Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Waste Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The Waste Manager is responsible for designing, implementing and continuously improving an organization's waste management program to ensure regulatory compliance (federal, state, local), minimize environmental risk, reduce disposal costs, and drive waste diversion and sustainability targets. The role includes oversight of hazardous waste operations, vendor and contractor management, permitting, recordkeeping, incident response, budget management and cross-functional stakeholder engagement.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Environmental Technician or Environmental Specialist
Waste Coordinator / Waste Operations Lead
Facilities or Maintenance Supervisor with EHS responsibilities

Advancement To:

Senior Waste Manager / Regional Waste Manager
Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) Manager or Director
Director of Environmental Services / Sustainability Director

Lateral Moves:

Sustainability Manager / Circular Economy Manager
Operations Manager or Facilities Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop, implement and maintain a comprehensive waste management program covering hazardous, non-hazardous, universal, specialty and recyclable streams that meets federal, state and local regulatory requirements (e.g., RCRA, EPA, DOT) and company sustainability goals.
Manage day-to-day hazardous waste operations including waste characterization, labeling, accumulation, storage, treatment, transportation and disposal to ensure compliance with manifests, EPA/SWDA regulations and facility permits.
Oversee waste profiling and classification processes to ensure accurate determination of waste codes, chemical compatibility, special handling requirements and disposal routes for complex or mixed waste streams.
Prepare, review and submit regulatory reports, permits and notifications (e.g., Biennial Reports, hazardous waste manifests, 90-day accumulation records) and maintain auditable records and chain-of-custody documentation.
Lead vendor selection, contracting and performance management for waste transporters, treatment facilities and disposal contractors; negotiate pricing, service levels, and ensure vendor regulatory and safety compliance.
Monitor and manage the waste management budget, track disposal and recycling costs, identify cost-savings opportunities, prepare forecasts, and deliver monthly and quarterly financial reporting related to waste operations.
Design, implement and track waste diversion, recycling and reuse programs (e.g., material segregation, commodity recovery, composting) to achieve waste reduction and sustainability targets and report on key performance indicators (KPIs).
Conduct regular facility inspections, audits and compliance assessments of waste storage areas, satellite accumulation areas and contractor sites; develop corrective action plans and verify timely closure of findings.
Implement and maintain a robust training program for site personnel, contractors and vendors covering hazardous waste handling, spill response, labeling, segregation, PPE use and emergency procedures.
Lead incident response and investigation for spills, releases or non-conformances related to waste; coordinate containment, remediation, reporting to regulators and corrective/preventive actions.
Ensure safe design and maintenance of waste storage areas, containment systems, stormwater controls and secondary containment to prevent environmental releases and meet permit conditions.
Manage cross-functional relationships with operations, EHS, procurement, legal and facilities to integrate waste management requirements into production processes, capital projects and procurement decisions.
Evaluate and implement waste minimization and pollution prevention initiatives (process changes, material substitution, inventory controls) to reduce hazardous waste generation volumes and associated liabilities.
Maintain and update waste management SOPs, contingency plans, emergency response plans and facility-specific waste handling procedures; ensure version control and accessibility.
Oversee regulatory inspections and audits (agency, client, third-party) related to waste management; prepare responses, manage on-site support and implement agreed corrective actions.
Establish and report meaningful metrics (e.g., diversion rate, pounds of hazardous waste per unit production, recycling revenue) to senior management and sustainability stakeholders to drive continuous improvement.
Manage licensing and permitting activities including tracking renewal dates, financial assurance, storage capacity calculations and submission of permit modification requests as processes or operations change.
Implement and maintain compliance systems (manifests, electronic recordkeeping, DOT shipping documentation) and ensure accurate, timely submissions and retention according to legal requirements.
Lead continuous improvement projects to optimize waste collection routes, consolidation strategies, and materials segregation to reduce contractor costs and environmental footprint.
Coordinate with procurement and engineering on equipment selection (compactors, balers, treatment systems) and capital projects to improve on-site waste processing and reduce off-site disposal volumes.
Provide subject matter expertise and technical guidance to manufacturing/process teams on hazardous material substitutions, chemical lifecycle and end-of-life disposal implications to improve design-for-disposal.
Maintain up-to-date technical knowledge on emerging regulations, industry best practices (e.g., ISO 14001, Zero Waste), and new treatment/disposal technologies; recommend strategic changes to corporate waste policy.

