Case studies : General manager: Dave Matthews

Dave graduated from Plymouth University where he gained a BSc in Rural Resource Management. He joined Viridor in 2006 as part of the Management Training Programme. Most recently Dave has been appointed general manager for the Martock Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) near Yeovil...

For the first two years at Viridor I assisted in all aspects of operations from landfill, composting, recycling and transport. This gave me a wide experience of the operations in the South West.

I then took responsibility for a transfer station and landfill in the area. My duties included full management of the sites while adhering to legislation and compliance requirements as required by the Environment Agency (EA) and other associated bodies. I also had full budgetary responsibility for both sites as well as for the management of the team at each depot. I then moved to take responsibility for an additional landfill.

As a graduate trainee I was charged with being the right-hand man of all the managers I worked with, which taught me a massive amount about management. I'd say that my degree was quite relevant to securing my current job as it was in an environmental subject and was proof of a certain level of intelligence.

Now that I have large numbers of staff who do the day-to-day operations of the MRF and transport, my current role is to make sure they are doing their jobs correctly and to motivate them to self-improve, plus maintain a happy, healthy workforce that is working efficiently and safely.

As part of my ongoing development I have undergone various training courses and undertaken qualifications specific to the waste industry. These include a Certificate of Technical Competence (CoTC) for landfill and transfer stations and the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) Level 3 Award in Risk Assessment. I've also completed management training and specific training for Viridor policies.

A typical working day in my current job is very busy. It involves the management of the MRF site, the transport team, the front office team, operational staff and drivers, contactors, incoming and outgoing material and grades, and the management of the sales and buying team. I'm also responsible for the management of unit accounts and reports, compliance, health and safety, and for providing a safe and secure working environment.

I enjoy everything about working in this sector. The people are great, it's fun to come to work 99% of the time, plus I am involved in an industry that is on the whole an environmental plus for the planet.

To anyone considering a career in waste management, I would say that you need to get in and get your hands dirty at the bottom levels before you can understand the management needed to operate a recycling business.