Waste and Recycling Contracts Officer

Suffolk County Council are looking to recruit a Waste and Recycling Contracts Officer to join our team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. You will join us on a full-time, permanent basis. The successful candidate will earn a competitive salary of £40,777 per annum (pro rata for part time).

At Suffolk County Council, we believe that when our people grow, our communities thrive. As a Waste and Recycling Contracts Officer in the Waste Management Team, you will find opportunities to develop your skills, make a meaningful impact, and shape the future of Suffolk. Reimagine the possibilities.

• Would you like to work in an interesting, varied and rewarding role?
• Do you have recent experience of contract management?
• Are you passionate about sustainability, recycling and improving environmental outcomes in Suffolk?

Your role and responsibilities

This is a business-critical role, managing waste and recycling service contracts to ensure that services are delivered in line with contract requirements. You will develop and maintain relationships with all contractors, building a comprehensive knowledge of the contract documents that support the delivery of services.

You will be supported by a positive and proactive team that is well established and highly regarded in the waste industry.

Among other things, this role includes the following responsibilities:

• Client managing the day-to-day delivery of high value, highly specialised and highly interdependent waste and recycling services through numerous contractors and complex contracts.
• Proactively manage day to day contractor performance to ensure the services are delivered in line with the council s expectations and contractual requirements, negotiating, seeking continuous improvement and managing any risks / failures / concerns, communicating these to senior management and escalating where appropriate.
• Establish and maintain key working relationships with relevant contractor representatives to ensure good communication and facilitate resolution of service issues and ensuring good working relationships between contractors.
• Lead and manage projects, or participate in project teams as a technical expert to, for example, procure or mobilise new contracts, deliver reductions in service costs and/or implement performance and infrastructure improvements to waste and recycling services and facilities and improve the customer experience
• Support specialist service functions, such as business continuity planning/emergency response; maintaining records of service property estate; managing property, responding to development applications, Freedom of Information, Environmental Information Regulations and other queries, dealing with property leases and other legal issues associate with contract management.
• You will be expected to manage waste and recycling service contracts and contractors, working with a dedicated and established team to ensure that all elements of the services are delivered to the highest possible standards for the benefit of the Council, Suffolk residents and the wider environment.

You will need

• Recent experience of day-to-day management of service contracts, preferably in the waste and recycling services sector.
• Experience of successfully developing and maintaining strong, successful relationships with contractors, stakeholders, other agencies and organisations.
• To use initiative and take responsibility for developing and achieving actions and communicating effectively with all stakeholders.

The team

The waste management team delivers the council s statutory duties as a waste disposal authority, i.e. the transfer, treatment and disposal of municipal waste, recycling, organics and other waste materials as well as the provision of a network of recycling centres and the closed landfill estate. The team works closely with other agencies, most notably the District and Borough councils responsible for waste collection (making up the Suffolk Waste Partnership), to ensure the smooth, effective and efficient delivery of these high profile, universal services. The team is also involved in projects and communications to influence public attitudes and behaviours in relation to waste, recycling and reuse, as well as with the procurement and mobilisation of new contractors.

The team is well established and has a supportive and positive culture, from Assistant Director level right through the whole team. You will join a team that will always be willing to support people and share learning to help each other.

We will offer you

With this role you will continually develop your knowledge and skills, both in terms of recycling and waste management specific items, but also with general contract management.

We will encourage you to take training and development opportunities, both those provided by Suffolk County Council, and also those from external organisations that provide training and workshops, such as the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management.

Waste and resource management is a continually changing workplace and with the implementation of the recent Environment Act, this could be an exciting period of change and innovation both within Suffolk and Nationally.

Empowering Everyone

We re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report.

Closing date:?11.30 pm, 11 January 2026.

Interview date: 2 or 3 or 4 February 2026.

If you think you have what it takes to be successful in this Waste and Recycling Contracts Officer role, even if you don t meet all the requirements, please apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.