How to become a recycling coordinator
Official title: Recycling coordinator
Also called: Recycling station supervisor, Waste reduction facilitator, Environmental waste manager, Senior organic waste specialist, Solid waste operations supervisor, Recycling sorter, Recycling dealer
Recycling coordinators oversee pick up and drop off recycling programmes and staff for local councils or private companies.
Main tasks
- Oversee recycling programmes
- Coordinate recycling collection
- Plan recycling operations
- Inspect facilities for safety and hygiene
- Direct recycling workers
- Record delivery details
- Negotiate contracts for recycling services
- Operate recycling machinery
How to become one
You usually train on the job to become a recycling coordinator and a qualification may be useful. You usually don’t need specific NCEA levels for this job, but Level 2 may be useful. Other requirements: a driver licence with a special-type vehicle endorsement; a New Zealand Certificate in Business (First Line Management) (Level 4).
Ways in
- Certificates and diplomas: Advanced certificates and diplomas in management and business studies. TEC links this job to study in business and management. Qualifications: NZ Dip in Business, Dip in Business Studies, Cert in Business Studies, Dip in Business, Dip in Commerce. Usually 1 year. Graduates of these qualifications earn a median $52,000 a year one year after study and $61,000 five years after; 61% are employed one year after (TEC, from Stats NZ IDI data).
Pay
- Most common pay: $56,620 to $68,280 a year (median $59,967), a TEC estimate before tax.
- Upper: $77,500 a year
- TEC's pay figures are estimates only. TEC says they must not be used to set pay, in pay negotiations or in visa applications.
Related jobs
- Clothing and textile presser
- Cleaning and washing equipment operator
- Vehicle groomer and cleaner
- Recycler and dismantler
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Questions people ask
How do I become a recycling coordinator?
You usually train on the job to become a recycling coordinator and a qualification may be useful. You usually don’t need specific NCEA levels for this job, but Level 2 may be useful. Other requirements: a driver licence with a special-type vehicle endorsement; a New Zealand Certificate in Business (First Line Management) (Level 4).
How much does a recycling coordinator earn in New Zealand?
The Tertiary Education Commission estimates median pay at $59,967 a year, before tax. Most common pay is $56,620 to $68,280 a year.
Sources
- Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatu Career Navigator): Tahatu career ideas: descriptions, tasks, pay estimates, people employed, employment change 2018 to 2023, entry requirements, registration, interest scores (Site scrape 2026-10 (816 career ideas, sitemap lastmod 2026-10-01)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
This content is sourced from the Tertiary Education Commission through the Tahatū Career Navigator website (www.tahatu.govt.nz) and used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. All or some of the information has been modified by Peernovo. TEC has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. TEC will not be held accountable for any errors within this content.
Qualification information from NZQA, used under CC BY 3.0 NZ.
This work is based on/includes Stats NZ's data which are licensed by Stats NZ for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. Census data via Figure.NZ.
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Sources: Tertiary Education Commission, Tahatū Career Navigator (career ideas, pay estimates, entry requirements and study options, CC BY 4.0, modified by Peernovo); Stats NZ, 2023 Census (via Figure.NZ) and the National Occupation List (CC BY 4.0); NZQA qualification information (CC BY 3.0 NZ); O*NET interest scores (CC BY 4.0); ILO global generative AI exposure index (CC BY 4.0). Links between career ideas and ANZSCO groups, degree fields and broad job groups are Peernovo's.
These results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Graduate outcomes: these results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Updated 4 October 2026