Recycling Improvement Officer

Overview

Are you passionate about sustainability, community engagement, and driving service improvements? We are seeking a proactive and dynamic Recycling Improvement Officer to join our team on a 12-month fixed-term contract. This role is pivotal in enhancing recycling services, improving recycling rates, and delivering projects that benefit residents and the environment.

About us

Buckinghamshire Council is a relatively new organisation that combines the strengths and expertise of the previous five councils in the county to create positive change for local people, communities, and businesses. We are firmly focused on the future and have made a clear commitment to serve residents better and to provide stronger representation for Buckinghamshire, both locally and nationally. 

We are a fast paced team managing a complex outsourced waste collection and street cleansing contract in the south of Buckinghamshire as well as providing services in the North of the County through its in-house team. You will work closely with Veolia and other key stakeholders focusing on embedding changes, innovation, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

We are looking for an individual with excellent customer service skills, organisational skills and who can form excellent working relations with a wide range of internal and external partners, to enhance the reputation of the Council.

About the role

As a Recycling Improvement Officer, you will lead and support key projects including but not limited to the rollout of food waste collection service to flats with communal services and reduction of contamination in recycling bins.

You will work closely with Veolia’s Project Officer, the wider waste team, and colleagues across North Waste Services to:

• Plan, organise, and deliver service improvement projects
• Analyse data to tailor communications and interventions
• Lead public engagement and education campaigns
• Coordinate service rollouts and liaise with suppliers and management agents
• Conduct site audits and inspections to ensure services meet residents’ needs

This role requires a full driving licence and involves regular site visits.

Any-Desk – hybrid working between High Wycombe and Aylesbury and working from home.

About you

We are looking for a motivated and organised individual who:

• Has experience in project management, service improvement, or public engagement
• Is confident in analysing data and using insights to inform decisions
• Understands waste legislation and environmental policy, including the Environment Act
• Communicates effectively with diverse audiences, including residents, schools, and community groups
• Is comfortable working independently and collaboratively across teams
• Has strong IT and digital communication skills
• Holds a full UK driving licence

If you’re ready to make a tangible impact on waste and recycling services and help shape a more sustainable future, we’d love to hear from you.

Other information

Please see the attached job summary for further information on this role and person specification.

Number of positions available: 1

Interview type: In person

If you would like to have an informal conversation with the recruiting manager, please contact Naomi Batson on [email protected]

This post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent cautions and/or unspent convictions

For further information on how long it takes for cautions and convictions cautions to become spent, please refer to our guide on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (updated 2023) | Nacro

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Our values and culture

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

About the Business Unit

Our Communities directorate works across the county to deliver a number of the key customer-facing services that our residents, businesses and visitors rely on every day. 

This directorate includes a wide range of services, including:

• collecting and disposing of waste and recycling
• maintaining our roads and Rights of Way network and parking
• ensuring the delivery of school transport, and supporting sustainable travel including public bus services and School Crossing Patrollers
• managing Country Parks
• leisure facilities, museums, theatres and libraries, as well as developing our Cultural Strategy
• Licensing, Environmental Health and Trading Standards
• Cemeteries and Crematoria

The customer is central to how we develop and deliver all of these services, which help promote our rich and vibrant culture and special environment. 

We are looking for enthusiastic, ambitious and committed individuals to join our team and help us to continue to make Buckinghamshire a great place to live, work and visit. This is an exciting time for us as we bring together the services previously run by five separate councils before Buckinghamshire Council was created. Whilst making major changes to contracts affecting residents across Bucks, we continue to focus on delivering great customer service. You will join us on our journey of continuous improvement - whether that’s through developing strategies and ways of working or delivering services on the ground, every person in Communities is a valued member of the team.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.

https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/