Head of Cleaning & Waste

LA28 does not provide relocation assistance.

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The Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games will be hosted in Los Angeles, California in 2028, returning to the United States for the first time in over 30 years. 2028 will be the first time LA hosts the Paralympic Games, creating an opportunity to expand awareness, understanding and inclusion of people with disabilities.

LA28, the organizers for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, is on a mission to create an unparalleled Games experience for athletes, fans, partners, our community and our people. Our vision is to collectively create what’s next through sport, community and the power of our differences.

The 2028 Olympics and Paralympics will represent LA and leverage the strength of our community’s uniqueness and creativity as we collectively work to design a Games that we all want to be a part of. We do this by focusing on people and by inviting everyone into the story of the LA28 Games.

The LA28 organizing committee is an independent, non-profit organization that is privately funded and governed by a board of directors. 

Values and Behaviors:

• Optimism – Embody a positive, enthusiastic, and solution-oriented attitude in everything we do; challenge the status quo, inspire and support one another to achieve our best; have our eyes on the future and believe we can make a meaningful impact
• Integrity – We communicate openly and honestly, listen, and respectfully value multiple perspectives; we do what we say and are accountable for everything we do; we do the right thing, always. Even when it isn’t easy
• Excellence – We hold ourselves to the highest standard and expectations; we live our values and truths and persevere through challenges; we are continuous learners and adapt and pivot with speed to meet changing needs
• Inclusion – We seek to represent, include, empower and level the playing field; our work reflects the communities we serve and the world in which we live; we leverage our platforms to bring awareness to issues relevant to who we are
• Co-Creation – We are authors of a shared story. Everyone contributes their unique voice to our shared mission; we share pride in our accomplishments and ownership of our shortcomings
• Boldness – We embrace creativity, courage and outside-the-box thinking; we are unafraid to take risks, explore unconventional solutions, and learn from the process; we are innovators, disruptors, and challengers of the status quo

Head of Cleaning & Waste

The Director of Cleaning and Waste (CNW) will be the head of the Cleaning and Waste Functional Area (FA) and responsible for designing and delivering a robust, efficient, environmentally conscious, and comprehensive cleaning and waste program. The cleaning and waste program will service all competition and non-competition venues within the direct control of LA28.

The Director of CNW will build and oversee a team to effectively plan, coordinate, and execute all cleaning and waste operations for the 2028 Olympic & Paralympic Games. The CNW team will work closely with local authorities, vendors, sustainability teams, and key LA28 stakeholders to implement an innovative waste reduction and recycling program, aligning with LA28’s commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. By Games-time, the CNW FA will deliver the operational strategy, including operational/space planning, on-venue operations, service provider oversight, workforce planning, and budget.

 

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Program Planning

• Develop and execute a comprehensive cleaning and waste management strategy, policies, and procedures to ensure seamless operations before, during and after the Games
• Oversee procurement and management of cleaning services, waste collection, recycling, and disposal vendors
• Establish specific cleaning and waste management protocols for each venue
• Build contingency plans to address sanitation challenges, waste overflow, and emergency response situations
• Articulate the LA28 cleaning & waste system requirements and policies, in partnership with LA28 Technology team and cleaning and waste management providers
• Drive program deliverables in partnership with the International Olympic Committee & International Paralympic Committee

 Stakeholder Relations

• Define service levels and expected timelines for cleaning and waste activities in collaboration with LA28 stakeholder owners
• Develop communication and engagement strategy for all cleaning and waste policies and procedures in partnership with LA28 FA leads
• Oversee milestone deadlines, material/policy distribution, information gathering for all stakeholder groups
• Work with city officials, waste management authorities, and sustainability experts to optimize waste collection and disposal systems
• Ensure all vendors adhere to LA28’s environmental and operational standards

 Vendor Management

• Manage contracts and relationships with external cleaning and waste management providers for all competition and non-competition venues, including:
  • Cleaning and janitorial requirements
  • Waste, recycling, and composting requirements
  • Supplies and materials requirements (e.g., bin planning, toilet paper)

