Trish Rossum

At Maple Leaf, I lead a team of 120 people, including 90+ drivers over 6 lines of business. I also have a team of supervisors, dispatchers, lead hands, mechanics, and admin staff.

Day to day functions include:

• Streamlined operational processes to enhance efficiency and reduce costs across multiple departments.
• Implemented inventory management systems to optimize stock levels and minimize waste.
• Led cross-functional teams to develop strategic initiatives that improved overall performance metrics.
• Mentored junior staff, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and professional development.
• Analyzed workflow data to identify bottlenecks and recommended actionable solutions for enhancement.
• Collaborated with stakeholders to align operational goals with organizational strategy and vision.
• Developed training programs focused on safety protocols and best practices for team members.
• Established key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor progress towards operational objectives effectively.
• Supervised operations staff and kept employees compliant with company policies and procedures.
• Empowered employees to take ownership of their responsibilities, leading to increased accountability and improved performance outcomes.
• Conducted regular performance reviews, identifying areas for improvement and developing action plans to address them.
• Managed inventory and supply chain operations to achieve timely and accurate delivery of goods and services.
• Led hiring, onboarding and training of new hires to fulfill business requirements.
• Developed and maintained relationships with external vendors and suppliers.
• Enhanced customer satisfaction by establishing clear communication channels and addressing concerns promptly.
• Established positive and effective communication among unit staff and organization leadership, reducing miscommunications, and missed deadlines.
• Analyzed and reported on key performance metrics to senior management.
• Oversaw facility maintenance, ensuring optimal functionality of equipment and infrastructure at all times.
• Facilitated smooth collaboration between departments through clear communication channels.
• Managed budgets effectively, consistently delivering projects on-time and within financial constraints.
• Achieved higher employee retention rates by fostering a positive work environment and providing opportunities for professional growth.
• Identified and resolved unauthorized, unsafe, or ineffective practices.
• Developed and implemented strategies to maximize customer satisfaction.
• Directed initiatives to improve work environment, company culture or overall business strategy.
• Developed strong relationships with vendors, resulting in better pricing and improved service quality.
• Championed safety protocols to maintain a secure working environment, reducing workplace accidents significantly.
• Negotiated contracts with vendors and suppliers to obtain best pricing and terms.
• Assisted in recruiting, hiring and training of team members.
• Trained and guided team members to maintain high productivity and performance metrics.
• Interacted well with customers to build connections and nurture relationships.
• Tracked employee attendance and punctuality, addressing repeat problems quickly to prevent long-term habits.
• Scheduled employees for shifts, taking into account customer traffic and employee strengths.
• Handled problematic customers and clients to assist lower-level employees and maintain excellent customer service.
• Observed each employee's individual strengths and initiated mentoring program to improve areas of weakness.
• Reported issues to higher management with great detail.
• Tracked trends and suggested enhancements to both challenge and refine company's product offerings.

At Cascades Recovery, I managed the Transportation Department in Surrey and Vancouver, with 40+ drivers in multiple cities across BC and Alberta, traveling to some cities for long periods of time, helping support the management staff to help train and coach drivers and identify areas in need of operational improvement.

I introduced the Smith System of Safe Driving to the Board of Directors and helped implement it across Canada.

I was selected to join a small team within the company that traveled across Canada to implement new software, training dispatchers, administrators, and drivers on the program.

The day to day functions of my role included:

• Trained and mentored staff on safety protocols and operational procedures.
• Implemented process improvements that enhanced route effectiveness and reduced delays.
• Monitored vehicle maintenance schedules to ensure compliance with regulatory standards.
• Developed training materials to enhance team performance and adherence to best practices.
• Collaborated with management to analyze performance metrics and drive strategic initiatives.
• Led cross-functional teams in the execution of major transportation projects, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
• Managed routing, driver supervision and CVSE compliance.
• Coordinated schedules and routes for drivers to ensure timely deliveries and customer satisfaction.
• Ensured proper documentation was completed accurately for all transportation operations, including driver logs, vehicle inspection reports, and accident/incident reports.
• Managed a team of drivers, providing training, guidance, and performance evaluations to maintain a high level of professionalism.
• Scheduled repair and preventive maintenance of vehicles and other equipment.
• Fostered a culture of continuous improvement within the team by encouraging feedback from drivers on ways to enhance operational efficiency.
• Addressed issues swiftly, resolving conflicts between drivers, customers, or other stakeholders effectively.
• Improved transportation efficiency by optimizing routes and implementing time-saving strategies.
• Improved working conditions for employees and fostered work environment that maximized employee morale and engagement.
• Developed strong relationships with clients through consistent communication and excellent customer service practices.
• Verified that drivers completed required safety training and attended quarterly driver safety meetings.
• Worked closely with personnel, customers, and contractors to resolve problems.

• At Waste Connections (formally Progressive Waste Services), I managed a large group of union employees; 30 that reported directly to me and 70 indirectly. I became Smith Trained and a certified Smith System trainer. Daily functions included:
• Analyzed performance metrics to identify areas for process improvement and enhanced productivity.
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to streamline operations and improve service reliability.
• Conducted driver ride-alongs and observations to evaluate and improve driver performance.
• Monitored daily operations and routes to resolve issues and drive operational effectiveness.
• Planned, distributed, monitored and followed up on daily route assignments to service customers per company standards and agreements.
• Managed end-of-day check-in process to capture and communicate key service, safety and equipment issues.
• Scheduled, attended and contributed to safety meetings to maintain working relationships and promote maximum morale and productivity.
• Oversaw driver and laborer time and attendance to minimize overtime and ascertain drivers did not exceed limits established by regulatory agencies.
• Visited customers and customer sites to evaluate and resolve safety issues and seek service alternatives.
• Visited customers and customer sites to evaluate and resolve safety issues.
• Worked with functional groups to resolve employee relations and labor relations issues.
• Collaborated with sales teams to identify opportunities for business growth within existing customer base or potential new clients.
• Organized training sessions to enhance employee skills in customer service, time management, and efficient driving techniques.
• Oversaw fleet maintenance programs to ensure timely repairs were performed while minimizing downtime for vehicles in operation.
• Managed a team of drivers, providing training and support to ensure high performance standards were met.
• Reduced worker accidents by implementing improved safety standards and monitoring procedures.

• At WM, I supervised a fleet of 20 union employees, performing similar tasks to above, including the responsibility to make sure the collective agreement was adhered to.
• Waste Management centralized their dispatch out of Portland, Oregon in 2015 and I was asked to fly to Oregon for 3 weeks to train a team of 20 dispatcher.