Site Manager

About the Role

We’re looking for an experienced Site Manager – Barkston to take full responsibility for our Barkston processing facility. This is a senior, hands-on leadership role for someone who thrives in a fast-moving operational environment and enjoys being visible on site, leading from the front. You’ll have end-to-end ownership of safety, compliance, operational performance, plant reliability and people leadership across a busy 24/6 operation. As Site Manager – Barkston, you’ll play a key role in delivering our recycling strategy, maintaining regulatory compliance and ensuring the site performs safely, efficiently and commercially. This is not an office-based role. We’re looking for an active, decisive manager who understands waste processing, plant operations and people management in a live operational environment.

What You’ll Be Doing

Health, Safety, Environment and Compliance

You’ll act as the visible safety leader on site, setting the standard and embedding a strong zero-harm culture across all shifts.

• Ensuring full compliance with health and safety legislation, environmental permits, EA requirements and internal standards
• Maintaining robust Safe Systems of Work, risk assessments, method statements and permits
• Leading accident investigations, near-miss reporting and corrective actions
• Delivering toolbox talks, safety briefings and supporting wider SHEQ initiatives
• Managing contractor and visitor safety at all times
• Ensuring the site is audit-ready and operating in line with all regulatory expectations

Operations, Plant and Asset Management

You’ll take full accountability for day-to-day site operations, ensuring materials are processed safely, efficiently and in line with permit, quality and commercial requirements.

• Managing material processing, recovery, storage, transport and offtake activity
• Maximising plant availability, throughput, quality and uptime
• Overseeing the safe and effective use of static and mobile plant
• Working closely with engineering teams to plan preventative and reactive maintenance
• Applying strong mechanical understanding to support fault finding, repairs and downtime reduction
• Driving operational discipline through daily planning, shift coordination and KPI reviews
• Supporting the effective production of SRF and RDF where applicable

People Leadership

This Site Manager – Barkston role requires a visible leader who can build a capable, engaged and accountable team across a multi-shift operation.

• Leading, managing and developing all site personnel
• Ensuring the site is correctly resourced at all times
• Supporting recruitment, induction, training and retention of operational colleagues
• Setting clear expectations and holding people accountable
• Conducting performance reviews and addressing underperformance where required
• Building a culture of teamwork, safety, ownership and continuous improvement

Financial and Commercial Performance

You’ll be expected to manage the site with strong commercial awareness, balancing safety, compliance, throughput, quality and cost.

• Managing site operational costs and labour efficiency
• Supporting budgets, forecasting and cost control activity
• Ensuring operational delivery aligns with commercial contracts and output requirements
• Identifying opportunities to improve performance, efficiency and profitability
• Using data and KPIs to understand performance and drive action

Stakeholder Engagement

You’ll work closely with teams across the business to ensure Barkston operates as part of a joined-up regional and national operation.

• Supporting delivery of regional and company-wide operational strategy
• Working collaboratively with Engineering, Compliance, SHEQ, Logistics and Commercial teams
• Maintaining effective relationships with regulators, contractors and external partners
• Representing Barkston in regional and operational review meetings
• Communicating clearly and confidently with internal and external stakeholders

What Good Looks Like

• A calm, controlled and compliant site operating safely 24/6
• High plant availability with minimal unplanned downtime
• A trained, engaged workforce that understands expectations
• Strong internal, external and EA audit outcomes
• Consistent delivery of throughput, quality and cost KPIs
• A Site Manager – Barkston who is known, respected and visible on the floor

What We’re Looking For

You’ll need proven experience managing operations in a waste, recycling, processing or heavy industrial environment.

• WAMITAB / COTC qualification, either current or demonstrably close to renewal
• IOSH training as a minimum
• Strong understanding of waste regulation and permit compliance
• Experience leading teams in high-risk operational environments
• Strong mechanical awareness, including repairs and maintenance oversight
• Experience working with mobile and static machinery
• Confident decision-making skills
• Strong planning, organisation and communication skills
• A hands-on leadership style and the ability to stay calm under pressure

Desirable Experience

• Hands-on experience producing SRF and RDF
• Experience engaging with the EA and managing permit requirements
• Familiarity with operational data systems, KPIs or CMMS
• Exposure to continuous improvement or Lean practices

Why Join Us?

This is a great opportunity for an experienced operational leader to take ownership of a key processing facility and make a real impact. As Site Manager – Barkston, you’ll have the autonomy to lead the site properly, the responsibility to shape performance, and the visibility to influence safety, compliance, people and operational results across a critical part of our business.

About Us

[Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] is a leading resource recovery business bringing together almost 3,000 people across multiple brands. At [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal], people are at the heart of everything we do. We expect excellence, ownership, and trust and integrity. [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] is committed to attracting and retaining a skilled and diverse workforce. (DE&I Policy Statement)