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Sustainability Advisor

Republic Services • United States • Added on Aug 1, 2026
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The Sustainability Advisor acts as a bridge between Republic Services and its commercial and community partners to drive local circularity. You will own the implementation of recycling and food waste diversion programs, translating high-level corporate goals into boots-on-the-ground educational initiatives. By conducting waste audits and tailored outreach, you ensure that customers in the San Pablo area understand and adopt effective sorting practices that improve the quality of materials entering the recycling stream.

This role is critical because it directly influences the purity of materials processed at the Company’s facilities, fueling its circularity strategy and landfill diversion targets. Your work helps municipal and business clients navigate complex waste regulations while reducing the environmental impact of local disposal. It is a rare opportunity to see the immediate ecological results of your advocacy and technical guidance in a tangible, local setting.

This suits someone who is a naturally persuasive communicator and problem-solver, comfortable moving between boardroom presentations and facility audits to champion environmental responsibility across diverse community stakeholders.

Job FAQs

What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

As a Sustainability Advisor, your primary mission is to develop and implement recycling and diversion programs that maximize material recovery. You will be responsible for evaluating existing commercial waste streams and providing strategic recommendations for service improvements and educational outreach. This involves a hands-on approach to identifying contamination issues and creating technical solutions to fix them. You will also take the lead on food waste recycling initiatives, creating educational collateral and conducting presentations for schools and businesses. By monitoring tonnage reports and tracking trends, you ensure that contractual diversion goals are met and that the recycling center receives high-quality, non-contaminated materials for processing.

Key learning opportunities for this job

Candidates can expect to gain deep technical expertise in waste characterization and auditing, learning how to analyze complex waste streams to optimize diversion. This role offers exposure to the operational side of environmental services, providing insights into how transfer stations, landfills, and polymer centers function as an integrated network. Furthermore, you will sharpen your skills in public policy and grant research. By identifying funding sources for waste reduction projects and working closely with municipal stakeholders, you will develop a nuanced understanding of the regulatory landscape and the economic drivers behind regional sustainability efforts.

How does the ideal candidate look like (experience, skills)?

The ideal profile combines a passion for the environment with a service-oriented mindset and strong analytical skills. You should have at least two years of experience in customer-facing roles where you have successfully navigated client needs and provided technical or strategic guidance. A background in business, economics, or professional communications is highly valued. You must be an effective communicator who can translate technical recycling data into compelling narratives for different audiences. The ability to manage concurrent projects, motivate volunteers, and build trust with city officials and business owners is essential for success in this community-centric role.

Advice to stand out and make a successful application

To stand out, demonstrate your ability to be proactive and data-driven. Your application should highlight specific examples where you have conducted audits or managed programs that led to measurable improvements in efficiency or sustainability. Showing that you understand the specific waste challenges of the San Pablo/Northern California region will give you a significant edge. Since this role requires high visibility, your cover letter and resume must reflect professionalism and attention to detail. Emphasize your experience with public speaking or community engagement, as the ability to educate and persuade stakeholders is just as important as your technical knowledge of waste streams.

What aspects of the company's sustainability is this role likely to focus on?

This role is a direct lever for the company's circularity and decarbonization goals. By educating customers and improving the quality of recyclables, you directly support the supply chain for Republic Services' innovative Polymer Centers, which aim for true bottle-to-bottle circularity. Additionally, the focus on food waste diversion intersects with efforts to reduce landfill gas emissions. By diverting organic material toward proper recycling streams, you help mitigate the methane production associated with decomposing waste, contributing to the company's broader climate commitments and renewable energy projects.

What are the main challenges someone in this role might face?

One of the primary hurdles is contamination management. Persuading customers to change ingrained behaviors and adopt better sorting habits can be difficult, requiring patience and creative communication. You may face resistance when recommending service changes that require more effort or cost from the client side. You will also need to manage competing priorities across a diverse portfolio of schools, businesses, and municipal entities. Balancing the reporting requirements and data analysis with the need for a physical presence at facilities and community events requires excellent time management and organizational discipline.

How could a typical day look like for someone in this position?

A typical day might begin with conducting an on-site waste audit at a commercial client's facility, where you analyze their current disposal habits. Mid-day might be spent at the office compiling statistics for a tonnage report or drafting a newsletter to educate residents on new recycling guidelines. Afternoons could involve presenting to a local school board or meeting with the Operations department to adjust collection schedules based on customer feedback. The day is highly variable, often shifting from technical data analysis to external relationship building and community event coordination.

What are the opportunities for professional growth and development in this role?

Within a large organization like Republic Services, successful advisors can move into senior sustainability management or regional leadership roles. There is also a path toward specializing in environmental compliance or strategic business development for new circularity ventures like the Polymer Centers. The high-visibility nature of the role—working with city officials and major corporate clients—provides a platform to build a strong professional network. This exposure often leads to opportunities in corporate ESG strategy or specialized project management within the environmental services sector.

The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

You will interact daily with commercial customers and municipal partners, acting as their primary point of contact for sustainability strategy. Internally, you will collaborate closely with the Operations department to ensure that collection schedules and facility capabilities align with the customer's needs. You will also engage with community members through tours of transfer stations and schools via educational programs. Maintaining a strong relationship with city officials and chamber of commerce representatives is vital for aligning the company’s services with local environmental policy and community expectations.

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