Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Waste Program Manager

🎯 Role Definition

A Waste Program Manager leads, plans and executes comprehensive waste management programs—covering solid waste, recycling, organics/composting, hazardous waste, and diversion strategies—to meet regulatory requirements, budget goals and sustainability targets. This role oversees day-to-day operations, manages service contracts, develops policies, analyzes program performance, secures grants, coordinates permitting and inspections, and engages internal and external stakeholders (public, haulers, regulators, elected officials). The Waste Program Manager drives measurable reductions in landfill disposal, increases recycling and composting rates, and ensures safe, compliant handling and reporting of all waste streams.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Solid Waste Coordinator or Collection Supervisor
Environmental Technician or Field Operations Supervisor
Recycling & Outreach Specialist

Advancement To:

Director of Solid Waste & Recycling
Sustainability / Environmental Services Director
Public Works Deputy Director (Waste & Recycling)

Lateral Moves:

Recycling Program Manager
Environmental Compliance Manager
Materials Management or Zero Waste Program Lead

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop, implement and continuously improve a comprehensive municipal or corporate waste management program that includes solid waste collection, transfer, landfill operations, recycling, organics composting, and hazardous materials handling to meet regulatory and sustainability goals.
Lead the creation and execution of multi-year strategic plans and annual work plans that define diversion targets, program schedules, capital projects, operational improvements and performance metrics aligned with city/county/corporate sustainability objectives.
Manage all aspects of regulatory compliance including state solid waste laws, federal RCRA requirements, hazardous waste manifesting, air quality permit conditions, and reporting to regulatory agencies; prepare and submit regulatory permits, notifications and compliance reports.
Develop and administer program budgets, forecasts and financial models; monitor expenditures, control costs, optimize fee structures (tipping fees), and prepare budget justifications and presentations for elected officials or executive leadership.
Prepare, pursue and manage grants, cooperative agreements, and external funding opportunities (state grants, EPA funding, foundation grants); supervise grant reporting, deliverables, timelines and compliance obligations.
Oversee procurement, solicitation, evaluation and management of vendor contracts and service agreements for collection, transfer, disposal, processing, hauling, and facility operations; negotiate terms, service levels and performance guarantees.
Monitor, analyze and report program performance using key performance indicators (tons diverted, recycling rate, contamination rate, customer service metrics, cost per ton); develop dashboards and dashboards for senior management and public-facing reports.
Lead capital project planning and implementation for transfer stations, materials recovery facilities (MRFs), composting facilities and landfill infrastructure; coordinate design, permitting, contractor selection and project delivery.
Design and deliver community outreach, education and behavior-change campaigns to increase recycling participation, reduce contamination and promote source reduction and organics collection; oversee development of outreach materials, web content and social media engagement.
Direct hazardous waste collection programs, household hazardous waste (HHW) events, satellite collection sites and proper disposal pathways; ensure trained staff, PPE use and emergency response plans.
Conduct and supervise inspections, facility audits and site compliance checks for transfer stations, landfills, MRFs, and contracted operations; implement corrective actions and continuous improvement processes.
Lead cross-functional teams and coordinate with public works, environmental health, planning, finance, procurement and legal departments to integrate waste management objectives into broader municipal or corporate plans.
Implement and manage route optimization, service-level adjustments and operational efficiencies for curbside collection programs to reduce fuel consumption, labor costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
Develop and enforce safety programs, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and training curricula for staff and contractors to maintain OSHA compliance and reduce workplace incidents at facilities and in field operations.
Manage data collection systems, hauling manifests, route data, weigh scale records and GIS data to ensure data integrity for operational decisions, billing accuracy and regulatory reporting.
Lead vendor and community stakeholder engagement including haulers, MRF operators, composters, recycling businesses, NGOs and neighborhood groups to foster partnerships and resolve service issues.
Prepare agendas, briefings, presentation materials and reports for city councils, boards, commissions and executive leadership; present program status, budget implications, policy options and recommended actions.
Design policy and ordinance recommendations related to waste diversion, franchise agreements, pay-as-you-throw programs, bans on organics/food waste to landfill, extended producer responsibility (EPR) and single-use plastic reduction.
Oversee contracts for haulers and facility operators to ensure performance measurements, service-level agreements (SLAs), billing accuracy and dispute resolution; enforce liquidated damages and corrective action plans when necessary.
Lead emergency planning and response for spills, illegal dumping, fugitive emissions, fires or other incidents at disposal and transfer facilities; coordinate with emergency services and regulatory agencies.
Conduct waste characterization studies, audits and sampling programs to inform program design, MRF specifications, contamination reduction strategies and organics program feasibility.
Mentor and supervise a team of program staff, technicians, inspectors and consultants; conduct performance reviews, recruit and retain talent, and build capacity across the organization.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests, perform exploratory data analysis and maintain program databases (tons by stream, route metrics, contamination rates) to inform decisions and stakeholder reporting.
Contribute to the organization’s waste data strategy, mapping needs (GIS), dashboard development and long-term reporting roadmap to improve transparency and data-driven program delivery.
Collaborate with internal business units—finance, procurement, public engagement, planning and IT—to translate operational needs into procurement specifications, ERP integrations, billing requirements and citizen-facing services.
Participate in cross-functional project planning, grant review committees and capital improvement program (CIP) meetings to align waste program initiatives with broader municipal or corporate goals.
Support regulatory inspections by compiling records, manifests, training logs and evidence of corrective actions; act as primary liaison during audits and compliance reviews.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Knowledge of federal and state solid waste and hazardous waste regulations (RCRA, CERCLA basics, state-specific solid waste codes) and permit compliance.
Solid waste operations expertise: curbside collection systems, transfer station management, landfill operations, MRF processes, and composting facility operations.
Contract management and procurement: RFP development, bid evaluation, contract negotiation, SLA drafting and vendor oversight.
Budgeting and financial analysis: program budgeting, cost per ton modeling, rate setting, fee studies and municipal finance fundamentals.
Grant writing and grant management: experience securing and administrating state or federal grants and documenting grant deliverables.
Data analysis and performance measurement: Excel advanced functions, SQL or database querying experience, KPI development and dashboarding for diversion metrics.
GIS and spatial analysis skills for route optimization, service area mapping and facility siting.
Technical report writing and permit application experience, including environmental site assessments and compliance reports.
Hazardous waste handling knowledge and HHW program operations, including manifests, transport requirements and emergency response protocols.
Project management skills, including scheduling, risk management, stakeholder coordination, and familiarity with tools such as MS Project, Smartsheet or Asana.
Waste characterization and auditing techniques, sampling methodology and contamination analysis.
Familiarity with sustainability frameworks, circular economy concepts and extended producer responsibility (EPR) program design.

