Compost Coordinator

George Mason University; Fairfax (VA); Hybrid; USD 63,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Holiday leave

Tuition assistance

Transit benefit

Retirement plan

Job summary

George Mason University is seeking a ready-to-contribute Compost Coordinator for the Facilities & Campus Operations team at the Fairfax campus. The role oversees the university's compost program, coordinates with departments and partners, and helps expand waste diversion initiatives while maintaining safety standards.

The position requires a Bachelor's degree, experience in composting or waste management, staff supervision, and the ability to lift 50 pounds and operate university vehicles.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent is required.
• Experience managing composting, recycling, or related programs.
• Experience leading staff or volunteers to achieve program goals.
• Technical knowledge of composting, waste management, and related regulations.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and operate university vehicles.

Responsibilities

• Oversees compost program operations, including food waste collection and transport.
• Coordinates with departments, vendors, and partners to improve efficiencies.
• Works with Recycling/Waste and Dining staff on contamination monitoring and audits.
• Manages daily composting processes and reporting of Work Requests and services.
• Implements guidelines and trains team members; supervises staff and volunteers.
• Maintains compliance with standards and safety procedures.

Skills

Compost program operations

Waste management

Staff supervision

Data collection and reporting

Safety training

Vehicle operation

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Compost Coordinator

Job ID: 10004514

Location: Fairfax, VA

Classification: Program Admin Specialist 1

Job Category: Classified Staff

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible

Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for visa sponsorship

Pay Band: 04

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience (not more than $ 70,000 annually)

Restricted: Yes

Criminal Background Check: Yes

Motor Vehicle Records Check: Yes

Important Eligibility Requirement

Employees in this position are required to operate university vehicles in accordance with George Mason University Vehicle Use Policy 1411. Applicants must possess and maintain an active, valid driver's license that satisfies university requirements. Final candidates are subject to a Motor Vehicle Report (MVR) review, and successful completion of the review is a condition of employment.

Minor or major driving violations may affect eligibility for employment. Applicants with prior driving infractions need to review the Eligibility & MVR Review Information (English / Spanish) before applying.

About the Department

George Mason University Facilities and Campus Operations ensures a quality physical environment supporting the mission of the university. We will be the technical and business experts of choice with the total trust and confidence of our students, faculty, and staff.

About the Position

Fantastic new opportunity at George Mason University. If you're ready to start a new career, then we are ready to hire you! You'll be a State employee of Virginia, work at our beautiful Fairfax campus with 677 acres of wooded land, and become part of the George Mason University patriot team.

We've got the work. We now need an additional team member to help in our busy environment. We want someone reliable who takes pride in their work and will make a noticeable contribution to the educational facilities at George Mason. Your manager can trust that you will get the job done.

George Mason's Facilities & Campus Operations department is committed to providing a safe, functional, and clean community experience at the university. So, what's in it for you?

Great benefits for you

• Lots of leave, including paid annual leave, paid holidays, paid sick leave, paid two-week winter break (please note - the break employees often receive during the holiday season is not regularly guaranteed and is subject to annual approval);
• Free tuition, up to 12 credit hours during the academic year, and professional development. Yes, you can earn a college education while earning a salary;
• Commuter Choice Transit Benefit;
• Virginia Retirement System Hybrid Plan; and
• Patriot Perks discounts to restaurants, events, and more!

For you and your family

• Health/dental/vision benefits; and
• Tuition dependent benefit (restrictions apply).

Responsibilities

Compost Program Operations Management

• Oversees institutional compost program operations, including food waste collection, transport, and logistics for the disposal of food and compostable waste at the university's partnering industrial composting facility;
• Coordinates with university departments, vendors, and composting partners to improve operational efficiencies for food waste diversion;
• Collaborates with F&CO Recycling and Waste and Dining Services staff by carrying out contamination monitoring, training, audits, and inventories to support effective composting implementation at on-campus buildings and sites;
• Coordinates daily composting processes by monitoring and reporting the status of Work Requests, food waste collection services, procedures, and equipment;
• Implements guidelines and initiatives with Recycling and Waste team members and oversees supportive wage staff and volunteers;
• Maintains compliance with internal and external standards, regulations, and guidelines for compost collections and facility acceptance;
• Ensures, implements, and follows all safety and training principles and precautions applicable to operations; and
• As needed, but up to a maximum of 30% of essential responsibilities may include operating a university vehicle to support food waste collection, transport, and disposal.

Compost Strategy Development

• Oversees development of compost improvement and expansion strategy, including a critical 1-year period of audits, inventories, stakeholder and community engagement, and operational assessments to inform implementation;
• Drafts and annually updates process documentation, such as Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), plans, training documents, etc., to support effective and safe compost operations at the institution;
• Drafts a phased Composting Improvement and Expansion Plan based on initial and ongoing assessment of George Mason's opportunities for compost expansion and tracking of operational threats and limitations;
• Develops strategy to mitigate issues based on best practice and expertise; pilots solutions and performs audits and site checks to evaluate efficacy of pilot solutions in George Mason's specific context;
• Co-leads and coordinates recurring meetings and collaborative planning actions for advancing the Composting Program's goals through George Mason's Food Rescue and Composting Working Group;
• Monitors and reports inbound/outbound food waste tonnage and compost equipment inventories to supervisor and in response to stakeholder requests;
• Contributes recommendations for optimizing and improving access to campus compost bins/stations, messaging, and waste processing equipment for both back-of-house and front-of-house operations to inform university leadership, stakeholders, and vendors decision making; and
• Contributes to compost-related subaward/grant related document updates/proposals, and drafts Composting Program assessment and reporting content with minimal oversight.

