Anaerobic Digestion Plant Manager

Grosvenor Farms Limited (GFL) are one of the UK's leading dairy and arable farms, working by the principles of regenerative agriculture and circular farming, to produce high-quality foods and renewable energy in a commercially and environmentally sustainable way.

Located on Grosvenor's Eaton Estate, Cheshire, we produce over 34million litres of fresh milk a year - enough for 465,000 people every day - and are long-term suppliers to both Tesco and Muller. We also grow around 45,000 tonnes of forage for animal feed and 4,500 tonnes of grains.

Building on this approach, a new initiative, Grosvenor Green Gas (GGG) will see us produce National Grid-ready biomethane from recycled agricultural waste, supplying enough renewable gas to heat around 6,000 homes a year and strengthening the UK's energy resilience. With one of the lowest carbon footprints for milk production in the UK, we aim to become carbon net zero by 2030, delivering our commitment in a holistic way that benefits the economic, social, and environmental wellbeing of the communities we are part of.

For further details please visit Grosvenor | Renewable energy production

The role

Grosvenor Green Gas is seeking an experienced Anaerobic Digestion Plant Manager to lead the safe, compliant and high-performing operation of our biomethane-to-grid facility in Cheshire.

This is a key site leadership role with responsibility for ensuring the facility delivers reliable, grid-specification biomethane production while meeting our exacting standards for safety, environmental stewardship, governance and long-term asset performance.

As the Responsible Site Lead, you will provide clear operational leadership, develop a skilled and safety-focused team, and ensure that the facility achieves its commercial objectives while remaining fully compliant with statutory requirements and internal governance standards. You will also support Grosvenor’s wider sustainability and net zero objectives.

What you will be doing

• Be accountable for the full day to day running of a brand new anaerobic digestion plant which is currently in construction
• Recruit, manage and develop a best-in-class Operations Team to run the asset
• Ensure the safe transition of the site from construction to commissioning and into operations
• Ensure full regulatory compliance with the EA and external parties
• Be the main point of contact for all compliance and external provider communications, ie the technology providers, gas network operator and service providers
• Optimise the plant through any reasonable means possible
• Ensure biomethane injection meets all standards and codes, optimising yield at all times
• Work with the team, when recruited, to ensure a continuous improvement mindset and to ensure professional development for the team
• Work with the farming and feedstock team to ensure the feedstock if of good quality, comes in good quantity and is planned for feeding accurately
• Have full control of the asset’s P&L and profitability
• Participate in standard operational duties when required
• Attend out of hours alarms when required
• Other duties as required

About you

You will have strong operational leadership experience and a detailed understanding of anaerobic digestion processes. You will also be comfortable working in a highly regulated, safety-critical environment.

Essential experience

• Experience of managing a large anaerobic digestion plant.
• Strong knowledge of anaerobic digestion biology and process optimisation.
• An understanding of high-pressure gas systems.
• Working knowledge of UK gas safety requirements, environmental permitting and health and safety legislation.
• Experience of working within formal governance, audit and reporting frameworks.
• The ability to lead, develop and motivate a multidisciplinary operational team.
• A relevant technical qualification or equivalent operational experience in anaerobic digestion, gas or process engineering.

Desirable experience and qualifications

• Experience of biomethane grid injection.
• Direct experience of working with gas network operators.
• Experience of working with an estate or institutional asset owner.
• Knowledge of biomethane support schemes and associated compliance reporting.
• Agricultural or land-based operational experience.
• A degree, HNC or HND in engineering, environmental science or a related discipline.
• An IOSH or NEBOSH qualification.
• BOAS, WAMITAB or another relevant industry certification.

Working arrangements

This is a site-based role at the Grosvenor Green Gas Facility in Cheshire. The postholder will participate in on-call arrangements and must be comfortable working within a safety-critical operational environment.

Why join us?

This is an opportunity to lead a strategically important renewable energy facility and make a direct contribution to safe, sustainable and commercially effective biomethane production.

You will have the scope to shape the site team, influence operational standards and contribute to the long-term development, resilience and profitability of the facility.

We offer a competitive salary, a very generous non-contributory pension, and other benefits and discounts via our employee benefits platform.

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