Environmental contracts manager

We are seeking a skilled and proactive Environmental Contracts Manager to lead the delivery and performance of our key environmental service contracts. This includes waste and recycling services, street cleansing, and the management of public conveniences across the Borough.

We are looking for an experienced contract manager, ideally with a waste or street cleansing background. This is a pivotal role responsible for ensuring high-quality, efficient, and compliant service delivery through effective contract management, and managing a team of contract and resources officers who deal with residents, Councillors and contractor staff to improve services.

• Work with Ashford Borough Council, Maidstone Borough Council, and Kent County Council as part of the Mid Kent Joint Waste and Street Cleansing Contract.
• Manage and monitor environmental service contracts, ensuring compliance and high performance.
• Oversee delivery of waste, recycling, and street cleansing services to maintain high customer satisfaction.
• Lead the Council's Waste and Recycling Strategy, delivering initiatives to improve recycling rates, reduce waste, and support community engagement.
• Oversee public convenience contracts, ensuring quality and value for money.Review services, drive improvements, and develop future contract specifications.
• Manage budgets, reporting, and audit requirements across key service areas.
• Produce reports and updates for senior management and Councillors.
• Engage with Councillors to resolve local issues and improve services.
• Represent the Council at partnership, officer, and Member meetings.
• Ensure performance data is accurate, timely, and meets required standards.

This is a full time role working 34 hours per week on a permanent contract. This role offers the benefit of hybrid working, combining the flexibility to work from home with office-based working on a business needs basis. There will also be the requirement to attend sites across and outside the borough, and to attend meetings which may be outside of normal working hours.

You will be educated to degree level in a relevant discipline or equivalent formal management qualification (e.g. diploma or degree) or hold equivalent experience. You will also require a full clean UK driving licence. You will have experience of managing major contracts, ideally in the local government setting or from a contractor side, you will have knowledge of the operations of the waste and or street cleansing industry and understand environmental legislation.

Additionally, you will have excellent communication skills with the ability to develop positive working relationships and adapt communication style for different audiences. You will be a resilient individual with people management experience. You will have the ability to review work streams and processes to ensure that tasks are undertaken in the most effective way. The successful candidate will have a proven track record in monitoring data and driving performance. You will have strong problem-solving skills and the ability to find innovative solutions.

Disability Confident: We are a Disability Confident employer and will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer.