Site Manager

Greenstar; England; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recycling company in the United Kingdom is seeking a Site Manager to oversee the operational management of the Pandas processing facility. The role entails managing safety compliance, plant performance, and budget control while leading a high-performing team. Ideal candidates have a strong background in operations within processing or recycling sectors and possess excellent communication skills. The position is pivotal in achieving sustainability goals and optimising operations while ensuring a zero-harm culture.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in operational leadership in a processing, recycling, or manufacturing facility.
• Strong track record in managing safety, compliance, and plant performance.
• Experience leading teams in high-risk environments.
• Strong understanding of waste/recycling operations and environmental regulation.
• Effective communicator with strong planning and decision-making ability.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day operations at the Pandas processing facility.
• Ensure compliance with H&S legislation and internal policies.
• Maximise plant availability and output quality.
• Recruit, induct, and develop site personnel.
• Control site operational budgets and costs.

Skills

Operational leadership

Safety management

Team leadership

Compliance understanding

Budget management

Education

Degree in Operations, Engineering, Environmental Science, or related discipline

Tools

ERP systems

Power BI

Job description

About The Role

The Site Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operational management of the Pandas processing facility. This includes ensuring safe, efficient, and compliant delivery of all plant operations — from material processing and transport, to maintenance, compliance, and people leadership. This role is also accountable for aligning site performance with the company's recycling strategy, sustainability commitments, and commercial targets.

Key Responsibilities

Health, Safety, Environmental & Compliance

• Lead a proactive safety-first culture across the site, ensuring zero-harm principles are embedded.
• Ensure full compliance with H&S legislation, EA permits, environmental regulations, and internal policies.
• Oversee health & safety of all personnel and third-party visitors.
• Deliver safety briefings, toolbox talks, and participate in the SHEQ working group.
• Ensure all Safe Systems of Work and Risk Assessments are in place, understood, and followed.
• Coach and guide the team on accident reporting, investigations, and continuous safety improvement.

Operations & Plant Management

• Oversee all material processing, recovery, transport, and final disposal activities.
• Maximise plant availability, throughput, and output quality within compliance and cost constraints.
• Lead site planning and review meetings to align daily activity with strategic KPIs.
• Ensure preventative maintenance of all fixed and mobile plant, working closely with engineering.
• Liaise with logistics to ensure timely movement of material in accordance with off-take agreements and permits.
• Drive continuous improvement, innovation, and productivity optimisation across the site.

People Leadership & Development

• Recruit, induct, and develop site personnel to build a high-performing, safety-conscious team.
• Ensure sufficient staffing levels across all shifts.
• Deliver regular training, coaching, competency assessments, and performance reviews.
• Set clear objectives and maintain a culture of accountability, engagement, and development.
• Approve payroll submissions and ensure compliance with workforce planning processes.

Financial & Commercial Responsibility

• Control site operational budgets, costs, and resource utilisation.
• Contribute to financial forecasting and reporting.
• Balance site efficiency with quality, compliance, and profitability objectives.
• Support the implementation of commercial agreements by ensuring operational capability aligns with contractual outputs.

Strategic Execution & Stakeholder Collaboration

• Support delivery of site and regional strategic plans, including sustainability and digitalisation goals.
• Work closely with other Site Managers, Engineering, Compliance, SHEQ, and Commercial teams.
• Maintain strong relationships with regulators, partners, and key external stakeholders.
• Represent the site at regional processing and planning meetings.

Key Accountabilities

• Operational compliance with legislation, permits, and company policies
• Leadership of a safe, engaged, and capable on-site team
• Delivery of site KPIs including throughput, quality, and cost efficiency
• Maintenance of a compliant and well-maintained plant
• Contribution to strategic and continuous improvement initiatives

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Zero-harm and compliance with HS&E standards
• Site production and output targets
• Labour cost efficiency and utilisation
• Audit outcomes (internal, external, EA)
• Operational uptime and asset reliability
• Team development, retention, and engagement metrics

Person Specification

Essential Qualifications & Experience

• Proven experience in operational leadership in a processing, recycling, or manufacturing facility
• Strong track record in managing safety, compliance, and plant performance
• Experience leading teams in high-risk environments
• Strong understanding of waste/recycling operations and environmental regulation
• Financial and budget management experience
• Effective communicator with strong planning and decision-making ability

Desirable

• Experience in site permit management and working with the Environment Agency
• WAMITAB Certificate of Technical Competence (COTC) – with up-to-date continued competency
• Knowledge of ERP or operational data systems (e.g. Power BI, CMMS)
• Exposure to continuous improvement or Lean methodologies
• Degree in Operations, Engineering, Environmental Science, or related discipline

Personal Qualities

• Confident, pragmatic leader with strong coaching and mentoring ability
• Resilient under pressure and solutions-focused
• Collaborative mindset and excellent interpersonal skills
• Highly organised, commercially aware, and detail-oriented
• Passionate about sustainability, safety, and operational excellence

Competency Areas

Competency Area Expectation

• HS&E Leadership — Visible safety leader, drives culture of zero harm
• Operational Excellence — Results-driven with strong cost control and process efficiency
• People Development — Empowers teams and builds site capability
• Stakeholder Management — Trusted collaborator across internal and external stakeholders
• Continuous Improvement — Champions innovation, leads change initiatives