Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Waste Recycling Officer

🎯 Role Definition

The Waste Recycling Officer is responsible for designing, implementing and managing recycling and resource recovery programs across municipal, commercial or industrial settings. This role combines regulatory compliance, program development, contractor and facility oversight, community engagement, data-driven performance monitoring and continuous improvement to maximize diversion, reduce contamination and support circular economy goals. The Waste Recycling Officer works with internal teams, external contractors, vendors, regulatory agencies and the public to deliver measurable improvements in recycling rates, cost efficiency and environmental outcomes.

This role is often titled Waste Recycling Officer, Recycling Coordinator, Resource Recovery Officer or Waste Management Officer in job postings.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Environmental Technician or Field Services Operator
Waste Education Officer, Recycling Educator or Community Outreach Coordinator
Operations Assistant in Solid Waste or Sanitation departments

Advancement To:

Senior Waste Recycling Officer / Senior Resource Recovery Officer
Waste Management Supervisor or Recycling Program Manager
Environmental Programs Manager or Sustainability Manager

Lateral Moves:

Contract Compliance Officer (Waste & Recycling)
Environmental Health & Safety Officer
Procurement / Contract Management for waste services

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop, implement and manage comprehensive recycling and resource recovery programs (curbside, drop-off, commercial, organics, special wastes) including program design, timelines, KPIs and budget controls to increase diversion rates and reduce landfill dependence.
Plan and execute regular waste audits and contamination assessments for residential, commercial and municipal sites to quantify waste streams, identify improvement opportunities and recommend targeted interventions.
Prepare, monitor and report on program performance metrics (tonnage diverted, participation rates, contamination rates, cost per tonne, greenhouse gas reductions) and present findings and recommendations to senior management and elected officials.
Oversee procurement, tendering and contract management for recycling and waste processing services, including drafting specifications, evaluating bids, negotiating terms and monitoring contractor performance against SLAs and KPIs.
Ensure compliance with local, state/provincial and federal regulations related to waste handling, recycling, hazardous and banned materials, permitting and reporting; coordinate inspections and remedial actions as required.
Develop and deliver community education, outreach and behavior-change campaigns (workshops, school programs, public events, digital content) to increase recycling participation and decrease contamination.
Manage internal and external stakeholder engagement, including coordinating with collection crews, transfer stations, material recovery facilities (MRFs), vendors, retailers, industry groups and government regulators to resolve operational issues and drive improvements.
Implement contamination reduction strategies and quality control programs for incoming recyclables, including signage, bin redesign, targeted enforcement and pilot programs to improve material quality.
Lead or support capital and operational projects such as establishing organics collection, expanding drop-off networks, installing pre-sort or optical sort equipment and optimizing routing and fleet operations for recycling collection.
Administer grants, subsidies and funding applications to secure external financing for recycling initiatives; manage project budgets, reporting and compliance associated with awarded funds.
Prepare and maintain detailed technical documentation, operational procedures, SOPs and safety plans for recycling operations, and ensure these documents are accessible and followed by staff and contractors.
Conduct site inspections and audits of transfer stations, MRFs and collection operations to verify adherence to safety protocols, environmental controls and contractual obligations; issue corrective actions as necessary.
Provide technical advice and input to policy development, bylaw creation and strategic planning around waste reduction, extended producer responsibility (EPR) frameworks and circular economy initiatives.
Coordinate logistics and scheduling for special waste collections (electronics, household hazardous waste, bulky goods) including vendor management, public notification and post-event reporting.
Manage and train staff, seasonal workers and volunteers involved in recycling and educational programs; develop training materials and ensure competency in handling, sorting, HAZMAT awareness and customer service.
Design and run pilot programs and trials (e.g., curbside organics, PAYT, reusable systems, deposit-return schemes) to test new service models and scale successful approaches across the service area.
Monitor market conditions for recycled commodities, negotiate material sales and manage inbound/outbound material quality requirements to maximize revenue and minimize processing costs.
Lead incident response for contamination events, spills or non-compliance occurrences at recycling facilities, coordinating with EHS, operations and regulatory bodies to remediate and report as required.
Manage data collection systems for waste and recycling (tonnage databases, route software, CRM, GIS), ensuring data integrity and using analytics to drive decision-making and continuous improvement.
Prepare grant and program performance reports, council or board reports and public-facing communications that clearly articulate program outcomes, costs and benefits.
Champion continuous improvement by identifying operational efficiencies, recommending process changes, and supporting implementation of new technologies and best practices in recycling and resource recovery.
Serve as the subject matter expert for recycling-related enquiries from the public, media, businesses and community organizations; provide clear technical guidance and customer-focused solutions.
Support workplace health and safety by ensuring recycling operations meet H&S standards, conducting risk assessments and supervising safe handling and storage of hazardous recyclable streams.

