Recycling Coordinator

Liberty University • Lynchburg, VA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Recycling Coordinator is responsible for supporting recycling and waste reduction on campus to improve campus sustainability with the goal of becoming a national leader and a zero-waste campus across all on and off-campus facilities. This role involves developing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating Liberty University’s recycling and waste management program. Independent work, good judgment, and discretion are essential. As essential personnel, the coordinator must be available during school closings, delays, shutdowns, and emergencies, including cleanup for severe weather incidents and performing snow removal activities. Facilities Management Division employees are crucial to Liberty University's daily functions, especially during major campus events like Winter Fest, Orientation, Convocation, Commencement, CFAW, and summer camps. Availability for scheduled and unscheduled hours during emergencies is required. The position involves wearing appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and potentially safety harnesses for aerial lifts. The role requires developing a comprehensive plan for zero waste and campus recycling leadership, performing waste audits to assess contamination rates and program effectiveness, tracking recycling and waste amounts to calculate campus recycling rates, and coordinating recycling collection schedules for optimal service and efficiency. Oversight of recycling pick-up/drop-off programs to ensure compliance with community ordinances, maintaining logs of recycling materials, and creating or managing recycling operations budgets are key responsibilities. The coordinator will implement and monitor grant-funded projects, prepare grant applications, and manage shipping records. Identifying new recycling opportunities, investigating ordinance violations, and collaborating with vendors to reduce specific materials in the campus waste stream are also part of the role. Improving waste management systems, working with event planners for zero-waste events, establishing additional recycling locations, and inspecting facilities for compliance are expected. The position also includes establishing a food waste composting program, assisting University divisions with recycling needs, training staff on waste management efforts, and educating the public on recycling. Training recycling technicians and community service workers, identifying policy needs for zero waste goals, and coordinating annual participation in Recycling Mania are crucial. Developing strategic relationships with local reuse and recycling entities and creating campus-wide events to educate and motivate the community are also required. The role demands the ability to read blueprints and schematics, knowledge of waste system management tools and techniques, and experience operating recycling/waste equipment. Understanding recycling and waste management processing methods, materials, chemicals, equipment, and safety practices is necessary. The ability to perform independent research, analyze and present data, and work on special projects is also required. Availability after hours for scheduled and unscheduled events is necessary. The position relies on experience and judgment for planning and accomplishing goals, and all other duties as assigned. Staying informed about emerging technologies and industry benchmarks is important, as is working effectively as a team member and fostering LU’s mission.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED.
• Minimum of 1+ years of experience required working with a recycling program or other comparable program experience.
• One year of experience as a building maintenance worker.
• State Driver’s license and insurable with company’s agent.
• Must have knowledge of DEQ waste disposal requirements.
• Must have basic knowledge of computer operation for use on our energy management system and our preventative maintenance and work order system (CMMS: Schooldude).
• Must be able to understand and follow directions, and work under limited Supervision.
• Must be able to work well with the public and co-workers and present a positive attitude.
• Proven, excellent leadership skill, initiative, and competency is required.
• Exceptional self-management.
• Desire to work with a team to accomplish goals.
• Urgency to grow and improve.
• Proficient knowledge and excellent computer skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, Access).
• Clean and professional appearance.
• Must be courteous, detailed oriented.
• Self-motivated, diligent, trustworthy, possess strong organizational skills and well-developed communication skills.
• Must be able to lift up to 50+ pounds and perform duties of the recycling and waste management craft in typical Virginia Climate.
• Ability to read blueprints and schematics and blueprints.
• Knowledge of tools, equipment, techniques, skills, materials, and methods of waste system management.
• Experience and knowledge in operating recycling/ waste equipment.
• Must possess knowledge of the recycling and waste management processing methods, materials, chemicals and equipment used to complete assigned work and of the safety and sanitation practices and measures required.
• Ability to perform independent research, analyze and present data.
• Must be available after hours during scheduled and unscheduled events.
• Relies on experience and judgement to plan and accomplish goals.
• Ability to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing to convey clear, well articulated information.
• Ability to understand, speak, and write English in order to convey messages and correspond in an articulate and professional manner.
• Ability to educate and communicate the importance of recycling and other environmental concerns to staff, faculty and students.
• Possess public communication skills that allow professional representation of Liberty University to a variety of business and community customers and associates.
• Intuitively able to reason, analyze information and events, and apply judgment in order to solve problems of both a routine and complex nature.
• Proof of a valid Virginia driver’s license, an acceptable DMV record, and liability insurance is required.

