From Mop Bucket to Industry Advisor: Derek Oliveira’s Mission to Solve Cleaning’s Toughest Challenges

Successful organizations are proud to have dedicated staff working behind the scenes who are passionate about helping others learn, grow, and succeed.

At ISSA, your association for cleaning and facility solutions, a team of professionals stands ready to serve members no matter the need. One of them is Derek Oliveira, the ISSA Associate Director of Education, Training, and Field Services-and his story says a lot about what the organization brings to the industry.

From a food court to ISSA

Oliveira's story starts in Montreal, where the industry found him early. "Born and raised in Montreal, Canada," Oliveira said. "I joined the industry as a 16-year-old pushing the mop in a food court." His father, who worked for a large building service contractor, made the introduction. From that food court job, Oliveira worked his way up, eventually serving as a general director for several large companies.

In 2015, after many years in the cleaning industry, he was considering another career path, yet a consulting job in the industry enticed him. "I told him I would give him six months," Oliveira said. He stayed seven years, and in 2023, he joined ISSA.

The hold of cleaning

This industry has a way of pulling people back. "I thought I was getting out, but it got its claws back in me and pulled me back in," Oliveira said. He has no regrets. What keeps him engaged is the same thing that drew him to consulting in the first place: solving problems.

"I've always enjoyed being a problem solver," he said. Clients call when something is wrong, and finding a way to help them is, in his words, "the biggest reason why I love doing what I do."

Seeing past the tip of the iceberg

When a member reaches out, the stated problem is rarely the whole story. "That's only the tip of the iceberg 99% of the time," Oliveira said. A staffing issue, for example, usually signals something deeper. "They've identified a problem, but they don't know that that problem has a trickle-down effect."

That is why he favors getting on site. "The most effective way for us to be able to help somebody is get the boots on the ground," he said. "Get us into your facility, and we will identify areas where we can definitely help you get better."

Making CIMS the industry standard

Among the resources ISSA offers, Oliveira often points members toward CIMS certification. He compares it to a familiar benchmark. "The easiest way to explain it is that it's an ISO for a janitorial company," he said. The process examines a company's procedures and documentation with a fine-tooth comb, confirming the company is ready to certify and ready to grow.

CIMS is not right for everyone, he notes. "There's a cost to it, there's also roles and responsibilities within the organization that maybe a mom-and-pop shop doesn't have the capacity to handle," Oliveira said. Still, his vision is clear. "What I would like to see going forward is CIMS becoming the industry standard," he said.

Cleaning services have existed for generations without a common standard from one market to the next. "The only thing that brings all these companies together, whether it be in Canada or the United States, is that they have CIMS certification," Oliveira said. "So that's bringing them all on the same playing ground."

Solving the optimization puzzle

Oliveira's field services work puts him face-to-face with members and their daily challenges. On university campuses, the issue is often optimization. "They have the tools, they have the labor, they have the equipment … they just don't know how to put it all together," he said.

Helping clients assemble the pieces has become a niche. "Whenever we tackle one of these projects, we always leave our client in a better position than when we found them," Oliveira added. "So that's something that we're proud of."

Designing a building with cleaning in mind

Some of the most telling work happens before a single floor is mopped. ISSA was recently brought into a project before construction began. "We were called in from the get-go to help them design the center with janitorial in mind, which is, for me, 30-plus years in the industry, a first, which is super refreshing," Oliveira noted.

The questions ranged from door widths to closet placement to elevator capacity. "How big do the doors have to be? Where do the janitorial closets need to be? … the elevators, what's their capacity?" Oliveira recalled. For a cleaning veteran, the experience signaled something larger: that a prestigious client would seek out janitorial expertise at the design stage speaks to how the industry now views cleaning.

Advice for the next generation

On the day of the interview-his birthday-Oliveira reflected on his climb. "I think the key is to never give up. Always believe in yourself," he said. "Learn every day. I learned a lot from a lot of smart people around me, and these people gave me opportunities, and I made sure that I picked up on the lessons and the advice that was given."

From a food court at 16 to a career he is proud of, Oliveira sees a path more people should aspire to. Behind the title is a problem solver-and behind ISSA is a team ready to help members turn challenges into wins.

Learn more about ISSA Consulting here.