Site Manager: Lead Safe, High-Impact Recycling Plant

About the Role

At Panda, we value waste. That means finding smarter, safer and more sustainable ways to recover value from materials, reduce environmental impact and keep essential operations running efficiently. We are looking for an experienced Site Manager to lead the day-to-day operation of one of Panda’s processing facilities. This is a hands-on leadership role where safety, compliance, plant performance and people management all come together.

As Site Manager, you will take ownership of site performance, making sure operations run safely, efficiently and in line with environmental, regulatory and commercial requirements. You will lead from the front, support your team, drive continuous improvement and help deliver Panda’s wider recycling and sustainability goals.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead a strong safety-first culture across the site, ensuring safe systems of work, risk assessments and compliance standards are followed.
• Oversee day-to-day plant operations, including material processing, recovery, transport and final disposal activity.
• Ensure the site operates in line with health & safety legislation, environmental permits, EA requirements and internal policies.
• Maximise plant availability, throughput, output quality and operational efficiency.
• Work closely with engineering teams to support preventative maintenance across fixed and mobile plant.
• Manage site planning, resource levels, labour utilisation and daily operational priorities.
• Lead, coach and develop site teams, creating a culture of accountability, engagement and high performance.
• Deliver toolbox talks, safety briefings, investigations and improvement actions where required.
• Monitor operational performance against KPIs including safety, quality, uptime, cost and productivity.
• Support financial control through effective budget management, forecasting and resource planning.
• Work collaboratively with SHEQ, Compliance, Engineering, Logistics, Commercial and regional teams.
• Build strong relationships with regulators, partners and external stakeholders.
• Champion continuous improvement, innovation and better ways of working across the site.

About You

We are looking for a confident and practical operational leader who is comfortable managing a busy processing, recycling, manufacturing or similar high-risk site environment. You will need to bring strong people leadership, sound judgement and the ability to balance safety, compliance, performance and commercial priorities.

You will ideally have:

• Proven experience in operational leadership within a processing, recycling, manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Strong experience managing health, safety, compliance and plant performance.
• Experience leading teams in high-risk or fast-paced operational settings.
• A good understanding of waste, recycling, environmental compliance or regulated site operations.
• Strong planning, decision-making and communication skills.
• Experience managing budgets, labour costs, operational performance and site resources.
• The ability to coach, motivate and develop teams.
• A practical, hands-on leadership style with a focus on visible site leadership.
• A continuous improvement mindset and the ability to identify better, safer and more efficient ways of working.

Desirable Experience

It would be beneficial if you also have:

• Experience working with environmental permits or the Environment Agency.
• WAMITAB Certificate of Technical Competence, with up-to-date continued competency.
• Knowledge of systems such as Power BI, CMMS or other operational data platforms.
• Experience with Lean, continuous improvement or operational excellence methods.
• A qualification in operations, engineering, environmental science or a related discipline.

What Makes This Role Important

This Site Manager role is central to how Panda delivers safe, compliant and efficient recycling operations. You will have real ownership of the site, the people, the plant and the performance outcomes. You will play a key role in helping Panda improve recycling performance, maintain high operational standards and support our wider sustainability commitments. This is a great opportunity for an experienced Site Manager who enjoys leading from the front, solving operational challenges and making a visible impact every day.

About Us

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.