Solid Waste Collection Operations Manager

City of Dubuque, IA; Dubuque (IA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Dubuque, IA is seeking a proactive Solid Waste Collection Operations Manager to lead daily refuse, recycling, organics, bulky-item, and special collection programs. Reporting to the Assistant Public Works Director, you will supervise staff, manage the operating budget, optimize routes, coordinate fleet needs, and ensure service levels meet city ordinances and performance metrics.

Ideal candidates bring strong leadership, problem-solving, partnership development, and a commitment to

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, public administration, or related field.
• Seven years of progressively responsible experience in solid waste or municipal operations, incl. five years of supervisory experience.
• Valid driver’s license and relevant equipment certifications.

Responsibilities

• Manage daily solid waste collection services, routes, staffing, and performance.
• Supervise, train, evaluate, coach, and develop employees.
• Administer the operating budget; monitor expenditures and cost drivers.
• Plan capital, fleet, equipment, technology, and facility needs.
• Oversee procurement, vendor evaluation, and major operational purchases.
• Coordinate with other City departments and external partners.

Skills

Administration

Financial Management

Route optimisation

Staff supervision

Customer service

Problem solving

Public speaking

Planning and prioritising

Safety and risk management

Technology use

Independence

Relationship building

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration or related field

HS Diploma + 4 years related experience

Tools

GIS

Fleet management software

Job description

GENERAL SUMMARY

Under general direction from the Assistant Public Works Director - Solid Waste Management, manages the City’s solid waste collection operations, including residential refuse, recycling, organics, bulky-item, and special collection programs. Oversees daily operations, personnel, vehicles, equipment, routing, customer service, and compliance with applicable ordinances and policies. Administers the operating budget, coordinates capital and fleet needs, evaluates operational performance, and supports long-range planning. The ideal candidate possesses the ability to follow a management philosophy that is input-oriented and values problem solving and partnership development; the ability to work effectively as a member of a team; and the desire to be part of an organization that values service, people, integrity, responsibility, innovation, and teamwork.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS

The work in this class involves responsibility for the management of a complex, highly visible public service operation with considerable latitude for the exercise of independent judgement and initiative in day-to-day administrative and operational matters. The employee is accountable for translating organisational objectives, adopted service levels, ordinances, policies, and approved programmes into collection routes, staffing and resource allocations, operating procedures, budget recommendations, capital priorities, customer service standards, and measurable service outcomes. The Solid Waste Collection Operations Manager exercises responsibility for development and administration of the assigned operating budget; collection system performance; route planning and optimisation; workforce deployment; vehicle, equipment, and container resources; procurement activities; employee performance; customer service; safety; and development and implementation of operational improvements. The employee supervises permanent staff and may supervise temporary, seasonal, contracted, or other assigned personnel. Work is performed with considerable independence within established City policies, approved budgets, ordinances, labour agreements, service standards, and general administrative direction.

