Waste Diversion Coordinator

About YVSC

Yampa Valley Sustainability Council (YVSC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in Steamboat Springs, CO (Routt County) (www.yvsc.org).  Established in 2009, YVSC is guided by the mission, “to serve as a leader, resource and catalyst for building a sustainable and resilient Yampa Valley region.”  Recognizing the urgent need to address climate change, YVSC is focused on serving as a regional hub for climate mitigation and adaptation actions that put Northwest Colorado on track to a lower-carbon and more resilient future. YVSC works to reduce carbon emissions and build resilience to current and project changes through our four Priority Areas: Energy, Transportation, Resilient Land and Water and Waste/Circularity. We use a range of approaches to advance action on the ground, including: programs, partnerships, planning, policy development and advocacy, project implementation, training and educational workshops, conferences and speaker events. 

Position Description

The Waste Diversion Coordinator will be a key staff member of YVSC’s Waste & Circularity Priority Area and will work collaboratively with regional and statewide partners to support, establish and scale up systems that waste less, recycle more and increase circularity in NW Colorado. This position will support existing waste diversion efforts in the Yampa Valley and be a resource and catalyst for diverse partners in order to increase diversion. Key opportunities for this position are to help partners in NW Colorado realize the full potential of the State of Colorado’s recent slate of robust legislative and funding commitments to waste reduction, recycling and circularity, including: Producer Responsibility (EPR) program, the Circular Economy Development Center initiatives, and Colorado Circular Communities Enterprise (C3). This position will serve as staff for the Yampa Valley Recycles Depot, a year-round outlet for hard-to-recycle materials, and work collaboratively with partners to develop education and outreach materials that increase diversion. This position will report to the Executive Director.

The Opportunity 

The Waste Diversion Coordinator should be detail-oriented, be ready to support on-the-ground activities, planning and policy processes and be willing to research policy and technical information related to diversion. The candidate should have excellent interpersonal and communication skills to support a broad range of administrative and operational activities.  Responsibilities will include: 

• Manage the Yampa Valley Recycles Depot, providing strong customer service to clients and ensuring that all materials are received, weighed and tracked accurately. As lead staff for this role, the individual will lead all reporting activities,coordinate recycling pick up and manage the Depot space and staff.
• Regularly work with the Executive Director and partners to develop, manage, and plan complex projects that promote regional waste diversion.
• Represent YVSC and perform administrative and operational activities related to stakeholder group meetings and initiatives that scale up systems that waste less, recycle more and increase circularity in NW Colorado.
• Develop and expand partnerships with a diverse array of stakeholders associated with EPR laws and Colorado’s Circular Economy Development Center and related opportunities to ensure growth in the regional circular economy.
• Ensure necessary tracking and monitoring are in place for regional waste reduction and recycling initiatives.
• Manage programmatic greenhouse gas accounting and reporting and work strategically with partners to improve the quality and impact of recycling, composting and circularity reporting metrics.
• Be willing to learn and/or have a strong understanding of Colorado recycling and waste reduction policies and support regional-state efforts to develop, implement and monitor reporting.
• Maintain clear reporting of program activities for grant reports and key deliverables.
• Support the development of public/partner education and outreach materials (e.g. technical and non-technical papers and memos, donor reports, oral presentation of results to technical and non-technical parties, etc.).
• Support with the translation of best-practice diversion findings and best available science into project guidelines, tools, and/or best practice for the organization and the broader region.
• Contribute to community education and outreach initiatives that support and advance program and organizational goals.
• Coordinate and work with interns and volunteers for community-involved program events.
• Participate in and support other YVSC activities, events and community engagement opportunities to ensure the success and growth of the organization.

 

Qualifications 

 

• B.S./B.A. degree and at least two years of professional experience in a related field.
• Experience in developing and implementing strategies to reduce waste or other resource consumption and analyzing resource consumption pattern a plus.
• Experience managing complex and/or multiple projects on time and on budget.
• Experience working with coalitions, campaigns and cross-sector initiatives with producers, non-profit partners, community groups, industry and/or government agencies and municipalities.
• Understanding of current and relevant Colorado policies and laws pertaining to reducing waste, increasing recycling and circularity a plus.
• Strong communication skills and capability to develop technical and public educational materials.
• Passion for circularity of material flows, climate action, resource efficiency and creativity in finding solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and waste.
• Ability to work independently, build relationships and collaborate.

Salary and Benefits

The salary range for this FT Circular Economy Director position is $46,114 – $51,708 to start, commensurate with education and experience. Yampa Valley Sustainability Council offers a competitive benefits package, including full medical, dental, long-term disability, life insurance coverage and retirement savings contributions, as well as paid time off, paid holidays, holiday bonuses and professional development funding. YVSC offers a flexible work schedule, as this position may require attendance at evening and weekend events, but the position will be based at the YVSC office in Steamboat Springs. This is not a hybrid/remote position.