items safely and work outdoors.
You are not “observing management.”
You are learning the foundations properly.
The Plan (12-Month View)
Phase 1 – Learn & Launch (Months 0–3)
- Work on the truck
- Help build demand in a defined area
- Learn pricing, marketing and daily operations
- Understand the numbers behind the jobs
Phase 2 – Lead One Team (Months 3–6)
- Become Truck Team Leader
- Take responsibility for performance in your area
- Own quality, safety and customer reviews
Phase 3 – Build & Manage (Months 6-12* estimated depending on performance)
- Add a second truck team
- Manage two crews
- Support hiring and training
- Start operating as Ops Assistant
Phase 4 – Operations Manager
- Oversee 3–5 truck teams
- Own area performance and profitability
- Lead hiring, standards and growth
Long-term (5–10 years):
We plan to recruit a Managing Director from within as we scale.
We want leaders who understand the business from the ground up.
What You’ll Learn
- How to grow a local service business
- How to manage field teams
- Pricing strategy & margin control
- Customer acquisition at street level
- Route planning & operational efficiency
- Compliance and quality control
- The EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) and how structured businesses scale
You’ll work closely with the owner during the early stages.
Who This Is For
This role suits someone who:
- Wants to become an Operations Manager, not just have a job
- Is happy working physically and outdoors
- Is confident speaking to customers face-to-face
- Has strong work ethic and energy
- Takes ownership and wants responsibility
- Is commercially curious (how do we improve margin? reduce wasted time? grow faster?)
Graduates welcome.
Non-graduates with leadership drive welcome.
Attitude matters more than background.
About WCJ
WCJ specialises in two-person, pay-as-you-fill bulky waste house collections, with best-in-class compliance and customer service. We’re expanding our domestic and commercial operations across London, and we promote from within.
Our values guide how we work:
- Trust & Respect for us, our clients and our environment.
- Low Hassle for clients
- Ownership - we get stuff done
- Professional but kind
This is a hands-on role. You will:
- Lift heavy items safely
- Work outdoors in all weather
- Speak to customers face-to-face every day
- Be on your feet, not behind a screen
If that sounds like a problem, this won’t be the right fit. If that sounds interesting, you’ll probably do very well here.
How to Apply
Apply with your CV. Short cover notes are welcome, especially if you tell us:
- You can easily travel to and from W10 5AZ
- You are okay with the shift pattern (Sat and Sun required, so Friday -Tues most likely, with initial option to take other days off during the week).
We’re hiring now and aiming to have the team fully operational by end of March.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: £33,000.00-£35,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Employee discount
- On-site parking
Application question(s):
- Tell us of the role you had with the most sales / customer facing tasks?
- Can you work over Sat and Sunday? Eg cover a Friday - Tuesday shift pattern?
Licence/Certification:
- driver's license (preferred)
Work Location: On the road
