Waste and Recycling Officer in London

Salary range: £42,060 - £44,685 p.a. (pro-rata) inc. London weighting

Contract: Permanent - Hours of work: 21.5 hours per week

Location: Civic centre and other locations from time to time

Help reduce waste and tackle climate change in Brent. Brent is a tremendously vibrant London borough where the iconic arch of Wembley Stadium dominates the skyline. Spanning both inner and outer London, it is a borough of huge contrasts in terms of its economic, environmental, ethnic and social make up. Brent’s diversity is evident to all who visit our borough and our long history of ethnic and cultural diversity has created a place that is truly unique and valued by those who live and work here. The council is pursuing a far-reaching transformation agenda that better meets the needs of our community so it is an exciting time to join us.

The Post: Brent Council declared a climate and ecological emergency in 2019 and pledged to do all in its gift to achieve carbon neutrality in the borough by 2030. In 2021, the council’s Cabinet approved Brent’s Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy (2021-2030) which set out our objectives and areas of focus for tackling climate change, including a major focus on consumption, resources and waste. We are delighted to be recruiting for this exciting role which forms part of an established team tasked with increasing recycling rates within the borough through innovative reduce, reuse and recycle initiatives. The postholder will contribute to the development, implementation and delivery of the Council’s waste education, communications and outreach programmes. This is an exciting time to work in Brent on the waste agenda. We implemented major service changes in October 2023, including twin stream recycling for paper and cardboard for residents. There is a focus on reducing contamination to increase recycling rates as well as increasing food waste collections from kerbside and communal properties. The postholder will join the Waste and Recycling Team of five Officers and a team Manager. The postholder will work closely with our waste collections contractor, Veolia, the West London Waste Disposal Authority, a range of council services and the community at large to help us achieve a major step change in the borough on the waste agenda.

The Person: We are seeking a passionate individual who is committed to environmental sustainability and has experience of designing and delivering evidence-led waste reduction projects for a resident facing service. You will have some knowledge of waste collection services and will be expected to follow key legislation, regulatory and policy frameworks and best practice from other areas to contribute to the design and development of innovative approaches to service design and delivery. You will be experienced in engaging effectively with diverse audiences motivating and inspiring change, with the ability to explore innovative and creative means of delivering improved service outcomes. You will also have excellent communication skills to be able to relate effectively to different stakeholders and audiences. You will have some experience in utilising insights and trend data to inform successful programmes to inspire and motivate local people to reduce, reuse and recycle their waste.

We know people achieve their best when they feel valued. At Brent, you’ll benefit from:

• Up to 33 days annual leave (depending on length of service) plus bank holidays
• Excellent pension with generous employer contributions (LGPS)
• Hybrid and flexible working options available for most roles
• Supportive family-friendly policies for parents, guardians, and carers
• Health and wellbeing support, including access to eye test support and a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
• Financial support such as education sessions, childcare deposit loans, and season ticket loans
• Travel perks including affordable parking nearby, a Cycle to Work scheme, and great onsite facilities
• Learning and development opportunities to help you grow your career
• Access to My Brent Rewards with exclusive discounts on shopping, travel, leisure, and entertainment.

Additional Information: If you are interested in applying for this job, please start by clicking the "Apply Now" button below. You must provide a supporting statement as part of your application that clearly shows how you meet the essential requirements on the Job description. We will accept a CV in support of your application, however, you should still provide a supporting statement. Brent Council values the diversity of its community and aims to have a workforce that reflects this and therefore encourages applications from all sections of the community. We positively encourage all applicants to self-identify their characteristics in the diversity survey section in the application. We are committed to safer recruitment and safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants should be aware that posts working with children, young people and vulnerable adults are subject to an Enhanced DBS check as well as other employment clearances. The information we collect from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas and your data protection rights can be found here. Brent has a positive approach to flexible working. As a disability confident employer, Brent welcomes applications from people with all disabilities, including “non-visible” disabilities and mental health conditions. We will interview any disabled applicant who meets the essential criteria. If you require reasonable adjustments to be made to any part of the recruitment process due to your disability, please contact us.