Position Summary
The Compliance Manager leads Northstar Recycling’s enterprise compliance and regulatory risk strategy. This role oversees the Audit & Regulatory team and serves as the company’s senior subject matter expert on environmental, transportation, and food safety regulations, including RCRA, DOT, FSMA, FDA, and applicable state and local requirements.
This role is responsible for rebuilding and formalizing Northstar’s enterprise-wide compliance framework. The Director will design and implement a risk-based outlet rating system that evaluates regulatory exposure across the entire vendor network — including outlets not currently subject to contractual audit requirements — enabling data-driven business decisions that balance risk protection with growth objectives. The Compliance Manager reports to the COO, and partners cross-functionally with Commodity Sales, Client Services, and Leadership to translate regulatory complexity into practical, business-aligned decision-making.
This is a strategic leadership role focused on protecting the company, strengthening client confidence, and enabling smart, risk-informed growth.
Core Responsibilities
- Develop and lead Northstar’s regulatory risk strategy across the vendor network.
- Design and implement a risk-based ranking system to assess and prioritize outlet compliance risk.
- Develop formal risk escalation protocols and present compliance risk assessments and recommendations to Executive Leadership team for decision-making.
- Build and maintain an enterprise compliance governance model that aligns audit activity, regulatory interpretation, and outlet risk ratings with commercial strategy and client commitments.
- Design a scalable compliance program that maximizes risk visibility and mitigation without unnecessary expansion of audit headcount.
- Continuously evaluate regulatory exposure and recommend mitigation strategies aligned with business objectives.
- Advise senior leadership on regulatory trends, emerging risks, and operational impact.
- Serve as the company’s lead expert on RCRA, DOT, FSMA, FDA, and relevant state and local environmental regulations.
- Interpret evolving regulatory requirements and translate them into actionable business guidance.
- Establish and maintain company policies and governance structures related to compliance and risk management.
- Provide strategic oversight of Northstar’s Quality and Environmental audit programs.
- Ensure audit activities support broader risk management objectives and client commitments.
- Lead, develop, and elevate the Audit & Regulatory team.
- Partner across departments to integrate risk evaluation into outlet selection, client solutions, and operational processes.
- Represent Northstar as a trusted compliance partner to key clients and stakeholders.
Key Qualifications
- 5-7+ years of progressive experience in environmental or regulatory compliance within the Waste & Recycling industry, including experience leading compliance programs or frameworks. Deep expertise in RCRA hazardous waste regulations required; strong working knowledge of DOT, FSMA, FDA, and state regulations.
- Experience building risk-based evaluation or compliance frameworks.
- Demonstrated leadership and team management experience.
- Strong strategic thinking and business acumen.
- Ability to translate complex regulatory requirements into clear, practical business guidance.
- Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
Position Location
This position may be based in the United States and can be fully remote or office-based within an existing Northstar location. Travel required as needed to support strategic initiatives and client or outlet engagement. Valid Driver’s License required.
DEIB Statement & Commitment
At Northstar Recycling, our company’s intention behind Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) is to create a more inclusive and equitable culture, business practices and methods of operation. As an organization, we are continuing the work that allows for unlearning, accountability, and acceptance. We are incorporating DEIB thinking in all our interactions including hiring, promotion, and retention efforts.
To hold ourselves accountable, Northstar utilizes a DEIB scorecard to measure the following performance metrics: Employee Education and Participation; Leadership Support and Investment; Data Practices; and Retention, Hiring and Promotion. Each metric is evaluated on a quarterly basis and Northstar’s progress is reviewed annually with our leadership team to drive accountability organizationally.
Northstar takes many actions to promote DEIB practices, especially as they relate to recruitment, retention, and promotion. We support our employees through educational resources and training, professional development opportunities, and formal Mentorship programs. We also offer several Affinity Groups and our DEIB Employee Resource Group (ERG).
Employee Benefits
Northstar offers a comprehensive benefits package, and provides a generous employee contribution to our health, dental, and vision insurance premiums. We offer a 401(k)-retirement plan and match 100% of your first 4% of pay contribution to the plan; this matching contribution is 100% immediately vested. We also provide company sponsored short-term, long-term, and life coverage, as well as a multitude of supplemental and voluntary benefit programs.
Northstar promotes a healthy work-life balance. In that spirit, we offer a competitive PTO package that includes vacation time, sick time, 7 observed federal holidays, 3 floating holidays, and additional time off each year for volunteer efforts.
Northstar is a remote-first organization! We offer a fully remote working environment with virtual culture and teambuilding events to create and maintain a sense of belonging, connection, and inclusivity between our team members. We also take great pride in our coaching culture! Northstar fosters professional development for employees within their roles and works to create opportunities for promotion to cultivate meaningful growth for Northstar employees.
EEOC Statement
Northstar Recycling adheres to all applicable federal, state and local laws regarding equal employment opportunity that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person's race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age (40 or older), handicap or disability, genetic information, or military status. It is also illegal to discriminate against a person because the person complained about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in an employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit.
Northstar Recycling is committed to fully complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which ensures equal opportunity for qualified persons with disabilities. Reasonable accommodation is available to all disabled employees, where their disability affects the performance of job functions.
All employment decisions are based on the merits of the situation in accordance with defined criteria, and not on the disability of the individual. The Company will follow any state or local law that provides individuals with disabilities greater protection than the federal ADA law.
