Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Waste Management Coordinator

🎯 Role Definition

The Waste Management Coordinator leads operational execution and continuous improvement of waste handling, recycling, and hazardous materials programs across facilities. This role manages vendor relationships, oversees regulatory and permit compliance, conducts waste audits and data analysis, develops and delivers staff training, and implements waste reduction strategies that align with corporate sustainability goals. The coordinator acts as the subject matter expert for waste minimization, documentation, and reporting to internal stakeholders and regulatory agencies.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Environmental Technician or EHS Technician
Facilities Coordinator or Operations Assistant
Recycling Program Assistant or Sustainability Intern

Advancement To:

Waste Management Manager / Senior Waste Coordinator
Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) Manager
Sustainability Program Manager

Lateral Moves:

Facilities Manager
Vendor/Contract Manager for Waste & Recycling
Regulatory Affairs Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Design, implement, and manage comprehensive waste management programs (municipal, industrial, and hazardous waste) that meet corporate sustainability targets and reduce landfill diversion rates through recycling, composting, and reuse initiatives.
Ensure full regulatory compliance with federal, state, and local regulations (EPA, RCRA, DOT, OSHA, and state-specific hazardous waste rules) by maintaining manifest systems, preparing permitting packages, and coordinating inspections with regulatory agencies.
Conduct detailed waste characterization studies and facility-level waste audits to quantify waste streams, identify diversion opportunities, and develop prioritized action plans with estimated cost/benefit analyses.
Manage cradle-to-grave tracking of hazardous and non-hazardous waste including generation, storage, manifesting, transportation, treatment, and disposal; maintain accurate records and SDS documentation for audits and reporting.
Prepare and submit regulatory reports, manifests, biennial hazardous waste reports, and permit renewals; respond to regulator inquiries and lead corrective action plans when required.
Develop, issue, and manage contracts, scopes of work, and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for waste transporters, haulers, recyclers, and treatment facilities; lead vendor selection and performance management activities.
Negotiate pricing, service terms, and performance guarantees with third-party vendors to optimize operational costs while ensuring compliant and reliable waste handling and recycling services.
Create and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for waste segregation, labeling, storage, emergency response, and shipping to ensure consistent safe handling across all sites.
Lead development and delivery of employee training programs on waste segregation, hazardous waste handling, container management, spill response, and recycling best practices tailored to operations and maintenance staff.
Coordinate cross-functional teams (operations, procurement, sustainability, facility management, and EHS) to implement waste reduction pilots, rollouts, and capital projects such as centralized recycling hubs or on-site compactors.
Monitor and report key performance indicators (KPIs) such as diversion rate, cost per ton, incident frequency, and hazardous waste generation; prepare monthly and quarterly executive summaries with actionable insights.
Implement data management systems for waste analytics (Excel dashboards, CMMS, ERP integration) to track volumes, costs, vendor performance, regulatory deadlines, and sustainability metrics.
Support procurement and sustainability initiatives by evaluating opportunities for source reduction, process changes, and product substitutions to reduce packaging and hazardous material usage.
Oversee on-site storage area compliance including secondary containment, labeling, container integrity, and weekly/quarterly inspections to minimize spills and violations.
Coordinate logistics for special waste streams (electronic waste, batteries, universal waste, laboratory waste, CSO/industrial byproducts) including safe packaging, transport, and certified disposal or recycling.
Lead incident response and investigation for waste-related spills, releases, or regulatory noncompliance; prepare incident reports, corrective action plans, and implement preventative measures.
Manage capital projects and vendor installations related to waste handling (balers, compactors, containment systems) including project scopes, timelines, and contractor oversight to ensure installation compliance.
Drive continuous improvement through Lean/Six Sigma methodologies to optimize waste handling workflows, reduce labor and haul frequency, and increase recycling capture rates.
Stay current on evolving waste regulations, recycling markets, extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws, and industry best practices; recommend policy changes and program updates to leadership.
Administer budgeting and cost control for waste operations including forecasting hauling and disposal costs, tracking invoices, and identifying opportunities to reduce costs through route optimization and consolidation.
Engage and educate suppliers and contractors to ensure upstream packaging reductions and circular economy initiatives, including take-back programs and material recovery agreements.
Prepare materials for internal and external audits, sustainability disclosures, CDP/ESG reporting, and client-facing environmental compliance documentation to support transparency and risk management.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc sustainability and waste-reduction data requests from leadership and cross-functional partners; produce ad-hoc analysis for capital requests and ROI estimates.
Contribute to the organization's sustainability roadmap by recommending measurable initiatives and milestones for waste reduction and circularity.
Collaborate with procurement and facilities teams to translate operational needs into vendor selection criteria and contractual terms for waste services.
Participate in project planning and agile-style sprints for process improvements and system implementations related to waste tracking and compliance.
Represent the company in community and industry forums on recycling and waste reduction; maintain vendor, municipal, and NGO relationships to support program growth.
Assist in the development of customer-facing materials and training for tenants or business units on proper waste segregation and sustainability expectations.
Support emergency preparedness planning by coordinating waste-related spill drills, tabletop exercises, and inclusion of waste flows in site emergency response plans.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Waste program design and implementation (municipal, industrial, hazardous)
Regulatory knowledge: EPA, RCRA, DOT, OSHA hazardous materials/Hazmat, state waste codes
Hazardous waste handling and manifesting; cradle-to-grave tracking
Waste auditing and waste characterization methodologies
Contract and vendor management including RFPs, SLAs, and performance metrics
Data analysis and reporting for waste KPIs; advanced Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP, dashboards)
Familiarity with CMMS/ERP systems, waste tracking software, and digital manifesting platforms
Permit preparation and permit compliance tracking
Familiarity with recycling markets, material recovery, and diversion strategies
Project management: planning, budgeting, capital procurement and installation oversight
Environmental incident response and spill remediation coordination
Basic knowledge of Lean/Six Sigma tools for process improvement
Understanding of sustainability and ESG reporting frameworks (CDP, GRI, corporate sustainability goals)

Soft Skills

Strong written and verbal communication for regulatory correspondence, training, and executive reporting
Stakeholder management across operations, procurement, sustainability, and regulatory bodies
Analytical mindset with attention to detail and numerical accuracy
Problem solving and proactive corrective action orientation
Ability to influence and drive behavioral change through training and engagement
Time management and prioritization of competing regulatory and operational tasks
Negotiation skills for vendor contracts and service performance
Adaptability in dynamic regulatory and market conditions
Team leadership and ability to manage cross-functional project teams
Customer service orientation when supporting internal clients and external partners

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Industrial Hygiene, Chemistry, Public Health, Sustainability, or related field.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree plus professional certification(s) such as Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM), Registered Environmental Manager (REM), or OSHA/Hazwoper certification; or an associate degree with significant practical experience.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Environmental Science or Environmental Engineering
Sustainability, Public Health, or Industrial Hygiene
Chemistry or Biology
Operations Management or Facilities Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2–6 years of hands-on experience in waste management, EHS, facilities operations, or sustainability program implementation.

Preferred:

5+ years managing multi-site waste programs, hazardous waste operations, and vendor contracts with documented success in diversion and cost reduction; experience with regulatory reporting and sustainable materials management.