JOB DUTIES

• Manage daily solid waste collection services, routes, staffing, schedules, and performance.
• Supervise, train, evaluate, coach, and develop employees; address performance matters.
• Administer the operating budget; monitor expenditures and operational cost drivers.
• Plan and recommend capital, fleet, equipment, technology, and facility needs.
• Oversee procurement, vendor evaluation, and major operational purchases.
• Maintain and improve routes, service levels, staffing models, and operational practices.
• Use operational and customer data to evaluate performance and recommend improvements.
• Implement approved changes to routes, schedules, programmes, and service delivery.
• Prepare reports, presentations, and recommendations for leadership and governing bodies.
• Administer ordinances, policies, procedures, service standards, and compliance requirements.
• Maintain Standard Operating Procedures and systems for documenting operational activity.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators.
• Oversee container inventory, distribution, repair, replacement, and lifecycle management.
• Coordinate fleet maintenance, vehicle availability, repairs, and replacement planning.
• Evaluate and recommend new equipment, automation, routing technology, and service methods.
• Support technology systems for routing, fleet, customer service, asset management, and reporting.
• Lead safety efforts; review incidents and implement corrective measures.
• Plan and coordinate service during severe weather, holidays, special events, emergencies, and disruptions.
• Manage customer-service issues, complaints, missed collections, and service inquiries.
• Coordinate communication on collection schedules, service changes, and interruptions.
• Review service requests and evaluate operational and financial impacts.
• Participate in diversion, efficiency, contamination-reduction, and sustainability initiatives.
• Coordinate with disposal-site operations on material flows and programmes.
• Collaborate with other City departments and external partners.
• Evaluate staffing levels, workforce capacity, performance, scheduling, and succession needs.
• Oversee employee training, certifications, and labour-management matters.
• Identify and mitigate operational risks.
• Manage contractor performance and collection-related contracts.
• Assist with grants, funding opportunities, and program development.
• Represent the City at meetings, conferences, and community events.
• Maintain knowledge of industry trends, technology, safety practices, and emerging methods.
• Respond to emergencies and unusual operating conditions.
• Prepare reports, analyses, correspondence, and other materials.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, budgeting, human resources modelling, leadership techniques, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• Financial Management - Knowledge of budget preparation, expenditure monitoring, cost analysis, purchasing, procurement, capital planning, and responsible stewardship of public resources. Ability to develop operating and capital needs, monitor financial performance, analyse variances, prioritise resources, and develop fiscally responsible recommendations.
• Solid Waste Collection Operations - Knowledge of refuse, recycling, organics, bulky-item, automated and semi-automated collection systems, collection equipment, routing practices, container systems, and related operational methods. Ability to analyse route, labour, vehicle, service, customer, financial, and performance information and translate data into operational recommendations.
• Route and Service Management - Knowledge of principles and practices associated with route design, route balancing, workforce deployment, service scheduling, collection productivity, and operational optimisation.
• Personnel Management and Communication - Ability to plan, assign, direct, supervise, evaluate, coach, and develop employees and appropriately address personnel and performance matters. Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with employees, executive leadership, elected and appointed officials, contractors, vendors, customers, and other stakeholders.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing effective public services, evaluating customer needs, meeting established service standards, and resolving customer concerns.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Ability to analyse information, evaluate alternatives, assess operational impacts and risk, exercise sound judgement, and implement effective solutions.
• Public Speaking and Presentation - Ability to prepare and effectively present operational, financial, technical, programmematic, and policy information to decision-making bodies, community organisations, professional groups, and the public.
• Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work - Ability to develop specific goals and plans; establish priorities; coordinate multiple operational, personnel, financial, fleet, customer-service, and capital responsibilities; and meet required deadlines.
• Critical Thinking - Ability to use logic and reasoning to identify strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to complex operational problems.
• Mechanical - Knowledge of collection vehicles, heavy equipment, machinery, tools, container systems, and their uses, operation, capabilities, limitations, and maintenance needs.
• Safety and Risk Management - Knowledge of occupational, vehicle, traffic, equipment, and operational hazards associated with solid waste collection and methods used to identify and mitigate risk.
• Technology - Ability to effectively use route-management, fleet-management, work-management, asset-management, customer-service, geographic information, and related operational technology.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what others are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking appropriate questions, and communicating effectively.
• Independence - Ability to work independently, exercise initiative, make decisions within delegated authority, and accept accountability for assigned operations and results.
• Relationship Building - Ability to develop and maintain productive relationships with employees, residents, contractors, vendors, other governmental agencies, community organisations, and the public.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Management, Environmental Science, Operations Management, Logistics, or a related field; or, in lieu of a degree, a High School Diploma or GED and four (4) years of additional relevant work experience.
• Seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in solid waste collection, public works operations, fleet or logistics operations, municipal services, business management, or a related field, including at least five (5) years of supervisory or management experience.
• Possession of a valid driver’s licence or ability to meet the City’s transportation requirements.
• Possession of, or ability to obtain, licences, certifications, or endorsements required to operate or oversee assigned equipment and operations.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience developing and administering an operating budget.
• Experience managing a municipal or comparable solid waste collection operation.
• Experience managing a large operational workforce and multiple daily service routes.
• Experience with automated or semi-automated refuse and recycling collection systems.
• Experience with route optimisation, GIS, fleet management, work-order management, or collection-management technology.
• Experience preparing and presenting reports and recommendations to executive leadership, a governing body, commission, board, or similar public body.
• Experience developing equipment specifications and managing vehicle or equipment procurement.
• Experience with public-sector purchasing, contracts, procurement, or capital planning.
• Experience administering customer-service policies, municipal ordinances, or service-level requirements.
• Experience working in a unionised environment.
• Commercial Driver’s Licence appropriate to assigned collection vehicles and equipment.
• Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) or other relevant solid waste management certification.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT

Employee shall establish their principal place of residence within fifty (50) miles of their place of employment as soon as practicable after appointment, but no later than two years from date of hire.

SUPERVISORY STATUS

Administrative

FLSA (OVERTIME) STATUS

Exempt

PHYSICAL WORKING CONDITIONS

Work is performed in an office environment and in active solid waste collection operations in a variety of indoor and outdoor conditions and weather, including wet, hot, cold, snowy, icy, dusty, noisy, and traffic-exposed environments. Work may include regular, early morning, evening, weekend, holiday, emergency, and on-call responsibilities. Work requires the ability to sit, stand, walk on uneven surfaces, climb, reach, kneel, bend, stoop, squat, grasp, and perform repetitive motions; work with both near and far vision with or without reasonable accommodation; occasionally lift, carry, push, or pull equipment and supplies weighing up to 50 pounds; work around collection vehicles, heavy equipment, traffic, machinery, environmental hazards, power and noise-producing equipment; and safely operate a motor vehicle.