Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Waste Management Program Director

🎯 Role Definition

The Waste Management Program Director is a senior operational and strategic leader responsible for designing, implementing, and continuously improving municipal and commercial waste management programs. This role combines program leadership, regulatory compliance oversight (local, state, federal and EPA/RCRA requirements), contract and budget management, stakeholder engagement, grant and capital funding administration, and performance measurement to deliver safe, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible solid waste, recycling, and hazardous waste services. The Director partners with elected officials, municipal staff, private contractors, community organizations, and regulatory agencies to advance diversion, sustainability, and service reliability goals.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Solid Waste Program Manager or Supervisor
Environmental or Sanitation Operations Manager
Recycling Program Coordinator

Advancement To:

Director of Environmental Services
Vice President, Waste & Recycling Services
Sustainability Director / Chief Sustainability Officer

Lateral Moves:

Compliance & Permitting Manager
Contract & Procurement Manager (Waste Services)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of comprehensive solid waste, recycling, organics, and hazardous waste programs that align with municipal sustainability and zero-waste goals and meet or exceed regulatory requirements.
Oversee and administer the full program budget, including operating and capital budgets, forecasting, cost-control measures, revenue projections (tipping fees, commodity sales), and quarterly financial reporting to executive leadership and governing bodies.
Manage contracts and relationships with private haulers, transfer stations, landfills, recycling processors, composting facilities, and third-party vendors; negotiate service agreements, monitor contract performance, enforce SLAs, and lead vendor dispute resolution.
Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local environmental regulations including EPA, RCRA, CERCLA (as applicable), state solid waste codes, stormwater and air permits, and reporting requirements; coordinate inspections and corrective actions.
Design and execute waste diversion and recycling strategies—curbside collection optimization, single-stream vs. source-separated programs, organics/composting services, and construction & demolition (C&D) waste reduction—aimed at measurable increases in diversion rates.
Lead hazardous waste management and household hazardous waste (HHW) programs, including collection events, consolidation and disposal logistics, staff training on hazardous materials handling, and compliance with DOT and hazardous waste manifesting rules.
Develop and implement emergency response and contingency plans for spills, fires, facility incidents, extreme weather disruptions, and service interruptions to protect public health, the environment, and continuity of services.
Prepare, submit, and manage grant proposals, state revolving funds, and other external funding opportunities; administer awarded grants, ensure compliance with grant terms, and report outcomes and metrics to funders.
Establish program KPIs and performance metrics (e.g., tons diverted, contamination rates, cost per ton, route efficiency) and implement dashboards and reporting systems to inform data-driven decisions and continuous improvement.
Oversee permitting, environmental monitoring, and compliance documentation for transfer stations, processing facilities, composting sites, and landfills; coordinate air, water, and groundwater monitoring programs as required.
Direct program staff: hiring, onboarding, training, performance management, workforce development, union contract coordination (when applicable), and development of safety and OSHA-compliant procedures.
Lead community engagement, education, and outreach campaigns to increase participation in recycling and organics programs, reduce contamination, and communicate rate or service changes to residents, businesses, and stakeholders.
Represent the organization at city council, county boards, public hearings, intergovernmental working groups, trade associations, and community forums; prepare presentations, technical memos, and rationale for policy recommendations.
Plan and manage capital projects and facility improvements, including transfer station upgrades, fleet replacement (including electrification or alternative-fuel vehicles), and construction of recycling or composting infrastructure; coordinate with procurement, engineering, and contractors.
Implement route optimization, fleet logistics, and collection schedule planning to maximize operational efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve customer service metrics.
Oversee data management systems (asset management, routing software, landfill weighing systems, and CRM) to ensure data integrity, enable analytics, and support regulatory reporting and audits.
Develop and enforce Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for day-to-day operations, safety protocols, contamination mitigation, tipping floor management, and quality control at processing facilities.
Conduct risk assessments, environmental liability analyses, and cost-benefit evaluations to inform program investments, long-term planning, and policy development.
Lead procurement and RFP processes for service contracts, equipment, and facility services; draft RFPs, evaluate proposals, lead negotiation teams, and recommend award decisions aligned with procurement policies.
Drive innovation and sustainability initiatives such as circular economy programs, waste-to-energy assessments, producer responsibility programs, and partnerships for material reuse and remanufacturing.

