Head of Waste Collection Programme
Location:
Overview
We are seeking an exceptional senior leader to take on a pivotal role in shaping the future of waste collection and street scene services across Buckinghamshire. As the Head of Waste Collection Programme, you will lead a major, complex procurement programme to deliver a new, high‑profile very high value waste collection contract that will serve every household in the county.
This is a rare opportunity to oversee a key strategic procurement for the Council, transforming how waste services operate and ensuring quality, efficiency, value for money and excellent outcomes for our residents.
Salary is circa £83,695 pa (PTMG2) but could be higher depending upon experience.
About us
Neighbourhood Services sits within the Communities Directorate, delivering essential frontline services that directly impact residents’ day‑to‑day lives. Our ambition is to provide modern, efficient and customer‑focused services that support thriving communities across the county. As we prepare for a transformational procurement and mobilisation programme, this role offers the opportunity to help shape the Council’s strategic direction.
About the role
This is a key leadership position responsible for delivering Buckinghamshire’s new countywide Waste Collection and Street Scene contract. As the Head of Waste Collection Programme, you will lead this major procurement from strategy through to mobilisation, ensuring the service delivers high standards for residents, achieves value for money and meets all legislative and organisational requirements.
You will work closely with senior leaders, Members, technical specialists and a multi‑disciplinary team to shape the future of waste services across the county.
Key responsibilities:
- Leading the end‑to‑end delivery of the waste collection procurement programme.
- Developing and implementing the procurement strategy in line with Council priorities.
- Providing strategic leadership and deputising for the Neighbourhood Services Director.
- Overseeing the development of policies, systems, contracts, governance frameworks and performance standards.
- Ensuring compliance with relevant legislation, including the Environment Act and Procurement Act.
- Offering expert advice to senior leaders, Members, partners and key stakeholders.
- Managing programme risks and driving continuous improvement and innovation.
- Leading and developing a multi‑disciplinary team while ensuring strong financial controls across the £1.5m programme budget.
For further information on this role please see the attached job summary.
About you
- Proven experience leading complex waste management/collection programmes and delivering major change, projects and policy development.
- Strong people leadership, including leading diverse and multi-disciplinary teams (including front-line services), coaching others and managing performance.
- Extensive technical knowledge of waste collection/waste management, including relevant systems, policies and statutory requirements (e.g., Environment Act; Procurement Act 2023).
- Good understanding of the local government context, with the credibility to work effectively in a political environment and build strong relationships with Members, partners and stakeholders.
- Track record of managing significant budgets, delivering value for money and identifying efficiencies and income opportunities.
- Strong communication and analytical skills, able to set standards, use performance/financial data to drive improvement, and manage significant operational, financial and reputational risks.
Other information
The role will require agile / flexible working from our Council offices in Aylesbury and High Wycombe, as well as working from home. As an ‘any-desk’ worker, you’ll need to be connected to our network to access digital folders and resources, but this can either be from home or an office location when required. As a team we encourage hybrid working, and you will be required to work from the office a couple of times a week, more as required depending on business needs.
Closing date: 1st May 2026
Interview date: 6th May 2026
Interview-type: In person competency-based interview
If you would like to have an informal conversation with the recruiting manager, please contact: Martin Dickman Neighbourhood Service Director
This post is politically restricted under the terms of the Local Government Act 1989.
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 understand that candidates may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While we welcome innovation, we expect all submissions to reflect your own experience, skills, and achievements accurately. Please ensure your application is truthful and demonstrates your personal capabilities, as this will be assessed during the selection process.
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/
