Solid Waste Enforcement Officer

at  City of Santa Ana

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

Two (2) years of responsible experience with regulation enforcement and inspection involving public contact, preferably in solid waste programs and/or in a public education capacity. High school diploma or GED. Minimum qualifications may be met via an equivalent combination of experience and education sufficient to perform the essential job functions. Experience and education must provide the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed below.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge of: Pertinent federal, state, and local public sector laws, codes, and regulations, including state mandates regarding commercial recycling, such as Senate Bill 1383, Assembly Bill 341, and Assembly Bill 1826, and diversion requirements of CALGreen for construction and demolition waste; methods and techniques for investigating, inspecting, and identifying solid waste violations; solid waste legal processes, including right of entry; principles and practices of municipal administration; solid waste and recycling hauler operations and collection methods; evidence collection and preservation; construction site solid waste and recycling practices; principles and practices of interpersonal conflict resolution; public information principles and techniques; research methods and techniques; basic principles of mathematics; principles and practices of data collection, business letter writing, and report preparation; proper English usage, grammar, and punctuation; principles of communication and public speaking; effective customer service and complaint-handling techniques; records management practices and procedures; and work safety and safe driving principles and practices.
• Skill in: The use of personal computers and business software applications, including Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, and Excel, recycling compliance tracking software such as Recyclist, and customer relationship management software; the operation of modern office equipment.
• Ability to: Understand, interpret, and apply Citywide and departmental codes, policies, and procedures, and applicable federal, state, and local policies, laws, and regulations; convey requirements to customers; effectively enforce regulations; identify customers without mandated recycling programs; identify non-compliant recycling and/or organics recycling programs; provide recommendations to help non-compliant parties attain compliance; address waste hauler issues; read and interpret WRRPs, weight tickets, and hauler customer listings to confirm compliance with minimum diversion rate for construction and demolition waste; maintain up-to-date and accurate records; testify effectively in hearings and in court; prepare clear and concise comprehensive correspondence and other written materials; make oral presentations; communicate tactfully, clearly, and concisely, both orally and in writing; analyze issues and effectively solve problems; make sound decisions within established policy and procedural guidelines; follow written and oral directions appropriately; perform work effectively without close supervision; coordinate a wide variety of tasks in a timely manner; and establish and maintain effective working relationships with other City employees, business and property owners, tenants, community groups, the public, and those contacted in the scope of work.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Possession and retention of a valid California Class “C” Driver’s License is a condition of continued employment in this classification.
• Possession and retention of a valid Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) approved Penal Code 832 certificate (Powers of Arrest) is required by the end of the probationary period and is a condition of continued employment in this job classification.
• Possession and retention of a valid California Association of Code Enforcement Officers (CACEO) Module 1 (Basic) Certification or Code Enforcement Officer Certification from a CACEO accredited institution is required by the end of the probationary period and is a condition of continued employment in this job classification.
• Must be willing and able to work evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays, as needed.

• Receives, inspects, and investigates a variety of waste-related complaints and violations regarding ordinances, codes, and regulations related to solid waste, organic waste, and recycling programs
• Coordinates with the City’s waste hauler to identify potentially non-compliant accounts that do not abide by hauler-provided waste management programs; helps ensure that services provided by the City’s waste hauler are in compliance with current regulations and contract requirements
• Conducts scheduled and random field inspections and investigations at residential, multifamily, commercial, industrial, and construction and demolition properties to ensure compliance with solid waste requirements; assesses waste hauler service levels, waste signage, customer engagement, and cross-contamination; and conducts follow-up investigations
• Enforces local solid waste requirements; reports improper or damaged containers; issues correction notices and citations; monitors outstanding issues; and ensures the timely completion of corrective actions
• Enforces regulations pertaining to private waste hauling companies
• Reads and interprets Waste Reduction and Recycling Plans (WRRPs) and reports from covered project applicants to confirm compliance with minimum construction and demolition debris requirements; confirms the use of franchise-hauler construction and demolition waste debris boxes; reviews weight tickets and written documentation provided by builders; and conducts on-site inspections of building sites for WRRP compliance
• Researches, analyzes, evaluates, and interprets regulations regarding waste management; explains and educates members of the public on proper compliance methods and enforcement procedures; and promotes the safe handling and disposal of solid waste
• Provides information and responds to complaints regarding waste collection operations, schedules, and procedures from City officials and staff, residents, and commercial businesses
• Coordinates activities with the public, City departments, the City’s waste hauler, and other outside agencies
• Identifies, documents, and evaluates on-site internal recycling and organics recycling programs that would qualify as compliant programs in-lieu of hauler-provided recycling programs
• Conducts on-site assessments to evaluate negligible and space constrained waiver requests
• Writes reports, memos, and correspondence; prepares and maintains comprehensive records, logs, and reports of inspection activities and violations using photography and electronic software; and prepares and distributes waste educational and informational brochures and handouts
• Investigates unsafe collection operations and recommends improvements
• Consults with legal staff concerning enforcement orders; initiates appropriate legal action when required; provides assistance to legal staff in preparation of cases for prosecution; and appears and testifies as an expert witness at administrative hearings and in court
• May occasionally perform removal of public debris
• May make presentations to community groups
• Performs other duties as assigned