Zero Waste Coordinator

Zero Waste Coordinator (Program Coordinator) Facilities and Services at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is accepting applications for Zero Waste Coordinator. The overall goal of this position is to reduce waste sent to landfills from the Urbana-Champaign campus through efforts to establish, coordinate and promote campus recycling programs and operations. Primary Position Function/Summary: Reduce waste sent to landfills from Urbana campus, via direct management of F&S Waste Management & Recycling (WMR) operations. Duties and Responsibilities: 1. Directs F&S Waste Management & Recycling (WMR) program, including goal identification and implementation of waste reduction programs for the Urbana campus, and help achieve goals described in the Illinois Climate Action Plan and State Waste Reduction Plan. This includes project planning, policy development and implementation. 2. Lead the campus' zero waste program. Create, identify, and execute objectives that address reducing landfilled waste. This includes program development, project management, policy development, and metric tracking. 3. Serve as the primary point of contact, industry expertise and technical knowledge at F&S for inquiries related to recycling, composting, and waste reduction to ensure responsiveness to common problems and concerns. 4. Develop rates for services, oversees the finances of WMR including financial management and the unit's budget allocation. 5. Manage administrative operation of the Waste Transfer Station. 6. Serves as primary advisor to the Director of Transportation & Building Services regarding overall major program development, management, and operations of WMR. 7. Seek funding for zero waste initiatives including materials, equipment, programming, and services, through preparation of business cases, grant writing, and other means. Prepare reports, such as those reflecting status of recycling programs on a volumetric basis and from a financial standpoint. Acts as primary liaison between external agencies and responsible units to ensure compliance with university/agency, federal, state, and sponsor regulations governing grants and contracts. 8. Provides information to the community to increase awareness of campus recycling efforts and programs. Chair the Zero Waste iCAP Team. This includes participating in campus-wide sustainability events with iCAP Teams and F&S Sustainability. Present updates on Zero Waste efforts at seminars, classes, and other forums, as needed. 9. Provides supervision and management of work assigned to contracted and support staff. 10. Engage student groups, faculty, staff, and volunteers to participate in recycling events, education, and outreach. Serve as a resource for students, faculty, staff, and community members interested in improving sustainable waste management programs on campus and in the local community. 11. Creates, interprets, develops and implements policies and procedures to program workers provides primary support to a unit administrator or other executive, and assumes full direction for an office, administrative, or operational matters in the absence of the unit administrator. 12. Represent the University in regional and national zero waste planning and advocacy discussions, such as the Zero Waste Alliance, the Campus and University Recycling Coalition, and the RPC Sustainability Practitioners group. 13. Maintain records on total and categorical recycled materials for participating campus units. Provide regular reports to leadership and the public, as needed. Support the Mission, Vision, Values and Guiding Principles of Facilities & Services. 14. Other related duties as assigned. Qualifications: Required: 1. Bachelor's degree in Urban Planning, Environmental Sciences, Public Administration/Policy or related field. 2. A total of one (1) year of experience in education, training and/or work experience in Waste Management, Recycling Programs, and/or Sustainability. Salary and Appointment Information: This is a 100% full-time 5002- Program Coordinator Civil Service position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The salary range for this position is $55,000-$70,000. Application Procedures & Deadline Information: Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (Central Time) on December 12, 2025. The following documents should be uploaded with your application: cover letter resume (months and years of employment must be included) academic credentials (unofficial transcripts or copy of diploma may be acceptable) for all degrees attained. Academic credentials will be verified before hire. names/contact information for three references The University of Illinois offers a very competitive benefits portfolio, depending on the position. Click for a complete list of Employee Benefits. The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.