HWRC Site Lead

Cheshire West and Chester (any location as may reasonably be required). Office bases at Winsford & Ellesmere Port

Reports to

Contract/department

HWRC’s Department

The Site Lead provides on site operational leadership at a Household Waste Recycling Centre, ensuring the site operates safely, compliantly, efficiently and to the required standard at all times.

The role is the lead presence on site during working hours and holds operational accountability for site safety, workforce competence, staff leadership, customer experience, waste quality, income related activity and compliance with environmental and permit requirements.

The Site Lead acts as the primary point of control for day-to-day site operations, exercising judgement and taking decisive action in live situations. While staff allocation and resourcing are coordinated centrally through the Hub Controller, the Site Lead acts as the final gateway to ensure that only trained, competent, correctly equipped and fit to work staff are deployed on site.

Reporting to the Assistant Manager HWRC, the Site Lead is responsible for resolving operational, staffing, safety and customer issues on site wherever possible, escalating where issues cannot be resolved safely, compliantly or within agreed authority.

Lead the safe opening, operation and closing of the Household Waste Recycling Centre during working hours. Maintain control of site activity, vehicle and pedestrian flow, staff positioning and overall site readiness. Monitor container fill levels and site capacity throughout the day, liaising with the Hub Controller to ensure sufficient capacity is maintained and operational disruption is avoided.

Take responsibility for assessing workforce readiness on site, ensuring that only fully trained, competent and authorised staff are deployed. Act as the final gateway to prevent any individual being deployed into duties they are not fit, competent or authorised to perform. Manage sickness, absence and welfare issues on the day, taking immediate action to maintain safe staffing levels and escalating issues where required.

Provide direct day to day leadership to site staff, setting clear expectations for conduct, safety, attendance and performance. Allocate and rotate duties, manage timekeeping and address performance or conduct issues proportionately in line with procedures, escalating formal matters where necessary.

Deliver site specific inductions, toolbox talks and on the job instruction / training to ensure staff understand procedures, charging policies, safe working practices and expected standards. Reinforce required behaviours, explain the purpose and benefit of controls and identify training or development needs for escalation where appropriate.

Ensure health, safety, environmental and permit requirements are applied consistently on site. Complete daily safety checks, monitor compliance with PPE and safe systems of work, and intervene immediately where standards are not met. Promote a strong safety culture through visible leadership and active engagement.

Maintain oversight of material streams, recycling quality, reuse recovery and chargeable activity across the site. Ensure agreed policies, including rubble and other chargeable materials, are applied consistently and correctly. Oversee site shop operations where applicable, ensuring income handling, stock control and customer interactions are managed in line with procedures.

Act as the on site lead for incidents, emergencies and service disruption, including fires, spills, serious accidents, aggressive behaviour or site closures. Take immediate action to make situations safe, control risk, follow emergency procedures and resolve issues where possible, escalating where matters cannot be managed on site.