Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Waste Management Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The Waste Management Manager leads day-to-day waste operations and strategic initiatives to maximize diversion, minimize environmental risk, control operating costs, and deliver reliable service. This role oversees front-line operations (collection, transfer, landfill, recycling), vendor and contractor relationships, permitting and compliance (federal, state, and local regulations), safety programs (OSHA, DOT), performance measurement, budget management, and community/stakeholder communications. Strong candidates combine technical knowledge of solid and hazardous waste management with operational leadership, financial stewardship, and proven experience in process improvement and sustainability programs.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Operations Supervisor — Solid Waste Collection or Transfer Station
Environmental Compliance Specialist or Technician
Fleet/Facilities Supervisor in municipal services

Advancement To:

Director of Waste & Recycling Operations
Head of Environmental Services / Utilities
VP, Infrastructure and Environmental Compliance

Lateral Moves:

Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) Manager
Sustainability Program Manager
Materials Recovery/Recycling Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop, implement and continuously refine operational plans for municipal and commercial solid waste collection, transfer station activities, recycling processing, composting facilities and landfill operations to meet service-level agreements, local ordinances and strategic diversion targets.
Lead day-to-day management of collection routes, schedules and fleet deployment to optimize on-time service performance, reduce fuel and labor costs, and maintain safe operations for drivers and field crews.
Ensure full compliance with federal, state and local environmental regulations (including RCRA, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, DOT and state hazardous waste programs) by managing permitting, recordkeeping, manifests, reporting and inspections.
Oversee hazardous waste handling, storage and disposal programs, including cradle-to-grave tracking, specialized contractor coordination, emergency response planning and training to reduce liability and protect worker and community health.
Prepare, manage and report on annual operating and capital budgets for waste management operations, including forecasting, variance analysis, cost control initiatives and business cases for capital investments (e.g., fleet replacement, transfer station upgrades, MRF equipment).
Develop and enforce safety and health programs (OSHA standards, HAZMAT protocols, PPE use, lockout/tagout) including incident investigation, corrective actions and targeted training to reduce accidents, injuries and regulatory fines.
Manage contract procurement and vendor relationships for hauling, disposal, recycling processing, landfill operations and third-party service providers; negotiate rates, SLAs and performance guarantees and enforce contract compliance.
Design and implement waste diversion, recycling and organics programs that increase material recovery, lower disposal volumes and align with municipal sustainability goals and circular economy principles.
Implement and monitor KPIs and performance dashboards (cost per ton, diversion rate, collection missed stops, fleet utilization, tonnage reporting) using Excel, BI tools or ERP systems to drive continuous improvement and inform leadership decisions.
Supervise, mentor and develop multi-disciplinary teams including drivers, dispatchers, equipment operators, maintenance technicians and administrative staff through coaching, performance management and succession planning.
Coordinate fleet maintenance programs to ensure downtime reduction, preventive maintenance scheduling, lifecycle cost optimization and DOT/vehicle inspection compliance for collection and heavy equipment.
Lead site operations for transfer stations, MRFs and landfills including daily tipping floor management, material handling, scale house operations, and site safety to maximize throughput and minimize contamination.
Develop and execute emergency response and business continuity plans for spills, storms, extreme weather events or facility incidents, coordinating with public safety, health departments and contractors as needed.
Deliver community outreach and stakeholder engagement by responding to resident inquiries, presenting at municipal meetings, managing service change communications and conducting public education campaigns to improve participation in recycling and composting programs.
Oversee environmental monitoring, leachate management, methane emissions control, cover operations and post-closure care for landfill sites to meet permit conditions and minimize long-term environmental impacts.
Lead capital project management for facility upgrades and construction, including scope definition, procurement support, contractor oversight, schedule coordination and ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget.
Conduct waste audits, composition studies and tonnage analysis to identify opportunities for program improvement, contamination reduction, route efficiency and revenue generation through recovered material sales.
Drive data-driven operational improvements using route optimization, GPS telematics, GIS mapping, and analytics to reduce mileage, labor hours and greenhouse gas emissions associated with collection routes.
Ensure accurate billing, chargeback accounting and financial reconciliation for commercial accounts, special pickups and disposal fees while implementing collections processes to reduce delinquent accounts receivable.
Establish and maintain robust quality control programs at MRFs and transfer stations to monitor contamination levels, adjust sorting protocols and improve commodity quality for marketability.
Develop procurement strategies for recyclable commodities and offset contracts, monitor market prices and negotiate favorable terms to maximize revenue from recovered materials.
Partner with sustainability, planning and public works teams to integrate waste management considerations into broader municipal initiatives such as waste-to-energy projects, organics diversion pilots, and zero-waste strategies.
Implement continuous improvement initiatives such as Lean, Six Sigma, or Kaizen workshops to reduce cycle times, eliminate wasteful processes and improve overall operational efficiency.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and produce regular operational analytics and executive summaries for senior leadership and council briefings.
Contribute to the organization's environmental and sustainability strategy by identifying new technologies, grant opportunities and pilot programs for waste reduction and recovery.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams (public works, planning, procurement, legal) to translate regulatory and policy changes into operational requirements and standard operating procedures.
Participate in industry associations, regulatory stakeholder groups and community forums to stay current on best practices, emerging regulations and funding opportunities.
Oversee training programs and professional development for staff on customer service, safety, regulatory compliance and technical competencies.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Solid understanding of municipal solid waste operations including collection, transfer stations, landfills, MRFs, composting and organics processing.
Regulatory knowledge of RCRA, state hazardous waste programs, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, DOT transportation rules and local environmental ordinances.
Experience managing hazardous waste programs, manifests, cradle-to-grave tracking and contractor oversight for specialized disposal.
Proven budget management skills including capital planning, operating budget development, forecasting, variance analysis and cost control.
Contract and vendor management experience including RFP development, negotiation, SLA enforcement and performance monitoring.
Familiarity with route optimization, GIS mapping, GPS telematics and route management software (e.g., RouteMatch, WasteLogics, AMCS, Curbside).
Proficiency with data analysis and reporting tools (Excel advanced functions, Power BI, Tableau, ERP systems) to create dashboards and performance reports.
Fleet management competency, including preventive maintenance programs, lifecycle cost analysis and DOT/vehicle inspection compliance.
Knowledge of landfill engineering basics, leachate collection, gas management systems and post-closure care requirements.
Experience with facility operations and equipment used in MRFs and transfer stations (aerials, compactors, conveyors, balers, screens).
Waste composition and audit methodology to quantify diversion opportunities and contamination sources.
Project management skills for capital projects, grant-funded initiatives and site upgrades (scheduling, scope, budget control).
Experience with safety management systems, OSHA compliance, incident investigation and HAZMAT emergency response protocols.
Understanding of recyclable commodity markets, pricing dynamics and municipal recycling program economics.

