Waste Operations Manager

Overview

We are looking to recruit a Waste Operations Manager who has a proven track record of managing a large team of employees in a frontline operation in a fast-paced, safety critical environment. Due to a recent restructure this post has been created in response to the need for the service to have a senior role in place to oversee and manage the service.

The Waste Operations Manager is responsible for the daily leadership of the Councils in-house domestic and commercial waste collection operations across 89,000 domestic properties and a growing commercial customer base in the North Buckinghamshire Area. Services delivered to residents include dry-mix recycling, refuse, food, garden, bulky and clinical, operating from a Waste Transfer Station.

The role provides direct and indirect leadership to circa 134 employees which includes frontline, supervisory and support functions in a safety critical and compliance driven environment.

The role identifies and implements service wide operational improvements and developments, ensuring that the operational activities are delivered safely and to a high standard. The role requires the ability to work effectively within the political arena with multiple stakeholders ranging from front line staff to councillors.

The role will support strategic initiatives as defined by Services and Portfolio Priorities and provide solutions to emerging new legislation.

The role holder will have the responsibility of identifying and implementing ways to develop and improve the waste collection operation driving initiatives to increase operational efficiency, crew engagement and service delivery models.

About us

Recycling and Waste collections cover the whole of Aylesbury Vale with over 89,000 residents and businesses.

No two days are ever the same, the Senior Management Team pride themselves on their ability to react professionally to the interesting and diverse challenges of managing a large service, both strategically and operationally.

As a forward-thinking organisation, we are always looking for new ways to improve our service for residents and employees. Working collaboratively with both employees, key stakeholders, and Senior Management we encourage staff to bring new ideas to the team and work towards implementing and safer ways of working.

As the face of the Council, Recycling and Waste operatives are seen by all residents and customers every day. Operations Supervisors provide bespoke on-street training with their teams. This involves monitoring collections crews while they operate in the Vale and provide feedback and training and ensuring compliance with health and safety and risk assessments.

Buckinghamshire Council is a relatively new organisation that combines the strengths and expertise of the previous five councils in the county to create positive change for local people, communities, and businesses. We are firmly focused on the future and have made a clear commitment to serve residents better and to provide stronger representation for Buckinghamshire, both locally and nationally. 

About the role

This role is a senior position with the North Waste Collection and Street Scene Services Management Team and has a shared team responsibility of each day driving a positive working culture where staff feel part of a high performing and safe environment.

The role also deputies for the Deputy Head of North Waste Collection and Street Scene Services and must therefore be able to broaden their leadership and decision making outside of their direct service areas.

The role holder will be required to be flexible in their working hours over the 37 hours per week, being able to potentially start and finish later depending upon service requirements.

The role is critical to the Waste Operations Service and will require the role holder to think outside the box to adapt to such challenges, ensuring effective communication with key stakeholders is maintained and the service delivered to both residents and businesses with the defined service level agreements to a high standard.

We are looking for a highly motivated, enthusiastic individual with the ambition and drive to maintain, deliver, and develop further a key frontline, operational service to the residents and customers in Aylesbury Vale area to a high standard. Health and safety is key to maintaining our successful operation and the role holder will be expected to have knowledge of legislative requirements within the industry including Operating Licence responsibilities. The role holder must have the ability to take ownership of complex and challenging issues and applying innovative solutions to resolving them whilst meeting timescales. With a flexible approach, the role holder will ensure effective operational management of the service while complying with corporate, strategic, and legal requirements.

Key Accountabilities:

• Responsible for overseeing and leading the effective leadership, planning and co-ordination of the day to day statutory and non-statutory waste services across the North Buckinghamshire area. Ensuring that service is delivered safely, and performance is to the highest standard (eg low missed bins) with high customer satisfaction.
• Lead, motivate and develop staff to create and maintain a highly competent and participative work environment and provide strong leadership to a frontline workforce.
• Provide expert advice in the field of waste services, supporting the implementation of strategic plans, annual service plan and aligning with budget setting.
• The role holder must retain a high level of understanding of both waste and transport legislation in order to provide technical advice to others and must be committed to continuous professional development.
• Develop and maintain good working relationships with Unions, Members, internal teams (finance, legal, waste strategy/disposal, HR, customer relations, communications and commercial waste) and external stakeholders.
• Develop and present high quality business cases and options papers that meet corporate and service requirements.
• Work closely with other senior managers to ensure all legal health and safety responsibilities are met and established practices are upheld. Ensure all incident investigations are completed to a high standard and resulting actions are completed.
• Lead and guide supervisor in all HR matters such as Health and Attendance and Conduct and seeking HR support where required. Act as investigating or commissioning manager where appropriate.

About you

• We are looking for someone who has experience of operating at a senior management level in a complex organisation, ideally within waste and in the public realm.
• Knowledge and understanding of Transport Management, in specific Operators Licence compliance is desirable.
• Knowledge and understanding of Environment Permit compliance.
• Essential - Relevant degree, ideally in waste or environmental management or significant relevant waste management experience.
• Experience working in a political organisation and engaging with members desirable.
• Desirable - Waste management Certificate of Technical Competence (Level 4 in Waste Management Operations) (Managing Transfer Hazardous Waste (Level 4) and continuing competence
• Desirable – NEBOSH

Other information

Fixed

As a ‘fixed’ worker, you’ll spend most of your time in the same location, which will likely be a fixed office or location where your role is performed. Typically, you’ll be based in the same location as the rest of your team, because you provide a particular service from that fixed location or need access to information there.

Closing date: midnight Wednesday 22nd May

Stage 1 interviews: Date TBC. Successful candidates will then be invited back for a final stage interview.

Contact Deputy Head of North Waste Collection and Street Scene Services Jordan Groves on [email protected]

This post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent cautions and/or unspent convictions

For further information on how long it takes for cautions and convictions cautions to become spent, please refer to our guide on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (updated 2023) | Nacro

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Our values and culture

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

About the Business Unit

Our Communities directorate works across the county to deliver a number of the key customer-facing services that our residents, businesses and visitors rely on every day. 

This directorate includes a wide range of services, including:

• collecting and disposing of waste and recycling
• maintaining our roads and Rights of Way network and parking
• ensuring the delivery of school transport, and supporting sustainable travel including public bus services and School Crossing Patrollers
• managing Country Parks
• leisure facilities, museums, theatres and libraries, as well as developing our Cultural Strategy
• licensing, cemeteries and crematoria

The customer is central to how we develop and deliver all of these services, which help promote our rich and vibrant culture and special environment. 

We are looking for enthusiastic, ambitious and committed individuals to join our team and help us to continue to make Buckinghamshire a great place to live, work and visit. This is an exciting time for us as we bring together the services previously run by five separate councils before Buckinghamshire Council was created. Whilst making major changes to contracts affecting residents across Bucks, we continue to focus on delivering great customer service. You will join us on our journey of continuous improvement - whether that’s through developing strategies and ways of working or delivering services on the ground, every person in Communities is a valued member of the team.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. We also offer a salary sacrifice personal car lease scheme to those who are eligible and have passed their probation period. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.

https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/