Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Waste Recycling Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The Waste Recycling Manager is responsible for planning, directing, and optimizing all recycling and waste diversion activities for facilities, municipalities, or private-sector operations. This role leads day-to-day collection and processing operations, enforces regulatory compliance and safety, manages vendor and commodity relationships, and drives continuous improvement initiatives to increase recycling yields, reduce disposal costs, and meet sustainability targets. The ideal candidate balances hands-on operational oversight with strategic program development, data-driven decision making, stakeholder engagement, and budget accountability.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Recycling Supervisor / Operations Supervisor
Environmental Compliance Specialist
Waste Management Coordinator

Advancement To:

Director of Sustainability or Materials Management
Head of Waste & Recycling Operations
Regional Operations Manager (Waste & Recycling)

Lateral Moves:

Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) Manager
Sustainability Program Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop, implement, and continuously optimize end-to-end recycling operations, including collection scheduling, transfer, sorting, processing, baling, and shipping of recyclables to maximize diversion rates and commodity value.
Own operational performance metrics (tons diverted, contamination rate, processing throughput, yield, cost per ton) and deliver regular reports with actionable insights to senior leadership to meet or exceed diversion and budget targets.
Lead daily facility operations, supervise multi-disciplinary teams (site supervisors, technicians, drivers, sorters), set clear performance expectations, conduct shift planning, and ensure on-time, safe execution of all tasks.
Design and execute comprehensive health, safety, and environmental programs for recycling operations, enforce PPE and lockout/tagout procedures, conduct safety audits, and maintain OSHA/HAZWOPER compliance.
Manage regulatory compliance for waste handling and recycling activities, including local, state and federal permits (air, stormwater, solid waste), reporting, recordkeeping, and timely responses to inspections and enforcement actions.
Develop and manage annual operating and capital budgets for recycling facilities, track P&L impacts, authorize purchases, and implement cost-control measures while planning equipment upgrades and expansions.
Negotiate and manage contracts with haulers, brokers, processors, vendors, and municipalities to secure favorable service levels, pricing, liability terms, and commodity sales agreements.
Conduct regular waste stream audits, composition studies, and contamination analyses to identify opportunities to improve capture rates, reduce contamination, and optimize material routing.
Implement process improvements and technology solutions (optical sorters, conveyor layouts, balers, material recovery systems, RFID tracking) to increase throughput, reduce labor intensity, and lower operating costs.
Oversee preventative maintenance and repair programs for conveyors, balers, compactors, front-end loaders, and other recycling equipment; coordinate vendors and ensure spare parts availability to minimize downtime.
Build and maintain relationships with commodity markets and end-users, monitor market pricing, forecast revenues from recyclable sales, and create risk mitigation plans for volatile commodity markets.
Lead program design and rollout for new recycling initiatives (organics/food scrap collection, electronics recycling, textiles, construction & demolition materials), including pilot design, stakeholder engagement, and scale-up plans.
Coordinate cross-functional teams (procurement, EHS, communications, finance) to align recycling objectives with corporate sustainability goals, zero-waste plans, or municipal diversion targets.
Drive public outreach, education, and contamination reduction campaigns for residential, commercial, and industrial customers; create training materials, signage, and standard operating procedures to improve sorting behavior.
Oversee hazardous or special-waste handling programs, ensure staff certification and training for regulated materials, coordinate with licensed carriers and facilities for proper disposal or recycling.
Plan and manage capital projects: facility expansions, equipment replacements, and layout changes; lead vendor selection, RFPs, permitting, and project schedules while ensuring on-budget delivery.
Establish and steward quality-control systems for inbound and outbound materials (scale tickets, manifests, QA sampling) to protect revenue, ensure buyer acceptance, and reduce rejections.
Respond to operational incidents, emergencies, and community complaints; implement corrective actions, incident investigations, root cause analysis, and lessons-learned to prevent recurrence.
Maintain accurate operational documentation, monthly and annual diversion reports, KPI dashboards, and sustainability disclosures (CDP, GRI) as required by corporate reporting or municipal contracts.
Evaluate and implement software systems (CMMS, route optimization, scale house systems, CRM) to improve routing, billing accuracy, asset tracking, and operational visibility.
Coach, develop, and recruit talent for recycling operations; implement training programs, performance reviews, succession planning, and retention strategies.
Design incentive programs and operational standards for third-party haulers and contract partners to improve service consistency, reduce contamination, and align with corporate sustainability metrics.
Monitor and implement industry best practices, new technologies, and regulatory changes; attend trade associations, conferences, and benchmarking exercises to continuously improve operations.
Develop pricing strategies for customer services, processing fees, and commodity sales; prepare bids and proposals for municipal contracts or commercial service agreements.

