Job Profile for Waste Team Leader

Job Details

Job title: Team Leader

Salary/Grade: Operational Grade 15 - 17 + 10% Supplement

Service: Operations

Reports to: Assistant Waste and Street cleansing manager

Manages/Supervises: Front line staff


Job purpose

To support the Assistant Waste and Street Cleansing Managers in the effective and efficient delivery of all Daily Waste Operations Collection Services (domestic refuse, recycling, food waste, trade and the Waste Transfer Station).

Principal Accountabilities

  • To work with the Assistant Managers as directed to ensure the Council’s Waste Management Service is operated and maintained in compliance with statutory legislation and national and local policies and plans including health and safety, Operator’s Licence, Environment Agency permits, etc.
  • On a daily basis work with the Assistant Managers to appropriately plan for resourcing the necessary Waste routes scheduled for the following working day.  Take account of planned and pre-booked annual leave, unplanned sickness, and any other reasons for absence being taken by Drivers and Operatives. 
  • Work with the Assistant Managers to pre book and check leave requests made by Operatives and Drivers, prior to authorisation.
  • Effectively utilise the Waste Management Software (currently ‘Echo’ but soon to be “Bartec”) to manage the daily allocated resources supplied to the routes, and make effective decisions based on operational issues that arise day to day.  Examples include vehicle breakdowns, vehicle capacity, accident / incidents that may occur.
  • Work in Partnership with the Agency nominated to supply replacement staff and keep them up to date with our resource demand for personnel.  Work with them in respect of training new temporary workers to meet our changing demand for supply of agency staff.
  • Take first line responsibility for the management and supervision of all Operatives and Drivers including performance management, team building, and the reinforcement of BDC Values and Behaviours.
  • To be accountable for Health, Safety and Compliance across all front line services within the Waste Operations Department.
  • Support, motivate and develop Operatives and Drivers on the front line to ensure a cohesive and integrated approach to the delivery of services.
  • Maintain a strong performance culture of continuous improvement, ensuring a proactive approach to changing customer/service/legislation requirements.
  • Positively contribute to improving the service, development and reputation of Waste Operations within Braintree District Council.
  • As directed, work in partnership with other stakeholders on joint working initiatives to enhance service delivery and ensure effective use of resources. 
  • When the service demands dictate, be prepared to lead by example and take charge of delivering / driving the route with the relevant Operatives as a team.
  • With support of the Assistant Waste Managers and the Waste and Street Cleansing Manager work as directed to provide a high quality customer focused set of services, ensuring they are responsive to change.
  • Regularly review working practices and procedures to optimise the best use of resources.
  • Contribute to the financial management of the Waste Services’ budgets including monitoring and accounting for expenditure.
  • Contribute to the development and delivery of the Operations’ Business Plan.
  • As directed, work with the Assistant Managers to carry out investigations involving staff conduct.
  • Establish and maintain effective communications and foster good working relationships within the Team including industrial relations with Trade Union representatives.
  • As directed, work with the Assistant Managers to act as the customer interface on all service related requests, enquiries and complaints, ensuring they are thoroughly investigated, corrective action taken and lessons learnt within the correct timescales.
  • Coordinate and manage resources required for any works conducted outside normal working hours.
  • Maximise opportunities for efficiencies as well as income generation including Bulky waste, trade waste and tipping away.
  • As directed, work to develop Operatives and Loaders, ensuring that staff levels reflect the demands of the service and flexible / generic working arrangements.
  • Assist with establishing and maintaining appropriate monitoring systems and provide accurate information to be able to measure these.
  • Develop and support the District’s recycling infrastructure, maintaining and improving existing collections and supporting the introduction of new recycling initiatives.
  • Work with the Waste Operations Manager and the Assistant Waste Managers to ensure consistent line management.
  • Work with other Managers/Supervisors and Support Staff across Operations to ensure a seamless approach to service delivery.
  • Ensure that all staff demonstrate a customer focused, professional attitude and represent the Council in an exemplary manner.
  • Proactively respond to, resolve or escalate any operational issues in a timely and appropriate manner.
  • Work with the Assistant Managers as directed, to help investigate and record road traffic accidents and health and safety incidents.
  • Work in Partnership with the Transport Department including the Transport Manager, Fitters and Admin, to deliver the statutory waste collection services and ensure that the operational fleet is serviced, inspected and maintained in accordance with the road transport legislation and in compliance with the Council’s Operator’s Licence.
  • Support the Assistant Managers with the stock, ordering and delivery of containers and sacks utilised as part of the Waste service.

Corporate Accountabilities

  • To take responsibility for maintaining own health and attendance. 
  • To support, contribute and comply with quality and governance procedures as directed by management.
  • To apply and actively promote the principles of the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy in all areas of employment and service delivery.
  • Any other associated duties detailed by Head of Service or his representative.
  • To advise your Assistant Manager if, at any time, the above duties and responsibilities cannot be performed.
  • Any other duties as required to support the business, including maintaining business
    continuity and during civil emergencies.
  • To apply and actively promote the principles of the Council’s Safeguarding Procedure in all areas of employment and service delivery.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

(Tested at application and interview stage)

Experience & Qualifications

  • Full LGV Class 2 Driving Licence
  • Proven track record of delivering exceptional levels of customer service and maintaining a high performance culture with a focus on cost effectiveness, service efficiency and delivery.
  • Experience of corporate working
  • Having some responsibility for a small team a comparable organisation (Desirable not essential).
  • Experience of local government practices and procedures. Post-holder may be required to undertake further training, both in-house and externally based.

