- Lead a high-profile Waste Services portfolio with real community impact.
- Shape the future of waste, recycling and resource recovery across Darebin.
- Lead a capable team and major contractor relationships.

- Competitive Salary + Monthly RDO + WFH 1 day per week
- Lead a high-profile Waste Services portfolio with real community impact
- Drive innovation, service improvement and better customer outcomes

Take the lead on Darebin’s high-profile Waste Services portfolio, by leading the delivery of safe, reliable waste services, driving innovation. You will strive for excellence and sustainable outcomes across one of Victoria’s most progressive councils.

About the role:

Lead the delivery and continuous improvement of Darebin’s Waste Services portfolio, spanning kerbside collection, hard rubbish, dumped rubbish, litter prevention, and the Darebin Resource Recovery Centre and major service contracts.

You’ll combine strategic leadership with operational delivery, ensuring services are safe, compliant, financially sustainable and responsive to community needs.

You will:

Lead and Develop a High Performing team

Lead and develop a high performing Waste Services Team through collaboration, support, strong customer focus, and continuous improvements

Oversee service delivery, performance and continuous improvement

Oversee the effective delivery of waste services, ensuring high-quality customer outcomes, service performance, operational efficiency, and continuous improvements

Manage Major Contractor Relationships, Budgets and Complex Service issues

Build trusted relationships with contractors, effectively manage contract budgets and provide confident leadership through complex issues, proactively managing risks and competing priorities with transparent communication

Lead Innovation and Change across the portfolio

Lead service improvement, innovation and change in response to community needs, legislative requirements and industry developments

Strengthen Compliance with Regulatory requirements





Strengthen compliance frameworks, processes and controls to ensure legislative regulatory and organisational requirements are consistently met

Provide Strategic Advice to Senior Leaders and Council

Provide strategic advice and recommendations to waste services, emerging issues, risk opportunities to support Councils strategic priorities and long-term sustainability outcomes

Drive Financial, Safety, Environmental and Compliance outcomes

Drive financial sustainability and commercial performance across the portfolio through effective budget management, resource allocation, cost control and identification of efficiency opportunities

Favourable: Drive strategic improvements and sustainability outcomes

Identify opportunities to improve process, systems ways of working across the organisation

About you:

You are an experienced waste services leader with the strategic capability, operational expertise and commercial judgement to lead a complex portfolio in a public-sector environment.

To be successful in this role, you will bring:

- Demonstrated experience as a Waste Services Leader
- Strong experience leading complex Waste and Resource Recovery Services, including kerbside collection and associated municipal waste services
- Proven people and contractor leadership
- Demonstrated strategic, financial and commercial management
- Strong risk, compliance and governance skills
- Excellent communication and stakeholder, engagement and management
- The ability to use sound judgement and resilience to lead through complex challenges
- Proven experience to lead continuous improvement and better community outcomes





Why Darebin?

Darebin City Council is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion. We proudly serve one of the most diverse communities in Victoria, and we know that a diverse workforce strengthens our ability to deliver meaningful outcomes.

We offer:

- A supportive team workplace
- Opportunities for professional development and career growth
- A workplace that values collaboration, integrity, respect and creativity
- The chance to make a real difference

How to Apply

To apply, please submit your application including a Cover Letter and Resume. If you wish to address the Key Selection Criteria in the Position Description, you may do so in your cover letter.

Applications close on 20 October 2026 at 11.30pm. Applications will be reviewed during the advertising period so if you’re interested in this opportunity, we encourage you to get your application in as early as possible.

For a confidential discussion about the role and the opportunity, please email [email protected] (Talent Acquisition Partner) to arrange a suitable time.

Should you need reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process to support your accessibility needs, please get in contact with us and advise how we can best support you.

Please note, this role carries the internal title of Coordinator Waste Services DRRC and is advertised externally as Head of Waste Services to reflect market terminology.

Pre-employment Checks

Darebin is committed to providing a safe working environment that embraces and values child safety, and thorough ‘Safety Screening’ processes apply.

To work at Darebin City Council, you will be required to supply proof of work rights, a Victorian Employee Working with Children Check and comply with Child Safety standards.

All employees are required to undertake an Australian Criminal History Check and may be required to complete a Functional Health Assessment.

Position Description Opens in new window

📌 Head of Waste Services (Melbourne)
🏢 Darebin City Council
📍 Melbourne