Program Specialist, Commercial Recycling (Program Specialist I, Grade 18)

Program Specialist, Commercial Recycling (Program Specialist I, Grade 18)

Montgomery County Government

Department of Environmental Protection

2425 Reedie Drive, Wheaton, Maryland 20902

Salary Range: $60,513 - $95,458

The mission of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is to enhance the quality of life in our community by protecting and improving Montgomery County’s air, water, and land in a sustainable, innovative, inclusive, and industry-leading way while fostering smart growth, a thriving more sustainable economy and healthy communities. DEP is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and values diverse perspectives, lived experiences, and cultures. DEP encourages BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color), immigrants, women, LGBTQIA+, individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

The Department of Environmental Protection is seeking two dynamic Program Specialist I’s to serve as Waste Reduction and Recycling Education Specialists on the Commercial Recycling team. The Program Specialists will assist businesses, organizations, and government facilities in developing and improving their on-site waste reduction, reuse and recycling programs and initiatives and ensure compliance with Montgomery County’s recycling and solid waste regulations. 

The successful candidate will have the following experience, knowledge, and skills: 

• Knowledge of Recycling Regulations and Solid Waste laws. 

• Knowledge of the solid waste industry. 

• Knowledge of business recycling. 

• Knowledge of public education, outreach, and training techniques. 

• Ability to deal tactfully, effectively and equitably with people. 

• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing. 

• Analytical ability to evaluate recycling systems and recommend improvements.

WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING

The Program Specialists will work directly with business or commercial property owners, managers, and employees, in varied settings, to teach, train, communicate, and promote waste reduction, reuse, and recycling program requirements, as well as provide educational materials such as posters, brochures, flyers, stickers, and recycling containers, on a regular basis.

Key duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

• Developing and fostering partnerships with the business community by providing direct on-site services through daily site visits to businesses, organizations and government facilities.
• Evaluating on-site recycling, waste reduction, reuse and buying recycled programs.
• Identifying problems, challenges and opportunities to increase waste reduction and recycling.
• Collecting data and information about businesses, organizations and government facilities and their on-site functions and processes; and maintaining accurate data in a consistently timely, technically sound, and professional manner.
• Determining and recommending short and long-term solutions using critical and analytical skills, including data evaluation and analysis.
• Partnering with businesses, organizations and government facilities and assisting them to implement program improvements in their on-site waste reduction and recycling programs to achieve more.
• Routinely planning, organizing, conducting, and participating in various educational and training events.
• Planning and meeting with business owners, managers and employees, as well as governing bodies at association and organization meetings.
• Participating in County-wide community events and activities.
• Assisting in the development of educational materials and messages to increase waste reduction and recycling, including using social media.

The work involves activities that are performed in both an office setting and at businesses across the County. The employee is regularly exposed to all types of weather conditions both while driving to and while conducting site visits. The work requires light physical effort including climbing flights of stairs, long periods of walking and standing and occasionally lifting objects weighing up to fifty pounds.

Presentations, trainings, meetings, and events often occur during evenings and/or weekends. Thus, evening and weekend work is regularly required.

This position requires possession of a valid driver’s license and the ability to drive a county vehicle to conduct daily site visits to businesses, commercial properties, and government facilities, attend meetings, conduct, and participate in educational programs, and perform other work at locations outside the office.

Bilingual applicants in the Spanish/English languages, or other languages, are encouraged to apply. A successful candidate with multilingual skills may qualify for additional compensation but will be required to successfully pass an examination assessing oral communication, reading comprehension, and interpreting skills. For Advanced proficiency, the candidate must also pass an examination requiring translating text from other language to English and vice versa.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Experience: One (1) year professional experience in recycling or solid waste field.

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree.

Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.

License: Possession and maintenance at all times of a valid Class “C” (or equivalent) driver’s license from the applicant’s state of residence when required for job-related duties.

• PREFERRED CRITERIA, INTERVIEW PREFERENCES
• All applicants will be reviewed by OHR for minimum qualifications. Those applicants who meet minimum qualifications will be rated “Qualified,” placed on the Eligible List, and may be considered for interview. Employees meeting minimum qualifications who are same grade or higher will be placed on Eligible List as a “Transfer” candidate and may be considered for interview. 
•  
• Preference for interviews will be given to applicants with experience in the following:
• Experience in outreach, education, or customer service.
• Experience in interpreting and applying recycling and solid waste regulations and requirements to existing recycling programs.
• Experience gathering and evaluating baseline information and data to develop recommendations to boost recycling.
• Experience public speaking, including presenting and promoting program requirements, preparing, and delivering recycling and waste reduction training.
• Experience in written communications, including drafting reports, memos, correspondence, and newsletter articles.

If selected for consideration for this position, you may be required to provide evidence that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities indicated on your resume. You may also be required to provide a writing sample.

Montgomery County Government offers competitive salaries and excellent benefits.

To view the complete job announcement and to apply, please visit our website

at www.Work4MCG.com, click on “Search Jobs and Apply” and

enter Program Specialist, Commercial Recycling in the search field.

The job number for this recruitment is 2024-00325

Interested candidates must create an online account in order to apply.

This Recruitment Closes November 25, 2024.

If interested in other DEP job opportunities,

please filter by “Department” and click on Department of Environmental Protection.

All resume submissions must address the preferred criteria for the position,

preferably in a separate section of the resume.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Resume Preparation Tips

listed under the “Career Resources” tab on the Office of Human Resource’s Work4MCG webpage.

EOE. M/F/H.