Waste Reduction Policy Advisor

Are you Richmond R.E.A.D.Y ? R espect. E quity. A ccountability. D iversity… YOU !!!

About

This is an EXCITING time to Join the City of Richmond! We are committed to nurturing talent, fostering growth opportunities, and building strong connections within our workforce. As we continue to make strides to becoming the employer of choice, we are thrilled about the below employee benefit enhancements:

• Virginia Retirement System (VRS)
• Language Incentive
• Referral Bonus
• T uition Assistance Program
  
  

Description

The actual hiring range for this role is $101,000 - $105,000.

The City of Richmond's Office of Sustainability serves as the central hub for equitable climate action and resilience. Our vision is that all Richmonders—regardless of identity or neighborhood—thrive in a climate-neutral community.

We Work At a Systems Level To Address The Root Causes Of Climate Change And Inequity By Advancing Policy, Programs, And Partnerships That Center Equity, Resilience, And Environmental Justice. Our Office Is Currently Leading The Implementation Of RVAgreen 2050, Richmond's Equity-centered Climate Action And Resilience Initiative, Which Aims To

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions 45% by 2030
• Achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050
  
  

This full-time permanent position offers an impactful professional opportunity for experienced individuals in the fields of waste reduction, circular economy, materials management, sustainability, public policy, and community engagement. The Waste Reduction Policy Advisor will lead the development, coordination, and implementation of Richmond's waste reduction strategy, working to reduce landfill dependency, advance circular economy practices, ensure the inclusion of sound financial strategies, and accelerate progress toward Richmond's 2050 net-zero greenhouse gas goals. This position will serve as a primary coordinator for waste reduction initiatives across City operations, including Public Works, Procurement and other internal stakeholders, as well as community-facing programs.

The selected candidate will report to the Deputy Director of the Office of Sustainability and work closely with City departments, governmental organizations, community-based organizations, haulers, materials processors, businesses, schools, and residents to design and implement programs that reduce waste generation, increase diversion rates, and build a culture of sustainable materials management across City government and the broader community. This position will also serve as a member of the Public Utilities Services Commission and the Clean City Commission as a city representative.

This position is funded through the City’s Disposable Plastic Bag Tax revenues and reflects the City's ongoing commitment to institutionalizing waste reduction as a core function of municipal operations, alongside the City's 10-year strategic waste management framework.

The Office of Sustainability operates under a hybrid work model, with interactions occurring both in person and via digital tools such as Microsoft Teams, email, and project management platforms. This position operates in an office environment with regular site visits, facility walkthroughs, and community engagement activities throughout the City of Richmond

Duties include but are not limited to

• Review City operations across departments and facilities to identify waste generation patterns, gaps in diversion infrastructure, and opportunities for waste reduction.
• Identify, propose, and implement operational efficiencies that reduce waste, materials costs, and disposal costs across City government.
• Develop educational materials and curriculum content for waste reduction programming, including materials for schools, businesses, and community groups.
• Review solid waste and recycling rate analyses, cost-of-service data, and hauler contract terms to inform policy recommendations and support the transition toward more sustainable, cost-effective practices.
• Lead adoption of more sustainable organizational practices across City departments, including procurement standards, internal recycling and composting programs, and reduction of single-use materials.
• Develop policies, procedures, and performance metrics related to waste diversion, disposal reduction, and circular economy initiatives and report on those publicly where appropriate.
• Monitor, create, implement and support enforcement mechanisms of waste-related ordinances, including the Disposable Plastic Bag Tax and the polystyrene (EPS) food service container ban.
• Research best practices from peer local governments regarding municipal waste reduction, extended producer responsibility, and circular economy policy.
• Establish and facilitate cross-departmental coordination among the Office of Sustainability, Department of Public Works, Procurement Services, Parks and Recreation, and other relevant agencies.
• Analyze and maintain waste generation, diversion rates, tonnage data, and program performance metrics to track progress toward citywide waste reduction goals.
• Collect, analyze, and present data designed to ensure operational and cost efficiencies related to solid waste management.
• Develop and prepare reports, policy memos, presentations, and communication materials to disseminate program and policy information, including briefings for City leadership and City Council standing committees.
• Develop annual program targets and implementation benchmarks for waste diversion and reduction.
• Support website content development related to waste reduction programs and public-facing resources.
• Manage public education, communications, and outreach related to waste reduction, recycling, and composting (may include engagement events, workshops, and business outreach).
• Coordinate development of community partnerships with organizations supporting reuse, repair, and materials recovery.
• Identify opportunities to integrate waste reduction and circular economy principles into existing City initiatives, including capital projects and special events.
• Support alignment between waste reduction goals, procurement practices, and broader RVAgreen 2050 climate strategies.
• Develop strategies to leverage and braid funding sources, including waste tax revenue, grants, and state/federal circular economy programs.
• Identify and manage external funding opportunities and report on grant-related deliverables.
• Perform other duties as assigned
  
