Location
Central London, with the ability to travel across the Borough and work from various locations.

Hours
Hybrid working with a flexible approach to accommodate service needs. Occasional work outside traditional hours, including weekends and evenings, may be required.

Salary
Not specified

About the Role
Lead and provide strategic direction to Wirral Council’s Waste & Environmental Services, acting as the lead advisor on waste and streetscene management. As the senior officer managing the Council’s Recycling, Waste Management, and Street Cleansing Contract, you will develop strategies and operational systems to optimise waste prevention, recycling, and reuse performance, ensuring full compliance with legislation and targets. You will lead the Council’s Behaviour Change programme to support new recycling and refuse collection arrangements and oversee borough-wide campaigns promoting positive environmental behaviour in schools, businesses, and communities.

Support the Director of Neighbourhood Services and Departmental Management Team in achieving Council priorities while managing legal, statutory, and political obligations and associated risks.

Key responsibilities include leading the Waste & Environment Team, managing contract delivery, driving culture change to modernise services, and working collaboratively within the Climate Emergency & Environment Portfolio’s Senior Management Team. You will provide strong leadership to enhance engagement, innovation, collaboration, and performance, while empowering your team through clear expectations and continuous improvement.

Additional duties involve representing the Council on regional waste partnerships, managing customer feedback, leading contract and partnership arrangements, conducting waste modelling with regional partners, and contributing to ICT developments for customer service systems. You will also manage finances, risks, business continuity plans, and identify funding opportunities to enhance service cost-effectiveness.

As the lead officer, you will present performance updates to Committees, work closely with political representatives, and deputise for the Assistant Director – Climate Emergency & Environment when required.

Experience
- Extensive experience designing and implementing waste and environmental service changes aligned with wider environmental strategies.
- Proven contract management experience and partnership working with external service providers.
- Experience working in a political environment, supporting senior politicians and policy development.
- Successful project planning and performance management in environmental services or similar sectors.
- Resilience in managing conflicting priorities and strong challenges.
- Track record of developing and evolving key performance indicators for continuous improvement and best value.
- Desirable: Experience in direct communications, social media engagement, and service application development.

About You
- Ability to lead, inspire, and motivate teams within a culture of proactive service delivery and continuous improvement.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, capable of effective verbal and written communication at all levels.
- Creative and imaginative approach to behaviour change and environmental promotion.
- Strong analytical skills to collate and interpret complex data supporting new projects and impact measurement.
- Customer-focused with experience streamlining operational processes to improve service delivery.
- Commitment to live the Council’s values and leadership behaviours.
- Flexible and adaptable to hybrid working and occasional out-of-hours demands.

Qualifications
- Educated to degree level or equivalent.
- Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) Level 3 management or equivalent qualification.
- Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) ‘Managing Safety’ qualification or equivalent.
- Proven commitment to continuous professional development in waste and environmental management.
- Desirable: Membership of relevant professional bodies such as Chartered Institute of Waste Management (CIWM) or Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM).
- Desirable: Coaching skills for team and individual development.
- Desirable: Knowledge of recycling processes and opportunities for collected materials.
- Detailed knowledge of Health and Safety legislation, risk assessments, and safe working systems.