About the Role:

We are seeking a skilled and proactive Environmental Contracts Manager to lead the delivery and performance of our key environmental service contracts. This includes waste and recycling services, street cleansing, and the management of public conveniences across the Borough.

We are looking for an experienced contract manager, ideally with a waste or street cleansing background. This is a pivotal role responsible for ensuring high-quality, efficient, and compliant service delivery through effective contract management, and managing a team of contract and resources officers who deal with residents, Councillors and contractor staff to improve services.

Key Responsibilities include:

Work with Ashford Borough Council, Maidstone Borough Council, and Kent County Council as part of the Mid Kent Joint Waste and Street Cleansing Contract.
Manage and monitor environmental service contracts, ensuring compliance and high performance.
Oversee delivery of waste, recycling, and street cleansing services to maintain high customer satisfaction.
Lead the Council’s Waste and Recycling Strategy, delivering initiatives to improve recycling rates, reduce waste, and support community engagement.
Oversee public convenience contracts, ensuring quality and value for money.
Review services, drive improvements, and develop future contract specifications.
Manage budgets, reporting, and audit requirements across key service areas.
Produce reports and updates for senior management and Councillors.
Engage with Councillors to resolve local issues and improve services.
Represent the Council at partnership, officer, and Member meetings.
Ensure performance data is accurate, timely, and meets required standards.

This is a full time role working 34 hours per week on a permanent contract. This role offers the benefit of hybrid working, combining the flexibility to work from home with office-based working on a business needs basis. There will also be the requirement to attend sites across and outside the borough, and to attend meetings which may be outside of normal working hours.

About Swale Borough Council:

Swale Borough Council is a progressive and ambitious Local Authority, located less than an hour from Central London in an attractive and diverse part of Kent involving urban, rural, and coastal areas. We believe that staff are our most valuable asset and we’re committed to attracting and retaining the very best. In recent times we have adapted and evolved to meet the current world by introducing a highly flexible hybrid working policy, along with a 34-hour week, recognising that staff wellbeing and work life balance is high on our agenda.

Our Offer:

A range of benefits including:

34 hour full time working week with the offices closing at 1:30pm on Friday
Highly flexible hybrid working opportunities
7am to 7pm flexi time to suit personal circumstances for most roles.
Generous holiday entitlement which increases after 5 years LG service plus bank holidays with the option to buy additional leave.
Additional 3 days leave given to enable a close down of the offices between Christmas and New year.
Free parking
Range of flexible working opportunities to accommodate people’s home/work life balance including compressed hours, 9-day fortnight, part time.
Invitations to staff events to celebrate success and support wellbeing that include holistic therapies and outdoor activities
Employee Assistance Programme which provides confidential & independent information and access to counsellors
Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) with valuable life cover and financial protection for your family.
Life Assurance – three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
Season Ticket Loan - to help with the cost of your rail/ bus journey, to & from work
Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand-new car. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax.
Annual flu vaccine
Cycle to work scheme
Staff benefits discounts on leisure, eating out, holidays and shopping
Excellent learning and career opportunities for committed individuals
A professional fee payment, if required for the role

About You:

You will be educated to degree level in a relevant discipline or equivalent formal management qualification (e.g. diploma or degree) or hold equivalent experience. You will also require a full clean UK driving licence.

You will have experience of managing major contracts, ideally in the local government setting or from a contractor side, you will have knowledge of the operations of the waste and or street cleansing industry and understand environmental legislation.

Additionally, you will have excellent communication skills with the ability to develop positive working relationships and adapt communication style for different audiences.

You will be a resilient individual with people management experience. You will have the ability to review work streams and processes to ensure that tasks are undertaken in the most effective way.

The successful candidate will have a proven track record in monitoring data and driving performance. You will have strong problem-solving skills and the ability to find innovative solutions.

Selection Process:

Following the submission of your application form, it will be reviewed by the recruiting manager. Those that are successful in securing an interview can expect a job specific interview assessment, followed by an interview.

Swale Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employee and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to discuss this position, please contact Alister Andrews, Environmental Services Manager on 01795 417320.

Interview Date: w/c 13 July 2026