Zero Waste Director

Position Summary

The Zero Waste Director is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the SJCC+CS recycling and Zero Waste social enterprise. This role combines strategic leadership, operational management, and workforce development to ensure the program meets its goals for job training, revenue generation, and environmental impact.

Key responsibilities include developing and implementing recycling and waste diversion projects funded through government grants and customer contracts, ensuring compliance, efficiency, and high-quality service delivery. The Director will lead efforts to expand the program’s reach by identifying and developing new revenue streams and creating additional training opportunities for corps members.

The position also includes oversight of SJCC+CS disaster response deployments
, which currently fall under the Zero Waste program. While the Director manages the planning, coordination, and professionalism of these deployments, they are not required to deploy personally each time.

Overall, the Zero Waste Director is responsible for maintaining excellence in program operations, fostering innovation, and expanding SJCC+CS’s Zero Waste initiatives into new markets while upholding the organization’s mission of environmental stewardship and workforce development.

• Manages the overall operations of the recycling social enterprise to achieve the triple bottom line goals: financial, social and environmental.
• Plans and implements commercial collections program. Negotiates contracts for commercial recycling collections.
• Assures high level of professionalism and customer service.
• Coordinates all billing and contracts with Accounting & Finance Department.
• Negotiates sales of all recyclable materials.
• Determines the cost, potential funding, feasibility, and appropriateness of projects and programs.
• Assures compliance with all state and local health, safety, work and facilities requirements.
• Identifies growth areas and develops proformas for each new revenue stream
• Networks with jurisdictions, non-profits and for profits to build partnerships and grow the business.
• Public speaker/presenter
• Participates in professional conferences as needed by attending, presenting, and actively participating in dialogue.

• Manages Cal Recycle annual grant including grant proposal submissions, record keeping, reporting, and submitting budget modifications.
• Develops recycling programs that comply with Cal Recycle funding guidelines, currently focused on beverage containers, waste oil, used tires and e-waste. Identifies markets for existing and new recycling streams.
• Assists Development Department in providing information for other recycling and training grants.
• Develops and maintains relationships with state and local government agencies, recycling organizations and community agencies.
• Evaluates programs, tracks and documents results. Monitors and modifies programs to ensure they are completed within approved budgets. Prepares written evaluations on program accomplishments as required by the funding source.
• Submits all required reports accurately and on time.

• Develop program standards and implement training and certification programs that prepare Corps members for workforce integration.
• Provide coordination with SJCC career, college and case management counselors to assure Corps members have access to all services available.

• Interviews, hires, and trains employees.
• Plans, assigns, and directs work.
• Conducts yearly performance evaluations and monitors professional development.
• Manages 2 direct reports and 13+ indirect reports plus 20-30 Corps members.
• Periodically evaluates departmental structure and restructures as needed

• Develops and monitors program budgets and modifies work projects and budgets as appropriate.
• Serves as member of SJCC+CS Leadership Team.
• Provides written program updates to the Board of Directors.

• One of the following must apply:
  • High School Diploma or GED + 6 years of relevant work experience and/or training in recycling/zero waste management programs
  • Associate’s…