Sustainability & Environmental Impact 

• Align waste management strategies with LA28’s sustainability goals, focusing on waste reduction, recycling and circular economy principles
• Support Sustainability and Food & Beverage teams in initiatives to minimize single-use items and promote composting and responsible waste disposal
• Collaborate, in partnership with the Sustainability FA, with environmental agencies and partners to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations

 Venue and Operations Management

• Ensure the successful delivery of the cleaning and waste program across all impacted Games venues and locations
• Oversee the deployment of cleaning and waste teams and collection services across all venues
• Ensure rapid response services for high-traffic front of house and back of house areas
• Create and implement a system to monitor real-time waste collection and disposal metrics to ensure efficiency and responsiveness
• Develop waste projections and reporting protocols by venue, including expected consumption patterns and issue escalation, in conjunction with waste management companies
• Integrate the cleaning and waste program with the complex operations of each venue
• Supervise Games-time operations, including cleaning and waste workforce management, training on cleaning and waste policies, cleaning and waste system training, cleaning and waste procedures, and policy enforcement during pre-Games and Games-time preparations

Functional Area Leadership

• Build and oversee the LA28 cleaning and waste team responsible for planning and servicing all internal and external stakeholders
• Create and deliver Games-time workforce and operational plans for the cleaning and waste team
• Manage the LA28 cleaning and waste budget
• Liaise with International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Paralympic Committee (IPC) executive teams on management on all cleaning and waste issues

 

Background & Qualifications:

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in major event cleaning and waste planning and delivery
• Experience Olympic and Paralympic Games, or equivalent large-scale sporting or similar global events
• Experience working with external waste management authorities and contractors
• Fluent working with Office suite products including Microsoft Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint and Excel
• Demonstrated commitment to co-creation and collaborative decision-making

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• Expectation to be in LA28 offices in Los Angeles minimum 4x/week, 1 day work from home

 

Position Requirements:

Education:

• Master’s degree or relevant work experience required
• Experience delivering cleaning and waste programs for Olympic and/or Paralympic Games preferred

Expectations:

Cleaning and Waste Operations Expertise

• Deep understanding of major event planning for cleaning and waste in collaboration with multiple stakeholders
• Demonstrated success creating, implementing, and driving a cleaning and waste program at a major event, coordinating service providers, venue teams, cross-functional resources, operational teams, timelines and processes
• Familiarity with local waste regulations and ordinances

Leadership and Stakeholder Management Expertise

• Experience in a leadership role, building teams, and working across various functions
• Excellent communication and human relations skills, including experience communicating with international communities
• A collaborative mindset; someone who prioritizes the team and fosters a culture of high performance without ego
• Executive presence and communication skills, including ability to package and present insights in a relevant, cohesive, and succinct storylines
• Experience leading and managing multi-million-dollar budgets
• Solid communication, team building, and interpersonal skills
• Proven ability to innovate and achieve results through strategic, forward-thinking planning

Organizational Skills

• Highly detail-oriented with excellent organizational skills
• Project management expertise
• History of successfully leading complex projects
• Ability to implement and manage change effectively
• Self-starter with the ability to work independently to resolve issues, and experience in defining tasks, seeking feedback, and evolving work
• Demonstrated commitment to co-creation and collaborative decision-making

Submission Requirements:

• Resume

 

The annual base salary range for this position is $150,000.00 - $170,000.00. The pay scale provided is the range that LA28 reasonably expects to pay as starting base compensation for this role. All LA28 compensation remains subject to final determination based on individual candidate qualifications, experience, or other reasonable criteria consistent with LA28’s operational business needs and applicable law.

LA28 does not provide relocation assistance.

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LA28 is committed to operating fair and unbiased recruitment procedures allowing all applicants an equal opportunity for employment, free from discrimination on the basis of religion, race, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability, color, ethnic or national origin, or any other classification as may be protected by applicable law. We strive to build a team that is diverse, inclusive and encourages qualified candidates of all backgrounds, perspectives, and identities to apply. We will consider all qualified candidates with criminal histories in a manner consistent with local law. We assess applications based on relevant skills, education, and experience a candidate can add to our team.