Plant Manager – Energy Recovery Facility (ERF)

Location: Ardley, UK

Contract Type: Permanent, Full Time (37.5 hours per week, Monday–Friday)

Salary: Circa £90,000 per annum + car allowance + annual bonus + comprehensive benefits package

About the Opportunity

H9 Talent Solutions are supporting a leading organisation at the forefront of resource recovery and waste transformation in the UK. This is an exciting time to join an innovative business that plays a pivotal role in supporting national climate goals, driving sustainable operations, and investing in the future of energy recovery.

An excellent opportunity has arisen for an experienced Plant Manager to take full accountability for an Energy Recovery Facility (ERF). This role is ideal for a proven leader who thrives in high-performance environments, is passionate about operational excellence, and is motivated by building a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire a dedicated site team, championing a safety-first culture and acting as the senior on-site representative.
• Drive compliance through the effective implementation of Health & Safety, Environmental, and Quality Management Plans, ensuring adherence to ISO 9001, 14001, and 45001 standards.
• Achieve and sustain operational targets for plant availability, waste throughput, and energy generation, with clear reporting against performance KPIs.
• Build a high-performing team through recruitment, development, and succession planning, fostering a culture of ownership and accountability.
• Take full responsibility for the site’s Profit & Loss, including budget preparation, cost control, variance analysis, and corrective action planning.
• Collaborate effectively with key stakeholders across Commercial, PPM, Finance, HR, and SHEQS functions to support wider business goals and contractual commitments.
• Ensure operational standards are continuously improved, working closely with central functions to implement best-in-class practices.
• Maintain rigorous compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, ensuring consistent governance across operations.

Person Specification

Essential Experience & Skills:

• Proven senior leadership experience within a large technical or operational environment.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen with experience managing P&L and budgets.
• Practical experience in implementing and maintaining corporate management systems.
• Extensive senior management background within power generation, energy recovery, or a related process industry.
• Strong track record in contract management and stakeholder engagement.

Desirable:

• Relevant engineering or technical qualification.
• Previous experience managing Energy Recovery Facilities or similar large-scale infrastructure sites.
• Demonstrable success in driving operational excellence and continuous improvement initiatives.

Why Apply?

• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Leadership role within a business driving innovation and climate-positive change.
• Significant operational responsibility with scope to shape site culture and performance.
• Opportunity to work within a supportive, forward-thinking leadership team.