Waste and Recycling Engagement Officer

Help communities recycle better and waste less – and be part of real, lasting environmental change.

Waste and Recycling Engagement Officer
Salary: £26,606 - £28,951 per annum
Hours: Full time, 37 hours per week
Contract: Fixed Term, 2 years - with scope for extension
Location: Waste and Recycling Visitor & Education Centre (WRVEC), Wrekenton, Gateshead NE9 – covering South Tyneside, Sunderland and Gateshead.

About us

Groundwork NE & Cumbria is a long‑established environmental and community charity with over 30 years of experience creating greener, healthier and more resilient places across the region. Our mission centres on Creating Better Places, Improving People’s Prospects, and Promoting Greener Living, helping communities thrive no matter the challenges they face.

We deliver hundreds of locally‑led projects each year, including initiatives that support young people into education, training and employment, helping them overcome barriers, build life skills, and reach their full potential.

About the role

As Waste and Recycling Officer, you’ll inspire communities across South Tyneside, Sunderland and Gateshead to waste less and recycle more. Based at the Waste and Recycling Visitor and Education Centre, you’ll design and deliver engaging education programmes, community outreach and digital learning that drive positive behaviour change. Working closely with local authorities and partners, this is a hands‑on role where your work will make a visible difference to places and people every day.

Working as part of Groundwork’s Local Projects Team, you’ll be based at the unique Waste and Recycling Visitor & Education Centre (WRVEC), run by SUEZ on behalf of local authorities and coordinated by Groundwork. From here, you’ll design and deliver engaging education activities for schools, community groups, residents and businesses, both at the centre and out in the community.

You’ll work closely with Gateshead, Sunderland and South Tyneside Councils and a wide range of partners to raise awareness of waste and recycling issues, encourage positive behaviour change, and expand the reach of the education centre through creative marketing, outreach and digital learning.

This is a varied, hands‑on role combining education delivery, community engagement, partnership working and project development. This role ideal for someone who enjoys working with people and wants to make a real environmental impact.

Key responsibilities

• Delivering waste and recycling education sessions in person and online
• Community outreach and partnership working
• Creating promotional content (social media, newsletters, events)
• Monitoring, evaluating and reporting on impact
• Supporting project delivery, budgets and action plans

What we’re looking for

• Educated to A‑level / NVQ Level 3 (or equivalent)
• Experience delivering presentations or community education
• Strong communication and organisational skills
• Confidence using IT and social media
• Passion for environmental awareness and community engagement
• Full driving licence and access to a vehicle
• Willingness to work flexibly, including occasional evenings/weekends

Closing date: Tuesday 12th May 2026
Please note, should we receive a high volume of applications, we may look to close the role early, therefore we recommend an early application.

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the Apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

This role is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure endorsed by the Disclosure and Barring Service.

We want you to be yourself at Groundwork and we value everything that makes you unique. We recognise and celebrate your difference and together we make Groundwork a special and great place to work. As a Disability Confident employer we offer a guaranteed interview to applicants with a disability who meet the essential criteria for the role.

At Groundwork we ensure that we provide a safe environment for adults, children and young people to take part in any activity or service that we organise. We are committed to creating a culture that promotes safeguarding and the welfare of all children, young people and adults at risk. Our safer recruitment practices support this by ensuring that there is a consistent and comprehensive process of obtaining, collating, analysing and evaluating information from and about candidates to ensure that all the people we appoint are suitable to work with our children, young people and adults

This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship - the successful applicant will need to have a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.

No agencies please.