Skills and Knowledge

  • Comprehensive understanding of day to day waste service issues, waste management legislation and associated health and safety standards.
  • Strong people management skills, including the ability to manage, engage and motivate staff.
  • Ability to work well as part of a team.
  • Working knowledge and a basic understanding of Microsoft Office packages (desirable not essential).
  • Sound communication skills including written, presentational and verbal.
  • Effective negotiating skills.
  • Good analytical skills.
  • Ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships at all levels, both internally and externally.
  • Ability to establish a credible, high profile presence with Councillors, staff and other colleagues.
  • Ability to prioritise a heavy and fluctuating workload and meet associated deadlines.
  • A good understanding of partnership working and the ability to develop highly effective working relationships.
  • Knowledge of Equal Opportunities policies and practices.

Competencies

(Tested at the interview stage)

Communicating Effectively 

Demonstrate the effective use of the range of communication methods available: written, spoken, electronic, and use these methods in appropriate ways suitable to the context and situation

  • communicate with staff and colleagues in a manner which is clear, fluent, accurate and concise
  • ensure two way communication is in place for staff, providing opportunities for staff to receive and give feedback
  • hold regular face-to-face, group and individual meetings to update staff and to exchange information, learning and ideas, etc.

Performing efficiently and effectively 

Promote good performance, developing clear, structured and efficient ways of managing workload and delivering results. Staff should challenge themselves and others to perform well, and to adhere to the Council’s performance management systems

  • encourage staff and teams to focus on performance
  • provide opportunities for staff to contribute to planning and improvement of services
  • encourage the use of learning and development as a means of improving service and people performance

Using and managing resources efficiently and effectively 

Demonstrate the effective and efficient use of the full range of resources used in and by the Council including time, finances, staffing, equipment, information, materials, buildings, etc.

  • ensure the efficient use of staff time and skills, deploying staff effectively
  • ensure the efficient use of materials and equipment, to maximise cost effectiveness and efficiencies, while maintaining standards of health and safety and risk management

Engaging with the customer

Understand the needs and requirements of their customers, to provide excellent customer service, and to involve customers in the improvement of services

  • ensure that your staff work to customer service standards

Working well together

Actively foster good working relationships with colleagues and customers in order to collectively achieve the Council’s direction and ambition

  • co-operate and work well with team members, peers, senior managers and external partners in the pursuit of goals and objectives
  • establish and maintain constructive and open relationships across the range of people you work with, achieving positive outcomes and sharing feedback with others
  • establish a culture of team work and co-operation for your staff

Managing and developing people

Effectively manage and develop staff in order to achieve the Council’s objectives, improve performance and job satisfaction, and to develop the workforce of the future

  • take action to resolve performance issues speedily and effectively, and within policy guidelines
  • develop self-awareness of own management style and seek to develop flexibility in order to be able to work effectively with a range of work styles
  • create a culture of empowerment in which staff can excel, develop, and take ownership of their work and responsibilities

Other conditions

  • This post doesn't require a DBS check 
  • This post is not politically restricted

Job Profile Updated  August 2022

Values and Behaviours

We have corporate values and behaviours that set the standard for the organisation and all our staff. These are integrated in all we do including recruitment, induction, performance review, apprenticeships and all our learning and development programmes.

  • P - Perform well and get things done
  • R - Respect and value customers and staff
  • I - Improve and learn
  • D - Deliver that bit extra
  • E - Efficient and effective

Following a number of workshops, which were attended by more than 100 members of staff from across all levels of the organisation, we have now developed a series of behaviours to support our PRIDE values.

Moving forward these will be implemented across the Council and will be used as part of performance reviews, induction procedures, the apprenticeship programme, and all training interventions.

P, Perform well and get things done

We will: We will not:
Take responsibility for our actions and be accountable Be negative or disruptive
Be positive, show enthusiasm and energy - it's infectious Be resistant to change 
Be flexible and adaptable to get things done  Put things off or ignore colleagues and customers 
Work well together and be committed to what we do Fail to manage our own performance 

R, Respect and value customers and staff

We will: We will not:
Be open and honest Be unhelpful or say 'It's not my job'
Listen and focus on customers' needs Say one thing and do another 
Be open-minded and treat everyone fairly  Disregard the views and opinions of others 
 

Support or tolerate a blame culture

I, Improve and learn

We will: We will not: 
Create opportunities for everyone to improve Cover up our mistakes 
Take ownership for our own development  Keep getting the same things wrong 
Share lessons learnt and help colleagues  Ignore customer feedback 
Welcome questions and challenges to help us do things better   

D, Deliver that bit extra

We will: We will not:
Focus on solutions, not problems Stick to methods that don't work or are outdated 
Be open to new ideas and aim high  Make promises we can't keep 
Have a 'can do' attitude  Work in isolation and only care about our own jobs 
Be proud of what we do  

E, Efficient and effective

We will: We will not:
Make the best use of the resources available to us Waste resources 
Communicate clearly with the right people at the right time Be unhelpful or rude 
Respond promptly to customers' requests  Be closed-minded and say 'I've always done it this way' 
Seek new ways of working to do our jobs more effectively Undermine change or improvements
Be open to new ideas, challenge the status quo and create novel solutions Fail to support the Council's move towards a more commercial culture
Recognise and act upon commercial or efficiency opportunities  Delay responses unnecessarily to colleagues or residents
Strive to support new initiatives and a more commercial culture  

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