  

Qualifications, Special Certifications And Licenses

• Bachelor's Degree in sustainability, environmental science, public administration, urban planning, engineering, materials management, or field directly related to assignment
• Six years of progressively related experience that includes significant management and supervisory experience
• Minimum of three years of professional experience in waste reduction, recycling, circular economy, sustainability, or public sector program administration
• Experience managing multi-stakeholder projects and partnerships
• Knowledge of solid waste systems, recycling and commodities markets, composting operations, or extended producer responsibility policy
• Familiarity with municipal rate-setting, hauler contracts, and solid waste cost-of-service analysis
• Experience working with historically underserved communities and applying equity-centered program design
• An equivalent combination of training and experience (as approved by the department) may be used to meet the minimum qualifications of the classification
  
  

Licensing, Certifications, And/Or Other Special Requirements

• Certified Recycling Professional, SWANA certification, or LEED preferred
  
  

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

Knowledge (some combination of the following):

• Waste reduction and sustainability concepts, including diversion strategies, circular economy principles, composting, recycling systems, and materials management
• An understanding of concepts related to municipal procurement, solid waste rate structures, hauler contracting, and community services
• Ability to manage complex interdepartmental initiatives and competing priorities
• Advanced project management, facilitation, presentation, and organizational skills
• Ability to analyze technical, financial, and policy information and communicate findings clearly
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to build collaborative relationships across government agencies and community stakeholders
• Commitment to equity, environmental justice, and community-centered program delivery
• Local, state, and federal waste and materials management policy and programs
• Standard office equipment and software
• Basic principles of communications and community engagement
• Administrative practices, record keeping, and document design
  
  

Skills (some Combination Of The Following)

• Technical writing, editing, and content creation
• Data entry and information tracking (Microsoft Excel)
• Research and analysis
• Customer service and community relations
• Maintaining confidentiality and professionalism
  
  

Abilities (some Combination Of The Following)

• Communicate clearly and effectively
• Manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines
• Exercise sound judgment and problem-solving skills
• Work both independently and as part of a team
• Adapt to evolving tasks and responsibilities
  
  

Americans With Disabilities Act Requirements

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS: Working conditions may include exposure to travel to other locations within the City of Richmond as well as outside of the City of Richmond; exposure to hazardous physical conditions such as mechanical parts, electrical currents, vibrations, etc.; atmospheric conditions such as fumes, odors, dusts, gases, and poor ventilation; inadequate lighting; intense noise; and environmental hazards such as disruptive people, imminent danger, and a threatening environment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT: Due to the nature of work assignments, incumbents must be able to perform detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks, with frequent interruptions and under time constraint. The essential duties of this classification may require the ability to regularly talk; frequently finger, hear, see, and perform repetitive motions; and occasionally climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, reach, stand, walk, push, pull, lift, feel, and grasp. The working conditions may include environmental hazards. In terms of the physical strength to perform the essential duties, this classification is considered to be sedentary, exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to move objects.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The City of Richmond provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

The City of Richmond is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, the City of Richmond will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodations. If you require reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to participate in the job application and/or the interview process, please contact Veronica Kenner, by email at [email protected].

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

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