RNG Plant Manager

📍LaSalle, Colorado

💼 Full-Time | Senior Site Leadership Role

AD Energy Recruitment is exclusively partnering with a well-capitalised Renewable Natural Gas developer and owner-operator to appoint a Plant Manager for a large-scale dairy manure anaerobic digestion facility producing pipeline-quality RNG.

This is a technically demanding, senior operational leadership role with full accountability for the safe, compliant, and profitable operation of a live biological process plant. The facility integrates anaerobic digestion, biogas handling, upgrading, and balance-of-plant systems and operates in a regulated environmental and safety-critical environment.

The Plant Manager will function as the senior on-site authority, responsible for plant performance, people leadership, regulatory compliance, asset integrity, and continuous operational optimisation.

Role Overview

As Plant Manager, you will take end-to-end ownership of all plant operations, including digestion performance, gas production, maintenance strategy, safety systems, environmental compliance, and cost control.

This role requires a deep understanding of anaerobic digestion biology, mechanical and electrical systems, gas upgrading technology, and industrial maintenance practices, combined with strong leadership and financial acumen.

You will lead operators, technicians, and maintenance personnel while working closely with engineering, development, finance, and senior leadership teams.

Core Responsibilities

Operations & Process Performance

• Establish and execute operational policies, procedures, and performance standards for anaerobic digesters, gas handling, and RNG upgrading systems
• Oversee digester biology, feedstock management, loading rates, retention times, temperature control, and process stability
• Monitor biogas production, methane content, gas quality, and system availability to maximise RNG output
• Identify and troubleshoot process upsets, mechanical failures, and biological instability
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on uptime, efficiency, and yield optimisation

Maintenance & Asset Integrity

• Lead preventive and corrective maintenance programs across mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation systems
• Ensure reliability of critical assets including digesters, mixers, pumps, compressors, blowers, upgrading skids, and balance-of-plant equipment
• Manage spare parts strategy, critical inventory, and maintenance planning
• Review root cause analysis and implement long-term corrective actions

Health, Safety & Environmental Compliance

• Own site-wide safety culture and ensure full compliance with OSHA and company HSE standards
• Ensure all required safety training, emergency response plans, and permit systems are implemented and maintained
• Maintain compliance with environmental permits, reporting requirements, and inspections
• Act as primary site interface for regulators, inspectors, insurers, and auditors

People Leadership & Workforce Development

• Directly lead and develop plant operators, technicians, and mechanics
• Establish clear annual goals, performance objectives, and development plans
• Identify skills gaps and implement training programs to maintain a technically competent workforce
• Foster a hands-on, accountable, and safety-first operational culture

Financial & Budget Ownership

• Develop, manage, and control plant operating and capital budgets
• Review and approve operational expenditure within authorised limits
• Justify and recommend capital improvement projects
• Monitor cost performance and implement corrective actions as required
• Prepare and present monthly and annual operating and financial reports to stakeholders

Stakeholder & Business Interface

• Provide regular operational updates to senior leadership and ownership groups
• Participate in management meetings, operational reviews, and technical discussions
• Provide operational input into new project development, expansions, and facility upgrades
• Support functional design reviews, layout optimisation, and constructability input

Experience & Technical Profile

We are keen to speak with candidates who bring:

• 8+ years of hands-on experience managing anaerobic digestion, biogas, or RNG facilities
• Strong technical understanding of manure-based digesters, biogas systems, and upgrading technologies
• Proven experience operating within regulated industrial or environmental environments
• Demonstrated leadership of multidisciplinary site teams
• Experience managing plant budgets, OPEX/CAPEX, and performance reporting
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability across biological and mechanical systems

A Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Science, or a related field is preferred, though substantial plant leadership experience will be considered.

Package & Benefits

• Competitive base salary
• Annual performance-based incentive bonus
• Relocation support (where applicable)
• Comprehensive medical and dental coverage
• 401k retirement plan with company match
• Paid time off and holidays
• Long-term career progression within a growing RNG platform