Director of Film & Flexible Materials Recovery

Director ofFilm & Flexible Materials Recovery

JOB DESCRIPTION

Location: Remote; Anywhere in the Continental US

Reports to: Senior Director of Processing Advancement

Position: Full time, 40 hours per week, exempt employee

Salary: $120,000 - $130,000

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JOB PURPOSE

The Director ofFilm & Flexible Materials Recovery is responsible for developing a deep understanding of Film and flexible plastics supply chains, understanding the generation of Film and Flexible Materials by households in the US, and growing the recovery of post-household film and flexible plastics. Workstreams will include testing, evaluating, and instituting solutions for recovery and handling of residentially generated film and flexible plastics that can be replicated and scaled nationally to build strong outcomes for film and flexibles recycling, with curbside recycling being the ultimate goal.

The Director will have a demonstrated ability to identify and build a business case for operational improvement and investment opportunities in processing facilities. They will possess the market understanding to enable and facilitate residential film to meet material quality specifications, and ideally have experience in brokering and/or sourcing recyclables. This position will independently build relationships with residential, commercial, and industrial recycling stakeholders. This position will negotiate and enter into contracts with grantees and lead the relationship with grantees for the length of each grant agreement. Analytical skills and basic financial modeling of the grant impact and to help build the business case for industry investments is also an important part of the position.

This position will require regular travel which may include multi-day organizational meetings, conference attendance, facility visits to MRFs, reclaimers, or community recycling programs and other national and international destinations that could extend to multiple nights.

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CORE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THIS JOB

What we will trust you with - and how you will use your strengths

50% - Film & Flexible Packaging: MRF Support and End Market Development

A key programmatic goal is to unlock recycling opportunities for residentially generated plastic film and Flexible Materials for return to a circular economy, but the right candidate will have an understanding of the full plastic recycling supply chain and MRF operations. This position will:

• Use creative financial tools, like granting, to build networks that source the appropriate material to meet bale specifications and develop longer range supply strategies that drive significant plastic recovery.
• Support the sortation and separation of Film and flexible packaging within MRFs and among other facilities and the collection of post-household film via curbside recycling and/or drop-off sites will be a priority.
• Work with secondary processors and end-users of these same materials.
• Need to understand the challenges that these materials bring and work with MRFs and other partners to build the business case and operational plans to mitigate those challenges.
• Build a list of North American market opportunities for products produced from processing of curbside collected film and flexible plastics.
• Work with current and potential end markets to understand the different resin types and resin mixtures that they can handle and explore how current processes might be adapted to include the handling of residentially generated films and flexible packaging that is not currently recycled.
• Have a willingness to work with industry to develop new product ideas that are film and flexible tolerant.
• Develop the film and flexibles granting strategy with the grant development team and build funds that will support the market opportunities

25% - Grant Management and Support

• Be able to manage and administer each film and flexible plastics related grant.
• Leveraging the data from grants and pilots, this position will work with the Materials Advancement and System Optimization teams to present findings and strategize new ideas to better assist in the US recycling system’s impact on film and flexible recovery.
• Manage every project related to film and flexibles recovery, past and present, from inception, grant development, data milestones and monetary disbursements, as well as building presentations and storytelling narratives based on results.

25% - Funder Portfolio Manager

• Be the key point of contact for select projects working to grow the circularity of Film and flexible plastics from a technical perspective with Partnership funders and industry stakeholders.
• Originate, develop grants, manage reporting and/or support with technical expertise in other ways as needed; including but not limited to, financial modeling, pilot testing, market research or related.

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KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE FOR THIS JOB

Required

• 4-year degree or equivalent work experience required.
• Minimum of 6+ years of experience working for, or with, a MRF, reclaimer, plastics recycler, or plastics manufacturer.
• Experience working with organizations in the plastic value chain, such as materials processing or marketing materials.
• Involvement with brokering and/or sourcing post residential, commercial, or industrial plastics.
• Strong project management, communications, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong flexibility, entrepreneurial skills, the ability to work quickly, creative problem-solving skills, a desire to work with others and gain buy-in for solutions, and a strong, independent work ethic.
• Experience with scoping multi-stakeholder projects.
• Ability to develop investment proposals and achieve alignment.
• Experience with data management tools (Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, online databases such as Airtable, etc.)

Desired

• Experience working with, or for, MRF and/or secondary processing equipment manufacturers.
• Understanding of recycling system and how the stakeholders work together throughout the supply chain, from material generations to end markets.
• Understanding of plastic film and flexibles.
• Understanding of advanced recycling processes and players.
• Business development experience.
• Strong research skills and the ability to conduct research as a member of a team or independently.
• Strong analytical skills and experience with project economics.
• PowerPoint knowledge to build and create exciting presentations for conferences and workshops.
• Strong relationship skills with a passion for listening and understanding a processor’s needs and then generating tailored solutions.
• Grant administration experience.
• Solid time management and prioritization skills.
• Intellectual curiosity.
• Continued professional and personal growth.

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Who we are:

At The Recycling Partnership, we are solving for circularity. As a mission-driven NGO, our team is committed to advancing a circular economy by building a better recycling system. We are mobilizing the people, data, and solutions across the value chain to reduce waste and our impact on the environment while also unlocking economic benefits.

Our team works:

• on the ground with thousands of communities to transform underperforming recycling programs
• partners with companies to achieve packaging circularity, increase access to recycled materials, and meet sustainability commitments
• works with government to develop policy solutions to address the systemic needs of our residential recycling system and advance a circular economy.

To learn more about The Recycling Partnership, our mission, our vision and our team, visit https://recyclingpartnership.org/about/

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How we work:

We are:

• Focused on advancing circularity through transforming the recycling system in the United States with a focus on mission, action, and measurement of our impact.
• Actively committed to our Core Values and what they stand for: Act with Intention & Integrity; Embrace Change & Drive Action; Partnership is Part of our Name for a Reason, Play Well with Others; Pursue Growth and Learning; Have Fun; Be your Whole Self and finally, Take Time to Reflect and Dream.
• Employee-focused. Take a look at this short video about The Recycling Partnership team.
• Collaborative in our approach to success.
• Dedicated to excellence in everything we do.

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What we can offer:

A comprehensive employee benefits package including:

• Health insurance options under United Healthcare
• Dental & Vision insurance
• Employer paid Life, STD, and LTD insurance
• 11 paid holidays
• 4 weeks of mandatory vacation a year (office closures)
• Unlimited PTO
• 12 Weeks Paid Parental Leave
• 403(b) Retirement Plan with company match
• 529 Education Savings Plan
• Home Office Stipend - $1,500/year

A company culture that’s unbeatable and includes:

• Work/Life Balance – we don’t just say it, we actually mean it
• Flexible schedules
• Career Growth
• Learning and Development Opportunities
• DEIB Seminars and Courageous Conversations

and so much more…

WE VALUE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

The Recycling Partnership is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. The Recycling Partnership makes hiring decisions based on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.