Secondary Functions

Provide technical support for ad-hoc analyses such as tonnage forecasting, cost-benefit analysis of program changes and lifecycle assessment inputs.
Contribute to strategic planning and the organization’s broader sustainability roadmap, integrating recycling targets with greenhouse gas reduction and zero-waste goals.
Assist finance and procurement teams with vendor performance reviews and invoice reconciliation related to recycling contracts and disposal costs.
Participate in cross-functional project teams, agile pilots and interdepartmental initiatives to align waste services with public works, parks, procurement and economic development.
Maintain an up-to-date knowledge base of industry standards, equipment capabilities and regulatory changes; recommend training or technology upgrades when beneficial.
Represent the organization at industry conferences, working groups and stakeholder forums to benchmark practices and identify partnership opportunities.
Support IT and data teams to define requirements for tracking systems (GIS, ERP integrations, mobile routing) and ensure data is actionable for operational improvements.
Help coordinate emergency collection or clean-up operations during natural disasters or large events, ensuring continuity of essential recycling services.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Waste audit design and execution — ability to plan and carry out audit methodology, sample selection, weight verification and data interpretation to quantify waste streams.
Knowledge of local/state/federal waste and environmental regulations (including hazardous waste rules, recycling mandates, EPR frameworks) and permit management processes.
Contract procurement, tender drafting and vendor management for waste collection and processing contracts, including evaluating bids and monitoring SLAs.
Data analysis and reporting — competence with Excel (advanced), data visualization tools (Power BI, Tableau) and experience using tonnage tracking systems, CRM or landfill/route software.
Material recovery and MRF operations knowledge including sorting technologies, contamination control, bale specifications and commodity markets.
Project management and capital project oversight — ability to manage budgets, schedules, stakeholders and vendors for operational or capital upgrades to recycling infrastructure.
Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) competence — conducting risk assessments, implementing controls and ensuring compliance with workplace safety standards when handling recyclables and hazardous materials.
Familiarity with organics management, composting systems and anaerobic digestion where applicable.
GIS and route optimization basics to support collection planning and spatial analysis of service coverage and participation.
Grant writing and fund administration for sustainability or recycling program funding, including reporting and compliance with funding terms.
Knowledge of packaging, plastics, electro-waste and other specialty streams to design appropriate collection and processing options.
Experience with community engagement platforms, public education campaign design, and performance measurement of outreach effectiveness.

Soft Skills

Clear and persuasive communication — able to explain technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, prepare council/board reports and lead community meetings.
Stakeholder engagement and relationship-building — collaborates effectively with contractors, regulatory agencies, businesses and community groups.
Problem-solving and analytical mindset — uses data to diagnose issues and design practical interventions that reduce contamination and improve diversion.
Leadership and team development — mentors staff, coordinates cross-functional teams and drives accountability for program results.
Negotiation and conflict resolution — manages vendor disputes, resident complaints and interdepartmental priorities constructively.
Project prioritization and time management — balances operational demands, strategic initiatives and reactive incidents in a dynamic environment.
Adaptability and innovation — comfortable piloting new approaches, iterating programs and integrating emerging technologies into operations.
Attention to detail — meticulous record keeping for compliance, contract obligations and performance tracking.
Public-facing diplomacy and customer service orientation — represents the organization positively when responding to inquiries and complaints.
Facilitation and presentation skills — leads workshops, trainings, and stakeholder consultations to build buy-in for program changes.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree or diploma in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Waste Management, Sustainability, Public Administration or a related field; or equivalent practical experience in waste/recycling operations.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree or higher in Environmental Management, Civil or Environmental Engineering, Sustainable Resource Management or Occupational Health and Safety; relevant certifications such as CEM, RPP, CIWM, or equivalent recognized industry credentials.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Environmental Science / Environmental Management
Waste Resource Recovery / Sustainable Materials Management
Civil / Environmental Engineering
Public Policy / Urban Planning (with sustainability emphasis)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2–7 years of progressively responsible experience in waste management, recycling program coordination, resource recovery operations or related environmental services. Entry-level roles may require 1–2 years; senior positions typically require 5+ years.

Preferred:

Demonstrated experience delivering municipal or commercial recycling programs, managing contracts and performing waste audits.
Proven track record in stakeholder engagement, public education campaigns, grant administration and cross-functional project leadership.
Experience with data-driven performance monitoring, commodity markets and facility operational oversight is highly desirable.