Soft Skills

Strong leadership and team development skills with the ability to motivate multi-disciplinary field and office staff.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills for public presentations, stakeholder engagement and regulatory reporting.
Strategic thinker with the ability to translate policy goals into measurable operational plans and KPIs.
Problem-solving mindset with demonstrated ability to lead root-cause analysis and implement corrective actions.
Customer service orientation to handle resident and commercial client issues professionally and in a timely manner.
Negotiation and conflict-resolution skills for managing contractors, union discussions and interdepartmental priorities.
Adaptability and resilience to respond effectively to emergency incidents and rapidly changing regulatory landscapes.
Attention to detail and strong organizational skills for managing permits, manifests and compliance documentation.
Influencing and stakeholder management skills to build consensus across departments, elected officials and community groups.
Data-driven decision making with a focus on continuous improvement and measurable outcomes.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Civil/Environmental Engineering, Public Administration, Business Management, or related field; OR equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering, Environmental Management, Public Works Administration or Sustainability.
Certifications such as Certified Waste Management Professional (CWMP), Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) certifications, or Lean Six Sigma are strongly preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Environmental Science / Environmental Engineering
Civil Engineering / Public Works
Business Administration / Operations Management
Sustainability / Resource Management
Occupational Health & Safety

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5–12 years of progressively responsible experience in solid waste management, recycling operations, landfill management or environmental compliance, with at least 3 years in a supervisory or managerial role.

Preferred: 7+ years leading municipal or commercial waste operations, demonstrated success in budget and contract management, experience managing multi-site operations (collection, transfer station, MRFs, landfills), and a track record of implementing diversion or sustainability programs.