Operations Senior Supervisor (Waste)

Overview

We are looking to recruit an experienced and motivated Senior Operations Supervisor (Waste Collections) to join our North Waste and Street Scene Services team.

This is a key operational leadership role responsible for the management, coordination and performance of domestic and commercial waste collection services across North Buckinghamshire. The successful candidate will provide direct leadership to Waste Operations Supervisors and support the delivery of statutory and non-statutory waste collection services to more than 92,000 households and businesses.

The post holder will act as the critical management link between the Waste Operations Manager and frontline operational teams, ensuring services are delivered safely, efficiently and in compliance with legislative, regulatory and corporate requirements

About us

Recycling and Waste collections cover the whole of North Buckinghamshire with over 92,000 residents and businesses.

The Operational Management Team are responsible for delivery of waste collection services across North Buckinghamshire including domestic refuse, recycling, food, garden, clinical and bulky collections, in addition to commercial refuse and recycling collections. The role involves shared directional management of 127 frontline operatives, from day to day delivery of the waste collection service, ensuring health and safety compliance, accident investigations and performance management.

There is a close knit and supportive team environment with a positive and upbeat culture as the team help one another to problem solve within the reactive environment. No two days are ever the same, and the Operational Management Team prides themselves on their ability to adapt and react professionally to the interesting and diverse challenges that managing a large operation brings.

The North Waste team operate in all weather conditions and will require the role holder to think outside of the box and adapt to such challenges, ensuring effective communication with key stake holders is maintained and the service is delivered within service level agreements to a high standard.

There are training opportunities including gaining accredited qualifications within the waste industry and, opportunities to undertake driver training qualifications.

We are looking for a highly motivated, enthusiastic individual with the ambition and drive to deliver a key frontline, operational service to the residents and customers in North Buckinghamshire to a high standard. Health and safety is key to maintaining our successful operation and the role holder will be expected to have knowledge of legislative requirements within the industry. The role holder must have the ability to take ownership of complex and sometimes challenging issues and applying innovative solutions to resolving them whilst meeting timescales. With a flexible approach, the role holder will ensure effective operational management of the service while complying with corporate and legal requirements and seek improvements were possible.

As an Operations Senior Supervisor within the North Waste Team, you will be joining a well-respected team within the Council and waste industry. As well as making a real difference to the communities that you serve, you will be offered a competitive rate of pay, generous employer pension contributions in line with the Government Pension scheme as well as discounts on travel and local facilities in Buckinghamshire.

As the face of the Council, Recycling and Waste operatives are seen by all residents and customers everyday. Operations Supervisors provide bespoke on street training with their teams. This involves monitoring collections crews while they operate in the county and provide feedback and training and ensuring compliance with health and safety and risk assessments.

About the role

The role holder must be confident and able to work in a high risk and challenging environment as they are accountable for sensible and reactive decision making that ensures the services remain fully compliant with waste and heath and safety legislation.

The role holder will from part of a leadership team of 127 frontline collection crew and have direct line management of approximately 4 Waste Operations Supervisors. This management involves but is not limited to, being able to design and deliver bespoke and technical training, complete accident and disciplinary investigations, deliver on KPI’s and proactively manage sickness.

The role holder will be required to be flexible in their working hours with a typical day starting 9am. Hours of work are 37 hours per week.

The role includes:

• Leading domestic and commercial waste collection services across North Buckinghamshire.
• Direct management and development of Operations Supervisors and designated support staff.
• Supporting supervisors with complex operational issues, customer escalations and employee relations matters.
• Deputising for the Waste Operations Manager when required.
• Leading service recovery during operational disruptions, severe weather events, staffing shortages and vehicle breakdowns.
• Ensuring compliance with waste legislation, operator licence requirements, transport legislation and health and safety regulations.
• Leading accident, incident and near-miss investigations and implementing lessons learned.
• Monitoring and improving operational performance, productivity and customer satisfaction.
• Producing management reports, performance information and business intelligence for senior management.
• Supporting fleet replacement programmes, route optimisation projects and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Working collaboratively with trade unions, contractors, fleet services, customer services, health and safety teams and other stakeholders.
• Promoting a positive health and safety culture throughout the service.
• Supporting workforce engagement, wellbeing, training and development programmes.

This position requires strong leadership, excellent communication skills and the ability to make sound operational decisions in a challenging and highly visible frontline environment.

Fixed

As a ‘fixed’ worker, you’ll spend most of your time in the same location, which will likely be a fixed office or location where your role is performed. Typically, you’ll be based in the same location as the rest of your team, because you provide a particular service from that fixed location or need access to information there.

 

About you

We are looking for an experienced operational leader with a proven track record of managing complex frontline services and large operational teams.

You will have:

Essential

• Significant experience managing operational service delivery within waste, environmental services, logistics or a similar operational environment.
• Experience managing supervisors, team leaders and large frontline workforces.
• Excellent leadership and people management skills.
• Experience dealing with employee relations matters, performance management and workforce development.
• Strong knowledge of health and safety legislation and operational compliance requirements.
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Strong analytical skills with experience using performance data and management information.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
• Good ICT skills, including Microsoft Office and operational management systems.
• Relevant waste operations experience or equivalent significant management experience.
• Management qualification or equivalent management experience.
• Full driving licence.

Desirable

• Waste Management Certificate of Technical Competence (COTC).
• NEBOSH Certificate or equivalent Health & Safety qualification.
• Transport Manager CPC.
• First Aid qualification.
• HGV/LGV licence.
• Experience supporting procurement exercises and contract management activities.
• Experience leading service improvement and route optimisation projects.

Other information

Working Arrangements

The role is based at: Pembroke Road Depot Aylesbury Buckinghamshire HP20 1DB

You will participate in management duty arrangements and must be willing to work outside normal hours when required, including responding to operational emergencies and major incidents.

As an Any Desk worker, your work location may vary depending on operational requirements.

If you would like to have an informal chat about the role, please reach out to Roy Fulton at [email protected]

Internal closing date: 23:59 6th November 2026.

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/