Soft Skills

Strong stakeholder management and community engagement skills; able to navigate political environments and build public trust.
Excellent oral and written communication; comfortable presenting to elected officials and the public.
Leadership and people management: hiring, coaching, performance management and team-building.
Problem solving and analytical mindset; applies data to drive operational improvements and policy decisions.
Negotiation and conflict resolution skills for contract disputes and service complaints.
Adaptability and resilience managing competing priorities and changing regulatory landscapes.
Collaboration and cross-functional teamwork with internal departments and external partners.
Attention to detail and strong organizational skills for regulatory record-keeping and reporting deadlines.
Strategic thinking with the ability to translate high-level goals into operational plans and measurable outcomes.
Customer-service orientation focused on improving resident or client satisfaction and equitable service delivery.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Public Administration, Civil Engineering, Sustainability, Natural Resources Management or related field.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree in Environmental Management, Public Administration (MPA), Environmental Engineering or Sustainability preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Environmental Science
Civil / Environmental Engineering
Public Administration / Policy
Sustainability / Resource Management
Urban Planning
Industrial Hygiene / Occupational Safety

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5–10 years of progressive experience in solid waste, recycling or environmental program management; municipal or utility experience preferred.

Preferred:

7+ years managing complex waste programs or facility operations with demonstrated success in achieving diversion and compliance goals.
Prior experience leading teams, managing multi-million dollar budgets, capital projects and vendor contracts.

Certifications (preferred but not required): Certified Professional in Solid Waste Management (where available), Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM), Project Management Professional (PMP), OSHA 30, LEED or equivalent sustainability certifications.