Secondary Functions

Maintain and advance data analytics capabilities—collecting and analyzing diversion rates, contamination trends, program costs, and route performance—to support evidence-based decisions and public reporting.
Support development of public-facing dashboards, monthly/annual reports, and performance scorecards for transparency around waste flows and sustainability targets.
Coordinate cross-departmental initiatives (public works, planning, health, parks) to align waste services with broader municipal objectives such as climate action plans and community resilience.
Design and deliver staff training programs on safety (OSHA), hazardous materials handling, customer service, and processing quality control to reduce incidents and improve operational reliability.
Facilitate pilot programs and feasibility studies (e.g., curbside composting pilots, pay-as-you-throw, deposit-return schemes) and translate pilot outcomes into scalable program designs.
Manage community grants, pilot partner agreements, and stakeholder collaborations with nonprofits, schools, and businesses to expand diversion and reuse opportunities.
Support emergency logistics and mutual aid agreements with neighboring jurisdictions during large-scale incidents or capacity constraints.
Participate in legislative and regulatory advocacy efforts by preparing technical analyses, testimony, or position papers related to extended producer responsibility (EPR), recycling market reforms, and state solid waste legislation.
Oversee asset and inventory management for fleet, containers, balers, compactors, and facility equipment to ensure uptime and lifecycle planning.
Coordinate with IT/GIS teams to apply spatial analysis for service area planning, route optimization, and siting of facilities and drop-off locations.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Regulatory compliance expertise: thorough knowledge of federal and state solid and hazardous waste regulations, EPA guidelines, RCRA, and permitting processes.
Contract and vendor management: RFP development, bid evaluation, negotiation, contract monitoring, performance metrics, and enforcement.
Financial management: budgeting, capital planning, forecasting, grant budgeting and compliance, cost-benefit analysis, and financial reporting.
Solid waste operations: collection systems, transfer station operations, landfill management, recycling and organics processing, and C&D waste handling.
Hazardous waste and HHW program management: proper handling, manifests, DOT regulations, and safe disposal pathways.
Data analytics and reporting: experience with MS Excel, SQL, business intelligence tools (Power BI/Tableau), and metric-driven program evaluation.
Route optimization and fleet logistics: familiarity with routing software, GPS telematics, and fleet lifecycle management, including electrification planning.
Environmental permitting and monitoring: preparing permit applications, coordinating monitoring programs, and managing compliance inspections.
Project and capital delivery: capital project management, procurement, vendor oversight, and construction coordination.
Grant writing and fund administration: experience identifying funding, composing competitive proposals, managing disbursements, and meeting grant deliverables.
GIS and spatial analysis: applying GIS to service planning, facility siting, and operational analytics (preferred).
Safety management: OSHA compliance, safety program development, incident investigation, and training implementation.

Soft Skills

Strategic leadership with ability to set vision, align teams, and execute multi-year waste diversion plans.
Strong stakeholder engagement and public communication skills—comfortable presenting to councils, public committees, and community groups.
Change management aptitude for implementing new service delivery models and behavior-change campaigns.
Negotiation and conflict resolution skills when working with contractors, unions, and community stakeholders.
Analytical problem-solving with a bias for data-driven, practical solutions and continuous improvement.
High emotional intelligence, team development, and coaching for cross-functional staff and supervisors.
Strong written communication for policy memos, grant narratives, regulatory submissions, and public-facing collateral.
Project prioritization and time management across competing operational and strategic demands.
Political savviness and the ability to translate technical issues into concise recommendations for elected officials.
Customer service orientation with empathy for resident and commercial service needs.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Civil/Environmental Engineering, Public Administration, Business Administration, or a related field.

Preferred Education:

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

Relevant Fields of Study:

Environmental Science or Engineering
Public Administration / Public Policy
Sustainability / Resource Management
Business Administration (with finance or operations focus)
Urban Planning / Civil Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 7–12 years of progressive experience in solid waste operations, program management, or environmental services with at least 3–5 years in a supervisory or managerial role.

Preferred: 10+ years of experience including municipal or regional solid waste program leadership, proven success managing multi-million dollar budgets, complex contracts, regulatory compliance programs, and demonstrated experience in implementing diversion and recycling initiatives.