Waste Prevention and Reduction Officer

Salary and grade: £36,032 - Grade 5
Duration of role: Permanent
Hours per week: 37
Location: Hybrid/Abbey House, Abingdon

Closing Date: 28 May 2024

About the role and what we’re looking for:

South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils operate a shared waste service which is recognised as one of the country’s highest performing waste services.
Working in partnership with Biffa Municipal we provide a waste collection and street cleansing service to over 128,000 properties across both districts, and in the last 10 years the Councils’ have remained in the top 10 of the recycling league tables.

It is an exciting time for the councils, as they adopt a new Waste and Street Cleansing strategy. The strategy focuses on how the councils can best work with the public and other partners to push waste up the waste hierarchy.

We are therefore looking for someone to join the team to promote waste reduction and recycling services to the residents of both districts, and to assist in the implementation of the Council’s recycling commitments and policies.

Main duties and responsibilities:

• work with the Councils Communications Team to promote awareness of the waste hierarchy and reduce, re-use and recycling options in the district through liaison with residents, councillors, operational staff and other organisations.
• respond to/process enquiries, comments and complaints from residents, provide technical advice and answer questions on matters relating to waste reduction and recycling.
• promote, organise and support voluntary litter picks throughout the districts. Encourage waste reduction and recycling at these events by providing recycling sacks, information and leaflets.
• work with the Council’s waste collection partner to identify low participation areas and actively engage with residents through communications and door stepping to address any barriers and encourage more recycling.
• organise and attend meetings and events (including out of normal working hours) to give presentations to community groups, schools, and parish meetings promoting waste reduction, re-use, recycling and the councils waste collection service.
• engage with, and provide advice to, community groups running waste reduction initiatives (e.g., repair cafes, bring and take events)
• co-ordinate and manage projects from time to time which relate to recycling. Implement trials of waste reduction activities including evaluation, monitoring and reporting.
• organise and attend educational visits for councillors and residents to waste facilities
• organise waste talks and attend events, with some weekend and evening working.

About you

Your essential skills, knowledge and experience:

• Minimum of three years post qualification experience in local authority waste recycling service.
• Experience of working with volunteers and community groups, ideally on waste reduction or recycling initiatives.
• able to develop and prioritise own work plans.
• Good literacy skills to compile reports. Responding to complaints and provide clear advice and information to residents.
• In depth knowledge of waste reduction and waste recycling services and a desire to keep the knowledge up to date.
• good IT experience in Windows including Office and Excel, internet use and emails.
• self-motivated and pro-active.
• good interpersonal skills to be able to liaise with a range of people including residents, senior staff and councilors. Demonstrate an understanding of individual needs while adhering to council policies and procedures.
• a good team player.
• good communication skills including the ability to provide advice to stakeholders clearly and succinctly and to respond professionally and with care to customer complaints.
• good numeric/data analysis skills to collate and analyse statistical information.
• Full driving licence with use of vehicle for work.

Work related requirements:

This role has been identified as public facing in accordance with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2017; the requirement to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English.

About us

Our vision and values are important to the councils, and we expect you to support them and embed them in the way we work.

We are seen as being customer-focused, approachable and business-like. We are honest and open and are renowned for providing high-quality cost-effective services.

Our values

• We act with integrity and show respect
• We are all accountable
• We are passionate about our business
• We strive for simplicity
• We love success

The benefits we offer:

• A basic 25 days annual leave per annum, rising to 30 days after five years. You also have all the bank holidays to look forward to and time off between Christmas and New Year.
• Flexible working and annualised hours – a flexible approach to work that our employees love!
• Salary pay awards – most jobs give scope for a pay increase after six months or the following April (depending on your start date) and we also review salaries each April.
• A generous career average pension scheme which includes life insurance of three times your salary
• The opportunity to purchase a bike through Cyclescheme (cheaper than directly through a store) so that you can cycle to work!
• Various schemes to keep you healthy (reduced gym membership, free swims, free eye tests for DSE users and more)
• We give you two days per year to volunteer within the local community.
• A range of resources, support, and activities to help you maintain your wellbeing including a monthly wellbeing hour in addition to annualised hours (the ability to work flexibly as long as, over the course of the year, you complete your contracted hours) and annual leave.

You may also have experience in the following: Conservation Manager, Green Operations Coordinator, Circular Economy Specialist, Waste Reduction Strategist, Sustainable Practices Advisor, Environmental Management Officer, Eco-Efficiency Coordinator.

REF-213958