Recycling Maintenance Supervisor

Role Overview

This position leads a team of recycling operatives through the daily sorting, baling, and preparation of multiple waste streams—including mixed waste, plastics, glass, and organic pig food—to meet both company output targets and regulatory compliance standards. The supervisor is the on-the-ground decision-maker who balances staff scheduling, equipment coordination, and quality checks to keep the plant running safely and efficiently. Success in this role directly impacts the facility’s throughput, material purity, and overall operational cost control.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct the day-to-day work of recycling staff across sorting stations, waste lines, and baling areas, assigning tasks and adjusting crew levels to match incoming material volumes.
• Enforce quality control procedures to ensure sorted materials meet customer specifications and environmental regulations, performing spot checks and corrective coaching.
• Monitor sorting and baling machinery for performance, troubleshooting minor delays and coordinating with maintenance for repairs or scheduled downtime.
• Plan forklift usage across the floor—assigning drivers, prioritising material movements, and verifying safe operation—to keep workflows uninterrupted.
• Track inventory of sorted bales, recyclable stock, and consumables (e.g., baling wire, PPE), and relay removal schedules to the logistics team for outgoing shipments.
• Record staff attendance, productivity metrics, and equipment utilisation data; compile weekly OKR reports highlighting throughput, efficiency, and any incidents.
• Conduct regular safety audits of the plant floor, ensuring all team members follow standard operating procedures and that any near-misses are documented and addressed.
• Manage petty cash requests for urgent supplies or minor site expenses, following up with approvals and reconciling receipts.
• Collaborate with engineering on new equipment design, installation, and process control improvements—bringing hands-on insight from the floor to the drawing board.
• Research market opportunities for existing and emerging recycling technology, identifying untapped material flows the company could capture and process.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Diploma or degree in Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Science, or a closely related technical field.
• Minimum of 3–5 years’ experience supervising maintenance or production teams within a manufacturing, processing, or industrial recycling environment.
• Proven ability to interpret and apply data (throughput, OEE, downtime) for continuous process improvements.
• Working knowledge of sorting equipment, balers, conveyors, and forklift operations; ability to identify mechanical issues before they cause stoppages.
• Strong leadership and communication skills to manage a diverse shift team and coordinate with logistics, engineering, and quality departments.
• Familiarity with health and safety regulations in an industrial sorting or waste processing setting.
• Analytical mindset comfortable with market research and idea generation for new material streams or machinery applications.

What We Offer / Why Join

This role sits at the centre of a critical sustainability operation, where daily decisions directly reduce landfill and feed a circular economy. You will gain exposure to a wide variety of recycling technologies and work alongside engineering teams on new installations—giving you a rare blend of hands-on supervision and project innovation. The position offers the chance to shape sorting processes from the ground up while leading a team that values safety, efficiency, and continuous improvement.