Area Manager - Environmental Services

CompanyLeeds City Council

LocationLeeds, England, United Kingdom

Posted At3/18/2026

UK Visa Sponsorship Analytics

Occupation Type

Waste disposal and environmental services managers

Occupation Code Skill LevelHigher Skilled

Sponsorship Salary Threshold

£48,300 (£24.77 per hour)

Occupation rate applies

Above analytics are generated algorithmically based on job titles and may not always be the same as the company's job classification. You can also check detailed occupation eligibility, and salary criteria on our UK Visa Eligible Occupations & Salary Thresholds page.

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Description

Job title: Area Manager - Environmental Services

Salary: PO3 £42,839 - £46,142

Hours: 37

Contract: Permanent

REQ005723 - Area Manage

As an Area Manager in Environmental Services you’ll thrive on working in a fast paced environment, dealing with different challenges and priorities in a service that affects every single resident in Leeds every day.

It’s not just about emptying the bins, or keeping the streets litter free. It’s about working with people, being proud of what we do and looking after each other and the environment

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions .

Key Requirements

As an Area Manager you will bring to the role:

Proven management skills and an ability to inspire, lead and support a team of staff to be customer focused
An ability to develop solutions that address inequalities in how our services are delivered and accessed, and in how we support our colleagues/workforce
Exceptional communication & engagement skills with an ability to build positive and trusting relationships, and to produce accurate, detailed reports using various IT systems
A real commitment to your responsibilities in relation to managing health, safety and wellbeing strategies and policies
A flexible approach, and to provide City Wide cover including at weekends and on bank holidays on a rota basis

More About The Role

The attention and interest on how we collect, recycle and dispose of the city’s waste has never been greater. This is an opportunity to bring your transferrable experience and skills to the management of environmental services in Leeds; the second largest council in the UK.

Environmental Services cover a wide range of functions and altogether has over 830 staff – spanning operational, back-office, supervisory and managerial roles. As our next Area Manager you’ll be deployed in the Refuse service which is responsible for emptying the black, green and brown bins across the whole City 6 days a week. As a service we typically empty over half a million wheely bins EVERY WEEK in Leeds from the 360,000 households we serve. You will typically manage a number of team leaders who in terms manage a number of crews each, and be responsible for ensuring bins are collected efficiently, effectively and safely and that customers are responded to promptly and that their issues are resolved.

You will be part of a cohort of Area Managers covering the whole of Environmental Services, supporting the Team Leaders and operational staff to deliver services across the whole of Leeds.

What We Offer You

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How To Apply

Apply for this job online and ensure you tell us how you meet each of the key requirements of the post.

If you are selected to go to the next stage you’ll be invited to a short 10-15 minutes online meeting so we can find about a bit more about you, and you can ask any questions you have about the role. This meeting will form part of the recruitment and selection process.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact Hayley Thackwray; hayley.thackwray@leeds.gov.uk

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job Purpose: To manage and lead a functional or area operational team within Environmental Services delivering a range of specified functions or services. In doing so, undertaking a full range of managerial responsibilities, as required, on a day to day basis, to effectively run the team and achieve efficient and safe service delivery, whilst supporting residents and stakeholders. To work as part of a team of Area Managers

Responsibilities

Responsibilities will vary depending on the operational service area and you may be required to move between service areas depending on the needs of the service and to develop relevant skills and knowledge.

The Main Service Areas Are

Cleaner Neighbourhoods Team
City Centre Cleansing Team
Household Waste and Recycling Centres
Refuse Service
Manage operational resources within the functional area to achieve service delivery by the most efficient means. The management of the resources to include cyclic and day to day planning and monitoring to ensure cover for absences through holiday, training and sickness.
Provide, as required, a liaison role with Fleet Services to ensure all vehicle and machinery needs are being planned for and met to deliver the service;
Communicate to members of staff information and areas of concern which arise in the course of normal duties.
Investigate and resolve service requests, both proactive and reactive, using all available statutory and non- statutory measures, which may include the use of; Notices (including fixed penalty notices); prosecutions; warnings; informal advice; education; and restorative and imaginative solutions to resolve problems.
Ensure accurate interpretation of legislation, procedural and policy guidance and relevant technical information to maintain consistency of decision making and guidance.
Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g. safeguarding, health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person

Lead on the accountability of the relevant service area through local Community Committees and Elected Members;

Attend Community Committee meetings and other locality meetings on a regular basis representing the Service as directed and on a geographical or topical basis

Support and assist Elected Members and Members of Parliament with regard to enquiries on relevant policy matters or matters in their area of responsibility;

Work closely with team members and other staff involved in services delivered, actively promoting high quality communication between the service, service users and Elected Members.

Produce accurate, detailed and complex reports for Senior Managers attending Committees and Boards of Elected Members, as appropriate, to present reports.

