Assistant Solid Waste Manager

City of Lakeland, FL; Lakeland (FL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Lakeland is seeking a senior operations leader to oversee all Solid Waste Division activities including residential and commercial collection, recycling, yard waste, and container maintenance. You will guide 45 staff across multiple programs, coordinate safety, training, budgeting, and public relations efforts, and stand in for the Solid Waste Manager when needed.

The role requires strong judgment, initiative, and the ability to drive operational improvements while aligning with city

Qualifications

• Associate degree or 60 college credit hours in Finance, Environmental Science, Engineering, Public and/or Business Administration.

Responsibilities

• Oversee solid waste core services on a day-to-day basis.
• Develop and administer divisional safety programs; conduct training and prepare training reports.
• Maintain divisional accident records and compile loss statistics.
• Conduct training for solid waste employees and supervisors on safety and operations.
• Supervise container maintenance operations for residential and commercial services.
• Manage and maintain vehicle technology used in collection operations.
• Prepare, analyze and implement programs to improve efficiency of collection, disposal and recycling.
• Approve and monitor collection services, citizen complaints, and new services.
• Review and organize budget projections; manage unit budget and processes.
• Prepare reports and correspondence; assign and develop direct reports.
• Foster team development and conduct safety meetings.
• Coordinate storm damage and disaster cleanup when directed.

Skills

Leadership

Budgeting

Safety programs

Training

Public relations

Operations management

Staff development

Education

Associate degree in Finance/Environmental Science/Engineering/Public Admin

Job description

This position provides leadership and oversight of all Solid Waste Department operations, including residential and commercial collection, recycling, yard waste, support services, and container maintenance. Reporting to the Solid Waste Manager, the role manages 3 program supervisors, container maintenance operations, and has direct oversight of the roll-off program. This role also manages 45 employees reporting to other supervisors and is responsible for ensuring safe, efficient, and effective delivery of solid waste services. The incumbent will act as the Solid Waste Manager in the absence of the Division Manager.

Key responsibilities include overseeing driver training, safety, and recognition programs; supporting annual budget development; and managing container inventory purchasing, specifications, and public relations efforts. The position requires strong independent judgment, initiative, and the ability to implement operational improvements and departmental priorities with staff.

• Assists in managing solid waste core services on a day-to-day basis.
• Assists in developing and administering divisional safety programs, including conducting training programs and collecting data to prepare training reports.
• Maintains divisional accident records and compiles statistical information relative to all losses.
• Conducts various training programs for solid waste employees and supervisors in all areas of solid waste collection operations and maintenance, and recurring training for specific work safety in areas of high risk or large losses.
• Supervises all container maintenance operations for residential and commercial services, including assigned staff, container inventory, and refurbishment.
• Manages and maintains truck-mounted and handheld technology used in all collection vehicles and route types.
• Prepares, analyzes, and implements programs to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of collection, disposal, and recycling services, including new technologies, methods/procedures, consolidation, elimination, reduction, and/or contracting out specific services.
• Approves and monitors collection services, resolution of citizen complaints, new services, and service delivery charges.
• Approves additional equipment, personnel, personnel reassignments, and overtime when needed to deliver effective service.
• Reviews, approves, and organizes budget projections and schedules; manages unit budget and work processes.
• Prepares reports and correspondence.
• Assigns, develops, and evaluates direct reports.
• Facilitates and fosters team development at all organizational levels.
• Conducts safety meetings.
• Develops and approves light-duty assignments for workers injured on the job.
• Assists in coordinating storm damage and disaster clean-up as directed by the City Disaster Debris Manager.
• Supervises other programs within the Solid Waste Division as needed.
• May be required to participate in and/or facilitate training to support departmental or City initiatives and requirements.
• Must be available for rotating shifts of standby and call-out after hours and on weekends, early and late shifts for start-up and close-down hours, and special after-hours events and functions as needed.
• Position is designated as Mission Critical.

ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS

• May represent the division with contractors, consultants, government agencies, and citizens.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Associate degree or 60 college credit hours from an accredited college or university with major coursework in Finance, Environmental Science, Engineering, Public and/or Business Administration.
• Five years of experience in residential and/or commercial solid waste collection operations.
• Two years of supervisory experience in solid waste collection operations and/or in trucking and logistics operations.
• One year of experience operating medium to heavy motor vehicles.
• Must possess and maintain a valid state of Florida Class \"B\" Commercial driver's license with appropriate endorsements.

An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that provides the necessary knowledge, skills, abilities, and other competencies necessary for success in the target position may be considered.

EDUCATION EQUIVALENCY

• High School Diploma/GED – 11 years
• 30 Credit Hours – 8 years
• Associate's degree – 5 years
• Bachelor's degree – 3 years
• Master's degree – 1 year
• Doctorate – 0 year

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must possess and maintain a valid telephone number.
• SWANA (Solid Waste Association of North America) certification required within 12 months of employment.
• Bachelor's degree is preferred.

KNOWLEDGE

• Solid waste collection and disposal best practices and technology; knowledge of modern management practices and procedures; modern developments, current literature, and sources of information relating to the solid waste industry.

SKILLS

• Research and analysis of data; verbal and written communications with staff, the public, and other government officials.

ABILITIES

• Plan, assign, direct, and coordinate the work of skilled and unskilled trades workers in a manner that promotes full performance.
• Write and speak clearly and succinctly in various communication settings.
• Develop a team environment inclusive of all staff and set clear objectives and measures to monitor processes, progress, and results.
• Present to groups.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT/PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Light to medium physical work, including walking, standing, and driving most of the time, and exerting between 20 and 50 pounds of force periodically.
• Adeptness and speed in using the fingers, hands, or limbs in tasks involving close tolerances or limits of accuracy.
• When performing field work, there is routine exposure to significant environmental hazards, including bright/dim light, dust/pollen, extreme heat/cold, wet/humid conditions, extreme noise levels, animals/wildlife, fumes and/or noxious odors, traffic, moving machinery; possible exposure to disease/pathogens and toxic/caustic chemicals.
• Normal visual acuity, field of vision, hearing, speaking, color perception, sense of smell, depth perception, and texture perception.

This job description outlines the general nature and level of work and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of duties or qualifications. Management reserves the right to modify or assign additional responsibilities as needed.

All City of Lakeland positions are subject to testing (e.g. written, oral, performance, computerized, interview and/or any combination). Candidates selected for testing will be notified via email or telephone. Please check your email and telephone messages regularly, including \"junk\" folders. Test times and locations to be announced.

The City of Lakeland is a drug free workplace. This position is considered a mandatory testing position, which is subject to pre-employment and random drug testing. All City of Lakeland positions are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing. As a condition of employment, you will be required to pass the pre-employment drug test in accordance with Florida Statute 440.102.

THE CITY OF LAKELAND IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/EQUAL ACCESS EMPLOYER AND A DRUG FREE WORKPLACE.