Assistant Director- Solid Waste Services Operations

City of Raleigh North Carolina•Raleigh, NC

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Solid Waste Services Department plays a vital role in protecting our city’s public health, preserving our environment, and supporting the quality of life our residents expect and deserve. We currently serve over 128,000 residents, the downtown Central Business District of Raleigh, bus stops, and multifamily recycling locations along with managing the City’s Yard Waste Center that transforms yard waste into award-winning compost and mulch. The Assistant Director of Operations is one of two positions at this executive level serving as a key member of the Solid Waste Services leadership team, which is responsible for strategic oversight, operational excellence, and continuous improvement of collection, disposal, recycling, yard waste, and fleet-related operations. This position provides leadership to multiple divisions and ensures safe, efficient, customer-focused service delivery while advancing organizational goals, sustainability initiatives, and employee development. This position reports to the Director of Solid Waste Services. The Solid Waste Services Department Operations Division is structured in such a way as to increase accountability, evenly distribute work, foster collaboration, and optimize efficiency. The Assistant Director of Operations will provide a strong focus on internal operations. The position requires making logistical decisions on behalf of the organization regarding the means for executing the goals established by the Director, subject to constraints imposed by available technology and resources. Incumbents oversee the conduct of performance evaluations, training, and hiring, discipline and termination procedures as well as directly supervise management, professional, paraprofessional and support staff. The position may be called upon to serve as Director in the absence of the Director. The Assistant Director collaborates with City leadership, elected officials, community stakeholders, and departmental teams to deliver exceptional public services that enhance the quality of life for residents and ensure customer service, response to citizen inquiries, and operational efficiency of the department. About You: By serving as the operational leader, the Assistant Director of Operations will drive the elevation of customer service, employee safety, operational functions, and consistency across the department. About Us: The Solid Waste Services Department provides residential curbside collection of garbage, recycle, yard waste and a variety of specialized services, along with the oversight of the city’s Yard Waste Center and closed landfill. The Department works proactively to reduce waste and to increase recycling in Raleigh, while demonstrating a commitment to sustainability in all areas of the operations. The Solid Waste Service Department is an essential component of the City of Raleigh's service infrastructure responsible for the collection, disposal, and management of all material waste generated and reused within our community. Over the years, our city and grown exponentially and has undergone significant development, environmental, technological, and economic changes that are necessitating a strategic realignment of our workforce to meet these new challenges. As an essential and critical service, we take great pride in our role in the preservation and protection of the community’s natural resources and sustainable growth. Join a team of dedicated public servants committed to delivering essential services that protect public health, preserve the environment, and improve the quality of life for our community. This leadership role offers the opportunity to shape the future of solid waste services through innovation, operational excellence, and employee empowerment. This position may occasionally have an earlier start time to support operations

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Environmental Science or related field; 7 to 9 years' experience in supervisory or managerial level solid waste management, or related work OR Any equivalent combination of training and/or experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities may be substituted
Supervisory principles, practices and techniques
Practices and methods of coaching and leading the work of others
Business methods, principles and practices
Principles and practices of program administration and management
Best practices, trends and emerging technologies
Principles and applications of critical thinking and analysis
Principles and practices of budgeting and fiscal management; working knowledge of fund accounting
Principles and practices of intergovernmental relations
Conflict resolution and negotiation strategies
Principles and practices of strategic planning
Principles and techniques of effective oral presentations
Project management principles
Principles and practices of group facilitation and building consensus
Contract administration principles
Applicable federal, state and local laws, codes, regulations (based on assignment)
Customer service principles
Specialized equipment relevant to area of assignment
Modern office technology
Supervising and evaluating staff performance
Training, coaching and overseeing the development of staff
Providing direction to others in order to meet standards
Providing project/program management, organization and logistics coordination
Managing standards and quality assurance
Reviewing research and implementing industry trends, solutions and best practices
Directing the analysis, evaluation and interpretation of written materials and statistical data for reports and recommendations
Authoring and editing complex reports and documents
Facilitating group discussions and building consensus using persuasive reasoning
Managing budgets and allocating resources to achieve strategic objectives
Exercising political acumen, tact and diplomacy.
Interpreting and applying applicable laws, codes, regulations and standards (based on assignment)
Providing customer service
Utilizing a communication and interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisors, the public and others to sufficiently exchange or convey information and receive work direction

Nice To Haves

Experience with refuse vehicle fleet operations and logistics.
Experience with NCDEQ permitting requirements.
Experience with OSHA and workplace safety requirements.
Experience with implementing technology enhancements to drive operational efficiencies.

Responsibilities

Provides strategic direction and management of the Operations Division within Solid Waste Services; strives to align service delivery, project and initiative outcomes, and work plans with City and departmental strategic plans, mission, and Divisions.
Coordinates and provides oversight of the implementation of the division’s programs and activities.
Provides direct staff supervision including conducting performance evaluations, payroll and timekeeping, coordinating training and hiring, and issuing discipline and termination procedures if necessary.
Collaborates with the Administrative Division in the coordination of programs to ensure service delivery, quality customer service, project and initiative outcomes, and work plans that require cross Division coordination.
Manages resource allocations to ensure service delivery, productivity and efficiency; evaluates fleet support to ensure a safe and serviceable fleet to support service delivery; ensures financial stewardship within the Divisions; monitors and reduces waste (time, resources, etc.).
Monitors and manages division performance; monitors progress of service delivery and the efficient utilization of available services; identifies areas of quality management to enhance productivity and foster accountability; oversees the administration technology to make data-driven decisions (GPS software/tracking and route management programs/Cityworks/etc.).
Oversees and participates in the analysis, development, and administration of assigned budget; monitors and approves expenditures and budget compliance; and recommends adjustments.
Oversees the execution of all professional contracts within the Divisions.
Manages projects and initiatives; works with various city partners, state, local, regional, and/or federal agencies regarding City projects and environmental compliance initiatives; identifies opportunities to exercise positive environmental stewardship.
Manages the resolution of highly visible, sensitive, and complex customer service issues; performs research and analysis of specialized and technical information.
Acts as the official departmental representative to other City departments, City Manager's Office, elected officials, and outside agencies; explains, justifies, and defends department programs, policies, and activities; and resolves sensitive, significant, and controversial issues; makes presentations to a variety of audiences; communicates with the media as needed.
Negotiates and resolves issues highly sensitive cross departmental and/or external issues in a tactful and diplomatic manner; establishes and maintains working relationships with a variety of citizens and interest groups.
Identifies and resolves performance and process gaps; initiates and participates in policy development, and continuous improvement of work culture.
Oversees and participates in the analysis, development, and administration of assigned budget, monitors and approves expenditures, and ensures budget compliance; recommends efficiencies.
Serves as division representative and advisor to management; serves in lieu of Director as needed; assists the Director and Assistant Director of Administration in providing operational direction to achieve departmental goals and objectives; develops short- and long-term goals, objectives, and strategic plans that consider their political, financial, operational, and social impact to the department and City.
Serves as the key interdepartmental liaison; Oversees the department's collaboration to ensure departmental policies and procedures are accurately communicated.
Supports the regulatory compliance and safety of the Solid Waste Services Department.