Monitor performance, including qualitative and quantitative measures.

Design and implement appropriate corrective actions to maintain the highest quality of service.

Make recommendations on budget management and financial planning, monitoring activities against budgets in accordance with approved procedures as appropriate whilst adhering to Council Financial Regulations and Standing Orders

Assist the Service Manager to implement change and improvement in services, products and systems in line with the Council’s objectives and strategic outcomes.

Assist the Service Manager, implement co-ordinated team objectives, policies and practices, including training, and accurately reporting on the effectiveness of existing policies and practices.

Accurately record and keep updated, information using digital and paper-based systems ensuring effective distribution of information to service users in a manner which is appropriate to their needs, including detailed and complex reports

Contribute to the overall ethos, work, and aims of the service and Leeds City Council by attending relevant meetings, training days/events as requested.

Work in partnership and liaise effectively with partner organisations and relevant statutory agencies.

Take a lead for the relevant service area responding positively to challenges arising from the corporate focus on priority neighbourhoods and environmental issues.

Provide Service Manager Cover as required;

Develop and motivate the team and individuals to enhance performance utilising the Appraisal and Development Scheme and other appropriate methods, taking a lead in the development of students, trainees and staff as required.

Plan and evaluate all work carried out by oneself to ensure the objectives of the Service Plans are met.

Facilitate effective communication processes generally within the team and between the team and all other members of the Service, ensuring a positive industrial relations environment.

Promote equality of opportunity and continual personal development in recruitment, development and training.

Participate in appraisal, training and development activities as necessary to ensure up to date knowledge and skills.

Improve own practice through observation, evaluation, discussion with colleagues and CPD programmes. Work collaboratively with colleagues, knowing when to seek help and advice.

Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding and promoting the standards and equal opportunities of Leeds City Council.

Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment or victimisation and any form of abuse of equal opportunities, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures and making sure the individual/s involved understand it is unacceptable.

(Specific to the Cleaner Neighbourhoods Team and City Centre Cleansing service areas)

Act as disclosure officer for prosecution cases (as required)

Undertake enforcement activities through the implementation of powers and duties as authorised under delegated powers and duties.

(Specific to the Refuse service area)

Ensure that the Performance Related Pay (PRP) processes in relation to Waste Management are accurately followed and to undertake verification of appropriate payments.

Qualifications

A degree or diploma in Environmental Health and a valid certificate of registration awarded by the CIEH Registration Board or Waste Advisory Management Industry Training Board (WAMITAB) Certificate of Technical Competence (Level 4) or Degree/diploma in a specialist related topic or recognised management qualification. OR Able to demonstrate competence and experience of work related to and at the level of the duties of the post.

Personal Specification

Method of Assessment will be through one or more of the following: Application Form, Test, Interview, and Certificate.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS: It is essential that the Candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate on the application form that they meet all the essential requirements.

Skills Required

Ability to assess situations and make sensible and sound decisions.
Ability to oversee and guide enforcement activities so they are proportionate, in the public interest and using the most appropriate legislation correctly.
Ability to interpret/apply strategies into service delivery, develop services and contribute to the formation of policies.
Ability to prioritise competing priorities and workloads in order to achieve targets and objectives. Ability to work as part of a team and with others, to accept challenge, advice and support.

Ability to use your own initiative to find solutions

Ability to inspire, lead and support a team of staff to be customer focused

Ability to develop solutions that address inequalities in how our services are delivered and accessed Ability to coach, support and develop people to perform at a high level and are happy in their job Ability to identify, challenge and deal with poor behaviour/conduct

Ability to interpret and apply legislation, guidance and policies.

Ability to manage and implement health and safety management systems. Ability to produce accurate, detailed and complex reports.

Ability to communicate and engage effectively with the public, Elected Members and MPs Ability to build positive relationships and trust with key stakeholders

Knowledge Required

Understanding of wider strategies that the service is required to help deliver Understanding of the need for legal frameworks within which services operate;
Understanding of responsibilities in relation to managing health and safety and implementing effective health and safety policies and systems.
Understanding the requirement to contribute towards corporate strategic outcomes. Of Disciplinary, Grievance and Sickness procedures.
Of the provisions of Financial Regulations and Standing Orders

Experience Required

Of working in a management role
Of communication with a wide range of individuals & groups. Of using different IT applications to a good proficiency
Of managing change, developing services and contributing to the formation of policies.

Behavioural & other Characteristics required

To display a responsible and co-operative attitude to working towards the achievement of the service’s aims and objectives.

Committed to continuous improvement.

To carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Leeds City Council’s Health & Safety Policies.

Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities to ensure up to date knowledge, skills and continuous professional development.

Ability to be flexible and provide citywide duty cover at weekends and bank holidays on a rota basis.

Ability to travel throughout the Leeds City Council boundaries to be flexible to move location within the service working in different areas depending on need.