Nice To Haves

• Ability to perform snow removal activities as assigned.
• Must be available to work scheduled and unscheduled hours as emergency needs arise.
• Responsible for wearing the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment () while performing the job duties and responsibilities of an Recycling Coordinator and while operating related equipment including but not limited to; protective eye wear, ear protection, hard hat, gloves, steel-toed shoe , respirators/ masks, reflective safety vests, and sunscreen.
• Responsible for wearing a harness with a lanyard and other if operating aerial lifts to perform & complete assigned jobs.
• Work on special projects as assigned.
• Occasionally required to travel to local and campus locations.
• Frequently required to sit for extended periods to perform deskwork or type on a keyboard.
• Regularly required to hear and speak in order to effectively communicate orally.
• Occasionally required to stand, walk, and climb stairs to move about the building.
• Handle materials, reach overhead, kneel or stoop in order to conduct business.
• Regularly lift 50+ pounds.

Responsibilities

• Develops a comprehensive plan to achieve zero waste and make Liberty University a national leader in campus recycling and sustainability.
• Performs regular waste edits to determine contamination rates and measure effectiveness of campus waste management and recycling habits.
• Tracks University recycling and waste amounts to calculate campus-recycling rates.
• Coordinates recycling collection schedules to optimize service and efficiency.
• Oversees recycling pick-up drop-off programs to ensure compliance with community ordinances.
• Maintains logs of recycling materials received or shipped to processing companies.
• Creates or manages recycling operations budgets.
• Implements grant-funded projects, monitoring and reporting progress in accordance with sponsoring agency requirements.
• Prepares grant applications to fund recycling programs or program enhancements.
• Prepares bills of lading, statements of shipping records, or customer receipts related to recycling or hazardous material services.
• Identifies or investigates new opportunities for materials to be collected/ recycled.
• Investigates violations of solid waste or recycling ordinances.
• Works with vendors to reduce certain types of materials in the campus water stream.
• Identifies opportunities for improving waste management systems and strategies campus wide.
• Collaborates with event planners to make all events more sustainable with the goal to be zero waste events.
• Establishes additional recycling locations on campus properties to improve existing collection points.
• Inspects physical conditions of recycling or hazardous waste facility for compliance with safety, quality, and service standards.
• Establishes food waste composting program on campus.
• Works with all University divisions and departments to meet their recycling needs.
• Conducts training of housekeeping and waste management staff on any ongoing, new University wide trash and recycling efforts.
• Makes presentations to educate the public on how to recycle or on the environmental advantages of recycling.
• Provides training to recycling technicians or community service workers on topics such as safety, solid waste processing, or general recycling operations.
• Identifies policies that need to be developed or modified to support zero waste goal.
• Coordinates annual participation in Recycling Mania and other national programs; including but not limited to, tracking data on weekly basis, conducting themed events, and promoting campus awareness at sporting events.
• Creates a plan to work with the community and local organizations to re-purpose usable, unwanted items from campus.
• Develops strategic relationships with local reuse and recycling entities that serve the region.
• Creates campus wide events/ programs to educate and motivate the campus community.
• Performs snow removal activities as assigned, such as shoveling and salting.
• Remains abreast of existing and emerging technologies, processes, products, services and leading industry performance benchmarks.
• Works effectively as a team member, embracing and fostering LU’s mission.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Certifications obtained while employed by Liberty University at the expense of the employer will be reimbursed back to the University Upon voluntary termination (resignation) for the first 12 months after acquiring it.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED