Site Manager in Ancaster

Location: Barkston, Lincolnshire

Operation: 24 hours per day, 6 days per week

Reporting to: Regional Manager

The Opportunity

We’re looking for an experienced Site Manager to take full responsibility for our Barkston processing facility. This is a senior, hands-on leadership role for someone who thrives in a fast-moving operational environment and enjoys being visible on site, leading from the front. You’ll have end-to-end ownership of safety, compliance, operational performance, plant reliability and people leadership across a busy 24/6 operation. As Site Manager, you’ll play a key role in delivering our recycling strategy, maintaining regulatory compliance and ensuring the site performs safely, efficiently and commercially. This is not an office-based role. We’re looking for an active, decisive manager who understands waste processing, plant operations and people management in a live operational environment.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Health, Safety, Environment and Compliance
  • You’ll act as the visible safety leader on site, setting the standard and embedding a strong zero-harm culture across all shifts.
  • You’ll be responsible for:
  • Ensuring full compliance with health and safety legislation, environmental permits, EA requirements and internal standards
  • Maintaining robust Safe Systems of Work, risk assessments, method statements and permits
  • Leading accident investigations, near-miss reporting and corrective actions
  • Delivering toolbox talks, safety briefings and supporting wider SHEQ initiatives
  • Managing contractor and visitor safety at all times
  • Ensuring the site is audit-ready and operating in line with all regulatory expectations
• Operations, Plant and Asset Management
  • You’ll take full accountability for day-to-day site operations, ensuring materials are processed safely, efficiently and in line with permit, quality and commercial requirements.
  • You’ll be responsible for:
  • Managing material processing, recovery, storage, transport and offtake activity
  • Maximising plant availability, throughput, quality and uptime
  • Overseeing the safe and effective use of static and mobile plant
  • Working closely with engineering teams to plan preventative and reactive maintenance
  • Applying strong mechanical understanding to support fault finding, repairs and downtime reduction
  • Driving operational discipline through daily planning, shift coordination and KPI reviews
  • Supporting the effective production of SRF and RDF where applicable
  • People Leadership
    • This Site Manager role requires a visible leader who can build a capable, engaged and accountable team across a multi-shift operation.
    • You’ll be responsible for:
    • Leading, managing and developing all site personnel
    • Ensuring the site is correctly resourced at all times
    • Supporting recruitment, induction, training and retention of operational colleagues
    • Setting clear expectations and holding people accountable
    • Conducting performance reviews and addressing underperformance where required
    • Building a culture of teamwork, safety, ownership and continuous improvement
    • Financial and Commercial Performance
      • You’ll be expected to manage the site with strong commercial awareness, balancing safety, compliance, throughput, quality and cost.
      • You’ll be responsible for:
      • Managing site operational costs and labour efficiency
      • Supporting budgets, forecasting and cost control activity
      • Ensuring operational delivery aligns with commercial contracts and output requirements
      • Identifying opportunities to improve performance, efficiency and profitability
      • Using data and KPIs to understand performance and drive action
      • Stakeholder Engagement
        • You’ll work closely with teams across the business to ensure Barkston operates as part of a joined-up regional and national operation.
        • You’ll be responsible for:
        • Supporting delivery of regional and company-wide operational strategy
        • Working collaboratively with Engineering, Compliance, SHEQ, Logistics and Commercial teams
        • Maintaining effective relationships with regulators, contractors and external partners
        • Representing Barkston in regional and operational review meetings
        • Communicating clearly and confidently with internal and external stakeholders

        What Good Looks Like

        Success in this role will mean:

        • A calm, controlled and compliant site operating safely 24/6
        • High plant availability with minimal unplanned downtime
        • A trained, engaged workforce that understands expectations
        • Strong internal, external and EA audit outcomes
        • Consistent delivery of throughput, quality and cost KPIs
        • A Site Manager who is known, respected and visible on the floor

        What We’re Looking For

        You’ll need proven experience managing operations in a waste, recycling, processing or heavy industrial environment. You’ll also need:

        • WAMITAB / COTC qualification, either current or demonstrably close to renewal
        • IOSH training as a minimum
        • Strong understanding of waste regulation and permit compliance
        • Experience leading teams in high-risk operational environments
        • Strong mechanical awareness, including repairs and maintenance oversight
        • Experience working with mobile and static machinery
        • Confident decision-making skills
        • Strong planning, organisation and communication skills
        • A hands-on leadership style and the ability to stay calm under pressure

        Desirable Experience

        It would be beneficial if you also have:

        • Hands-on experience producing SRF and RDF
        • Experience engaging with the EA and managing permit requirements
        • Familiarity with operational data systems, KPIs or CMMS
        • Exposure to continuous improvement or Lean practices

        Why Join Us?

        This is a great opportunity for an experienced operational leader to take ownership of a key processing facility and make a real impact. As Site Manager, you’ll have the autonomy to lead the site properly, the responsibility to shape performance, and the visibility to influence safety, compliance, people and operational results across a critical part of our business.

        We are Panda. We value waste. We’re in the business of waste management but that doesn’t just mean collecting bins. Behind every collection is a passionate team of people finding smarter, safer, and more sustainable ways to recycle and repurpose materials that would otherwise go to waste.

        Over the past 30 years, Panda has grown into a leading resource recovery business, bringing together almost 3,000 people across multiple brands, united by a shared vision and strong values. While our operations are diverse, our purpose is clear: to protect our people, support our customers, and create positive impact for the communities and environments we serve.

        At Panda, people are at the heart of everything we do. We work as one team, combining different skills, experiences, and perspectives to achieve shared goals. We care for each other’s wellbeing, encourage development, and support growth because we know we’re stronger together.

        We expect excellence in how we operate. High standards, bold thinking, and continuous improvement drive our passion for innovation. We challenge the ordinary, put safety first, and embrace new ideas while delivering practical, cost-effective solutions that move our business forward.

        We own what we do. From day-to-day tasks to major projects, we take pride in our work and responsibility for the outcome. We don’t walk past problems; we address them together. Our expertise, reliability, and care reflect who we are and the difference we make.

        And above all, we act with trust and integrity. Trust is built through open communication, honesty, and accountability. It allows us to move quickly, make confident decisions, and deliver results — knowing our people are empowered to do the right thing.

        Our journey depends on talented, committed people who want to make an impact. Take the first step and join us on the journey.

        Panda is committed to attracting and retaining a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the communities in which we operate and the people we serve.