Compostable Product Standards Compliance and Quality Control

• Verifies and reports compliance with compostable product standards; ensures compostable product standards are followed by conducting on-site checks and reviewing digital purchasing inventories in collaboration with on-campus vendors and partners, such as Mason Dining staff, institutional purchasers, Approved Caterers, etc.;
• Collaborates with the University Sustainability office and Auxiliary and Business Services' Director of Dining Services to support Mason Dining staff, on-campus vendors, and other on-campus partners' compliance with George Mason's compostable product standards for third-party certified compostable foodservice ware;
• Identifies non-compliant compostable product purchasing issues and works with on-campus partners, such as managers and vendors, to implement solutions;
• Coordinates waste audits and inventories to improve composting infrastructure, waste contamination reduction efforts, and promote food waste diversion practices within various staff units;
• Assists with staff training and education about compostable product standards and purchasing third-party certified products, including training Mason Dining staff, on-campus vendors, and other partners; and
• Assists with staff training and education about appropriate waste sorting practices to reduce food and compostable materials' trash disposal and compost contamination rates, including training Mason Dining staff, on-campus vendors, and other partners.

Food Rescue and Composting Working Group

• Develops and fosters partnerships and collaborations to improve compost diversion, access, and compost contamination rates as a member of the Food Rescue and Composting Working Group;
• Contributes feedback and recommendations to recurring Working Group meetings, following up with members about tasks and planning actions;
• Oversees two student-wage Food Rescue Specialist staff positions, including their scope of work and hours/wage considerations; and
• When needed, assists with administrative tasks, including serving as an additional staff contact for the Food Rescue and Composting Working Group, monitoring and updating planning documents, and maintaining Working Group records.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field or the equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Demonstrated success managing composting program operations, recycling operations, or related field;
• Experience translating technical data related to composting, waste management, or recycling to promote program adoption or investment;
• Experience managing staff and volunteers to accomplish programmatic goals;
• Experience with planning, implementing, and evaluating composting or food waste-related projects, including budget maintenance and data collection, analysis, and reporting tasks;
• Technical knowledge of the materials, equipment, best practices, and procedures for food waste collection, transport, and composting facility disposal, as well as familiarity with federal, state, and local regulations for composting sites;
• Knowledge of sustainable purchasing concepts and practices, including third-party certification standards for compostable product purchasing and supplier Life Cycle Assessment methodology;
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of budget development and management, safety management, and staff training;
• Skill in engaging, educating, or training large groups about composting best practices and procedures;
• Skill in the logistical management of food waste collection, transport, disposal, and other operational processes;
• Skill in accurately tracking waste diversion, financial, and engagement-related data for program evaluation and reporting;
• Ability to plan, coordinate, schedule, execute, and review food waste collection routes, transport, and disposal logistics;
• Ability to train, mentor, and supervise staff and volunteers for food waste collection routes and events;
• Ability to lead or co-lead composting-related waste audits to assess food waste contamination and compostable product purchasing compliance;
• Ability to develop policy and procedural recommendations for composting program improvement based on food waste diversion, financial, and mission-related analyses;
• Ability to repeatedly lift and carry items weighing up to 50 pounds;
• Ability to operate a university vehicle for food waste collection, transport, and disposal;
• Ability to lift and carry supplies weighing up to 50 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation;
• Ability to work early mornings and occasional weekends and evenings;
• Ability to maneuver large (65-gallon to 96-gallon) wheeled carts/bins weighing up to 350 pounds;
• Valid driver's license needed to drive GMU state vehicles; and
• Must currently possess an appropriate, active, valid motor vehicle operator's license that meets all of GMU's requirements for operating state vehicles and equipment under Mason's Vehicle Use Policy 1411 https://universitypolicy.gmu.edu/policies/vehicle-use/. The Office of Risk Management reserves the right to review the driver's licenses and Motor Vehicle Reports (MVRs) of all candidates selected, with employment contingent upon a favorable review.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience organizing and collaborating with communities to affect change, especially university staff, faculty, students, and foodservice vendors;
• Some experience operating trucks ranging from 12-24 ft., haul trailers, and equipment;
• Three or more years of experience in the compost industry, waste industry, higher education facilities management, or related field;
• Knowledge of zero-waste and waste systems-related concepts and practices, especially as they relate to local food systems and food waste reduction, rescue, and diversion;
• Skill in engaging and collaborating with university stakeholders and local communities to advance food waste reduction, food rescue, and composting within an institution; and
• Skill in operating trucks ranging from 12-24 ft., haul trailers, and equipment.