Head of Waste Services and Development in London

Tower Hamlets is one of the fastest growing and most densely populated local authorities in the UK. More people than ever choose to live, work, visit and invest in our borough, and that growth places waste, recycling and street cleansing at the very heart of everyday life. Our borough includes global centres of business such as Canary Wharf and borders the City of London, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the River Thames, making the quality of our public realm highly visible and critically important. That makes leading Waste Services one of the most high-profile and rewarding leadership roles in local government.

We are seeking a forward-thinking leader with significant experience to lead and transform frontline waste and cleansing services.

As Head of Waste Services and Development you will provide leadership and expertise in managing the Council’s household and commercial waste management and cleansing operations. You will have full responsibility for planning, managing and developing the delivery and performance of Waste Operations for the Council (incorporating Recycling, Street Cleansing and all associated functions) in terms of service design, provision, budgets, resources and health and safety in line with Council procedures and all statutory regulations related to the service. You will influence at senior level and build strong, trusting relationships with staff, trade unions, elected members, partners and residents.

Relevant degree or professional qualification in waste related management, or at least 5 years of relevant experience. Proven track record of leading large-scale operational services and managing change successfully. Detailed operational experience in managing waste related services with an excellent understanding of contemporary waste policy, legislation, practice and procedures relating to Waste Management, ideally in a local government setting.

The post is within Waste Services based at the Blackwall Transport Complex, 2 Silvocea Way, E14 0JJ.

• Local Government Pension Scheme membership.
• Generous annual leave: 29 days, rising to 33 with 5+ years’ service, plus bank holidays and 3 additional days at Christmas.
• Flexible and agile working to support work–life balance.
• Staff money-saving schemes (e.g., rent deposit loans, season ticket loans).
• Learning and development opportunities through our Learning Academy, with clear career development and leadership pathways.

We have a zero-tolerance approach to, and work to eradicate, all forms of discrimination on the basis of race, sex, disability, age, religion or belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital status, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy and maternity and look to employ a diverse workforce representative of those groups. We recognise that people can also be disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances, so we will work to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage caused by social class.