Careers in waste management can be highly rewarding. A Waste Manager is a sustainability professional who coordinates and ensures legal compliance of recycling and waste services and contracts at an organisation. The postholder is also often responsible for developing and implementing circular economy initiatives and activities to reduce waste and deliver cost savings.
The information in our job profiles aims to give a general overview of the role and a guideline to what it involves. The content is not intended to be exhaustive and roles will vary depending on the organisation and sector. The salary ranges are a guide only, as these are dependent on the size and location of the organisation.
Salary range
£35 – £55k
How does this role align to the green agenda?
A Waste Manager has a crucial role in ensuring that waste is managed in a sustainable and legislatively compliant way. By developing and implementing processes and initiatives to embed circular economy practices, the role contributes to reducing carbon emissions and contributes to environmentally responsible practices.
Over the last few years, the responsibilities of the role have evolved, focusing less on waste management of items at the end of their life (making this more of a standard practice activity), and more on working in partnership with other organisational functions to raise awareness of circular economy practices, and to influence and advise on more sustainable purchasing and procurement.
Individuals in these posts are also advocates for reuse, repair and remanufacture of organisations’ resources and can be stakeholders in service and product design, ensuring that circularity is considered.
Skills and capabilities
Technical knowledge
An environmental science background is usually needed for a career in waste management, to understand the key concepts and terminology on the circular economy, managing waste, and pollution. Waste Managers require a thorough understanding of the relevant environmental legislation, as well as infrastructure requirements (both physical, such as containers and waste storage areas, as well as contracts) for managing waste. Data handling is also a regular feature of the role. This could include monitoring, analysing, and reporting on the waste processes.
The level and specific experience required will vary depending on the size and complexity of an organisation’s operations. For example, a Waste Manager working in a sector such as manufacturing, healthcare or research would be required to have an in-depth understanding of hazardous waste management and legislation, and potentially health care waste.
Transferable skills
As well as technical skills, increasingly the role requires skills in stakeholder management, project management, and communications to ensure new initiatives and programmes to reduce waste are implemented within organisations.
| Analytical thinking | Attention to detail | Change management |
| Collaborating | Continuous learning | Critical thinking |
| Decision making | Effective communication | Influencing |
| Innovating | Management | Organising |
| Planning | Presenting | Prioritising |
| Problem reframing and resolution | Project management | Relationship development |
| Resilience | Stakeholder engagement | Systems thinking |
| Writing |
A day in the life
A Waste Manager’s daily responsibilities vary significantly depending on their organisation. However, they typically centred around managing waste operations, ensuring compliance, and driving circular economy initiatives. A typical day will include managing stakeholders to address pressing issues such as missed collections or contamination, educating staff, and identifying areas for improvement or process review, ensuring all paperwork is maintained for inspection by auditors or regulators (see example).
The Waste Manager will also regularly collaborate with colleagues across disciplines., for example, procurement teams or communications teams to design campaigns that support better waste management objectives.
Health & Safety (H&S) plays a significant role in the successful delivery of sustainable waste management solutions and Waste Managers often work closely with H&S teams. In some organisations the post holder may also be responsible for the management of the organisation’s Environmental Management System and ISO14001 accreditation.
Post holders may have responsibility for a team. In public sector settings Waste Managers may have responsibility for large scale waste collection or disposal contracts and significant number of operational staff.
Waste Managers will be required to liaise with and report to regulators. A significant portion of the role will be desk-based with time spent researching and staying up to date on the legislative and regulatory landscape relevant to an organisation’s operations.
Entry routes
Potential career progression
Careers in waste management can take several paths, depending on the further training they have undertaken, and the industry in which they have gained their experience. For example, there may be opportunities to move into a more senior environmental or sustainability role internally or externally.
Consultancy
Working independently or as part of a consultancy, advising organisations on sustainable waste and circular economy practices and policies.
Circular economy
Implementation of circular economy practices further up the supply chain, for example in design and procurement. Additional qualifications may be required depending on the role/sector.
Policy and regulatory roles
Design and delivery of government policy and legislation associated with sustainable waste management and circular economy, for example for the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Natural Resources Wales, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency or the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland.
Relevant sectors
Waste Managers are needed across all sectors.
Learn about the green agenda across different sectors
Information kindly supplied by:
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a provider of integrated healthcare services, including mental health, intellectual disability, and physical health services.