Secondary Functions

Support cross-department initiatives including corporate sustainability reporting, ESG disclosures, and certifications (e.g., R2, e-Stewards) by providing operational data and documentation.
Provide technical input to procurement for equipment specifications, contractor scope-of-work, and supplier evaluation criteria.
Assist marketing and community relations teams with content for public-facing sustainability communications, success stories, and educational workshops.
Help secure grant funding and rebates for waste diversion projects, energy recovery, or equipment upgrades by contributing operational evidence and budget forecasts.
Participate in business continuity and emergency response planning related to operations interruptions, natural disasters, or supply chain disruptions.
Coordinate with IT and data teams to standardize data collection, create dashboards, and automate routine reports that support decision-making and forecasting.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Recycling operations management and process optimization (collection, sorting, processing, baling, shipping).
Regulatory compliance knowledge: local/state solid waste rules, EPA, OSHA, stormwater permits, and reportable waste handling practices.
Hazardous and special waste handling protocols and required training (HAZWOPER awareness/practical experience).
Budgeting, P&L ownership, capital planning, and cost-control for operations and maintenance.
Vendor and contract management, RFP development, and negotiation of hauler/processor agreements.
Data analysis and KPI management: diversion rates, contamination metrics, throughput, and cost-per-ton analysis; proficient with Excel and reporting tools.
Equipment familiarity: conveyors, balers, compactors, optical sorters, shredders, and maintenance planning (CMMS experience preferred).
Supply chain and logistics coordination for inbound/outbound materials and commodity sales.
Permit management and environmental reporting; experience preparing manifests, scale tickets, and compliance documentation.
Project management skills for facility upgrades, expansions, and tech implementation (PMP or equivalent experience desirable).
Familiarity with recycling commodities markets, pricing mechanisms, and revenue strategies.
Software competence: CMMS, ERP, route optimization tools, and data visualization/dashboard platforms.

Soft Skills

Strong leadership and people management skills with experience leading multi-shift operational teams.
Clear, persuasive communication for internal stakeholders, regulatory agencies, vendors, and the public.
Problem-solving and analytical mindset with ability to translate data into operational improvements.
Stakeholder management and partnership building — municipal, commercial, and community relations.
Change management capability to lead pilots and scale new programs with minimal disruption.
Attention to detail and strong organizational skills for compliance, recordkeeping, and reporting.
Coaching and training aptitude to upskill frontline staff and improve safety culture.
Negotiation and conflict-resolution skills for managing contractors, vendors, and customer relationships.
Resilience and adaptability in fast-changing commodity markets and regulatory environments.
Strategic thinking to align operational tactics with longer-term sustainability goals.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Civil/Mechanical Engineering, Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, or related discipline.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree in Environmental Management, Sustainable Systems, Business Administration (MBA), or related advanced credential.
Professional certifications (preferred): HAZWOPER 40-hour training, OSHA 30, PMP, Lean/Six Sigma (Green/Black Belt), or industry-specific certifications in recycling program management.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Environmental Science / Environmental Engineering
Mechanical or Industrial Engineering
Sustainability / Resource Management
Business Administration / Operations Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

5–10 years of progressive experience in waste management, recycling operations, or material recovery facility (MRF) operations, including at least 2–3 years in a supervisory or management role.

Preferred:

7+ years managing recycling or waste diversion programs, municipal contracts, or processing facilities; demonstrated success improving diversion rates and operating margins.
Track record of leading capital projects, negotiating commodity contracts, and maintaining regulatory compliance.
Experience with commercial and municipal accounts, public education campaigns, and cross-functional stakeholder engagement.