Secondary Functions

Support internal and external environmental data collection, analytics and reporting related to waste KPIs and sustainability dashboards.
Collaborate with sustainability and supply chain teams on circular economy initiatives and product end-of-life strategies.
Participate in supplier audits to verify compliance with waste handling and disposal practices throughout the supply chain.
Contribute waste-related input to capital project planning, site layout design and permitting efforts to ensure long-term compliance and operational efficiency.
Mentor and develop junior staff and waste coordinators; support succession planning and cross-training across facilities.
Assist in preparation of proposals, bids or client-facing documentation that describe the company’s waste management capabilities and compliance record.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Strong knowledge of hazardous waste regulations and programs (RCRA Subtitle C, U.S. EPA hazardous waste rules) and state-level hazardous waste requirements.
Experience with DOT hazardous materials shipping regulations (49 CFR), manifesting, and hazardous materials documentation.
Proficiency in waste characterization, chemical compatibility analysis, and waste profiling for treatment and disposal.
Permit writing and management experience, including air, water, stormwater and waste-specific permits, and interaction with regulatory agencies.
Familiarity with environmental management systems and standards (ISO 14001) and sustainability frameworks (Zero Waste, circular economy).
Vendor and contractor management, including contract negotiation, service level agreements, and performance monitoring for haulers and treatment facilities.
Budgeting, cost control and financial analysis skills specific to waste disposal, recycling revenue streams and capital improvements.
Experience with EHS software, manifest systems, electronic recordkeeping, and CMMS or SAP modules for inventory and waste tracking.
Incident response, spill containment, remediation oversight and root cause investigation capabilities.
Knowledge of on-site waste treatment technologies, treatment permits, and waste minimization/pollution prevention methodologies.
Data analysis and KPI reporting skills, including Excel proficiency and comfort with dashboards or environmental reporting tools.
Understanding of supplier and product stewardship practices to influence upstream waste generation at design and procurement stages.
Familiarity with solid waste disposal and recycling markets, commodity pricing, and logistics optimization for waste consolidation.

Soft Skills

Strong leadership and people management—ability to lead cross-functional teams, supervise technicians and manage external contractors.
Excellent written and verbal communication for regulatory submissions, training delivery and stakeholder reporting.
Problem-solving and analytical mindset to diagnose complex waste streams and recommend feasible solutions.
Strong attention to detail with a compliance-first orientation and ability to maintain rigorous documentation.
Project management skills: planning, prioritization, timeline and budget management.
Stakeholder engagement and influencing—work effectively with operations, procurement, legal and senior leadership.
Trainer/coach mentality: deliver practical training and build competencies across site personnel.
Adaptability and resilience in fast-paced operational environments and during regulatory changes.
Ethical decision-making and risk assessment skills.
Time management and ability to manage multiple concurrent regulatory, operational and improvement initiatives.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Industrial Hygiene, or related technical discipline.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree in Environmental Management, Environmental Engineering, Public Health or MBA with sustainability emphasis.
Professional certifications such as Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM), Certified Safety Professional (CSP), or ISO 14001 Lead Auditor are a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Environmental Science / Environmental Engineering
Chemical Engineering / Chemistry
Industrial Hygiene / Occupational Safety
Sustainability / Environmental Management
Civil Engineering / Geosciences

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5–10 years of progressive experience in waste management, hazardous waste operations, EHS or environmental compliance.

Preferred:

7+ years with demonstrated supervisory responsibility and experience managing hazardous waste programs at industrial, manufacturing, laboratory or large commercial facilities.
Proven track record managing regulatory inspections, vendor networks, and implementing waste minimization or recycling initiatives.
Experience with multi-site program coordination, permitting and budget ownership preferred.