Salary progression Operations manager, waste management

Average salary 39 600 kr
Males 39 800 kr
Females 37 500 kr

What does a Waste Management Operations Supervisor do? – Tasks and Work Environment

A Waste Management Operations Supervisor is responsible for organizing, leading, and developing activities at recycling centers and other waste handling facilities. Tasks include ensuring efficient and environmentally safe waste flows, managing staff, optimizing logistics, and ensuring compliance with laws and environmental standards. The role also involves frequent contact with suppliers, customers, authorities, and internal departments. The work environment is often varied, combining administrative tasks at the office with on-site presence at facilities, requiring flexibility and quick problem-solving skills.

Salary development over time

The salary for Waste Management Operations Supervisors has shown stable and positive growth in recent years. In 2022, the average salary was 36,300 SEK per month, increasing to 38 300 SEK in 2023 and further to 39 600 SEK in 2024. This represents a total salary increase of approximately 5.5% over three years. This development can largely be explained by increased demand for environmental expertise and higher requirements related to sustainability, as well as a generally strong job market for operations technicians in energy, water, and waste management. Despite increased technical content and automation, the need for qualified operations managers remains, contributing to the positive salary trend.

Waste Management Operations Supervisor Salary – Complete Overview

  • Average salary: 39 600 SEK/month
  • Lowest salary: 30,700 SEK/month (female, municipal sector)
  • Highest salary: 42,200 SEK/month (male, private sector, professional, post-secondary education ≥ 3 years)
  • Hourly wage (average): 230 SEK
  • Women earn: 37 500 SEK (94% of men's salary)
  • Men earn: 39 800 SEK
  • Regional differences: Salary levels may vary depending on region and employer, generally somewhat higher in metropolitan areas.

Education and Qualifications

To work as a Waste Management Operations Supervisor, a post-secondary education in environmental engineering, energy, operations technology, or similar fields is typically required. Many employers also value practical experience from operations, maintenance, or leadership within technical environments. Additional training, certifications, and specialized courses in environmental legislation or occupational health and safety can be advantageous and improve chances of obtaining qualified roles.

  • Post-secondary education: YH or university education (2–3 years or more) in environment, technology, or operations
  • Certifications: For example, in occupational health and safety, environmental legislation, or leadership
  • Internship/Trainee: Practical experience from operations or technical work is highly valued
  • Prerequisites: High school diploma with a technical or science orientation is often a minimum requirement
  • Tips for choosing: Combining technical interest with leadership skills is highly sought after

Many Waste Management Operations Supervisors have the opportunity to work on innovative environmental projects and develop new methods for recycling and optimizing waste management. This provides a chance to influence society’s sustainability efforts significantly.

– statsskuld.se

Common Benefits and Compensation

Waste Management Operations Supervisors are often offered benefits such as wellness allowances, pension schemes, extra vacation days, and opportunities for professional development. Other common compensations include overtime pay for unsociable hours and bonuses for good results. Workwear and tools are almost always provided, and some employers also offer subsidized lunches or staff discounts.

Challenges and Competition

The labor market for Waste Management Operations Supervisors currently maintains a balance between supply and demand. The market is stable, but competition for the most attractive positions can be fierce, especially in metropolitan regions where salary levels are somewhat higher. Technological changes, increased automation, and stricter environmental regulations impose new demands on skills and flexibility. At the same time, demand is expected to remain unchanged over the next five years, making continuous training and staying updated on industry developments important.

Tips for aspiring Waste Management Operations Supervisors

To succeed as a Waste Management Operations Supervisor, it is beneficial to combine technical interest with strong organizational skills. Good communication facilitates cooperation with staff and external stakeholders, while analytical abilities help with problem-solving and process optimization. Gaining practical experience during studies, such as through internships or summer jobs, helps understand workflows and safety procedures. A structured approach and prioritization skills are crucial for handling unforeseen events in operations. Finally, genuine engagement in environmental and sustainability issues is a key driver for success and growth in the profession.

Key facts about Waste Management Operations Supervisors

  • Education level: Post-secondary education (2–3 years or more)
  • Work environment: Combined office and facility environment
  • Work hours: Full-time, often daytime, but some on-call duties may occur
  • Demand: Moderate, stable job market according to the Swedish Public Employment Service
  • Special skills: Environmental legislation, leadership, and technical knowledge

Career paths and future prospects

After 3–5 years as a Waste Management Operations Supervisor, there are opportunities to advance to more senior management roles, such as plant manager, environmental manager, or project leader for larger development projects. Specializing in areas like environmental technology, process optimization, or sustainability management is also possible. Forecasts from the Swedish Public Employment Service indicate that demand for operations technicians and supervisors at heating and waterworks, including waste management, is expected to remain unchanged over the next five years. The job market is balanced, and currently, there are 481 job openings in the field, indicating good prospects for those with the right qualifications.

Common questions about Waste Management Operations Supervisors

  • What is the salary of a Waste Management Operations Supervisor?
    - The average salary is 39 600 SEK per month, but it varies between 30,700 SEK and 42,200 SEK depending on experience, education, and sector.
  • Are there gender differences in the salary for Waste Management Operations Supervisors?
    - Yes, women earn on average 94% of what men do within the profession.
  • What education is required to become a Waste Management Operations Supervisor?
    - A post-secondary education in technology, environment, or operations is usually required, preferably combined with leadership experience.
  • What are the future prospects for the profession?
    - The job market is considered stable with moderate opportunities for employment and unchanged demand over the next five years.
  • What are the responsibilities of a Waste Management Operations Supervisor?
    - Main tasks include leading and developing operations, ensuring environmental standards, optimizing processes, and managing personnel.
  • Are there regional salary differences?
    - Yes, salaries can be higher in metropolitan areas compared to smaller towns.
  • What career paths are available within the profession?
    - Opportunities exist to advance to managerial roles, specialize, or lead projects within environmental and technical fields.

Who has the highest salary?
The highest salary for a Operations manager, waste management is 43700 kr. This salary belongs to a man working in the Public sector with a post-secondary education, 3 years or more. The highest salary for a woman in this profession is 41100 kr.
Who has the lowest salary?
The lowest salary for a Operations manager, waste management is 33400 kr. This salary belongs to a man working in the Government sector. The lowest salary for a woman in this profession is 33800 kr.
Salary distributed by age and sector
Age Women's salary as a percentage of men's Base salary Monthly salary
18-24 31200 kr 32900 kr
25-34 94% 36400 kr 38700 kr
35-44 95% 37600 kr 39800 kr
45-54 94% 38000 kr 40200 kr
55-64 96% 38100 kr 40100 kr
65-68 38000 kr 39000 kr
Snitt 94% 37500 kr 39600 kr
Salary per sector
Salary based on education
Register an account before you can comment

To write a comment you need to create an account.


Default Avatar

About the data

All information displayed on this page is based on data from the Swedish Central Bureau of Statistics (SCB), the Swedish Tax Agency and the Swedish employment agency. Learn more about our data and data sources here.

All figures are gross salaries, meaning salaries before tax. The average salary, or mean salary, is calculated by adding up the total salary for all individuals within the profession and dividing it by the number of individuals. For specific job categories, we have also considered various criteria such as experience and education.

Profession Operations manager, waste management has the SSYK code 8191, which we use to match against the SCB database to obtain the latest salary statistics.

Search salary statistics for occupation
8000 kr
90000 kr
Vacant jobs
Similar occupations

Compare salary, work tasks and job outlook in adjacent occupations to find roles with similar skills or pay levels.

  • Read more about working as Elevator repairer

    Average salary: 41 000 SEK/month • Installation & drift/underhåll

    Compare with Operations manager, waste management

    Wed, 24 Jun 2026 - 18:24
  • Read more about working as Local coordinator

    Average salary: 33 600 SEK/month • Installation & drift/underhåll

    Compare with Operations manager, waste management

    Wed, 24 Jun 2026 - 08:09
  • Read more about working as Wardrobe workers

    Average salary: 30 900 SEK/month • Installation & drift/underhåll

    Compare with Operations manager, waste management

    Wed, 24 Jun 2026 - 16:03
  • Read more about working as Worth seeing

    Average salary: 27 300 SEK/month • Installation & drift/underhåll

    Compare with Operations manager, waste management

    Wed, 24 Jun 2026 - 21:31
  • Read more about working as Regulators, ferrous metal works

    Average salary: 39 300 SEK/month • Installation & drift/underhåll

    Compare with Operations manager, waste management

    Wed, 24 Jun 2026 - 16:45
  • Read more about working as Maintenance mechanic

    Average salary: 40 500 SEK/month • Installation & drift/underhåll

    Compare with Operations manager, waste management

    Wed, 24 Jun 2026 - 19:55
Latest posts
  • Promocode - Discount code for Smartphoto
    Mon, 22 Jun 2026 - 12:00
  • Public Opinion - Novus Opinion Poll 2026-06-17 – Social Democrats Lose
    Wed, 17 Jun 2026 - 09:35
  • National Debt - National Debt – Level, GDP Share, and Development to 2026
    Mon, 8 Jun 2026 - 09:59
  • Inflation - Inflation May 2026 – KPIF Rises to 1.5 Percent
    Thu, 4 Jun 2026 - 08:30
  • Tips - Create a Professional Website with AI - That's Why I Built Deffe.com
    Tue, 19 May 2026 - 22:28
  • Municipality -
    Tue, 19 May 2026 - 00:35
Salary, Taxes, and Fees
Net salary 31 390
Net salary
31 390
Taxes
11 718
Fees
12 582

With our Swedish tax calculator, you can easily calculate your after-tax income (net salary).

Swedish Church Member

* Updated with 2026 taxes