Job Description

Our client is a U.S.-based manufacturer of high-performance fuels engineered for sustainability and efficiency. Their proprietary products are used across hospitality, manufacturing, and retail sectors to meet their performance and sustainability goals. With headquarters in North Central WV, our client is rapidly scaling and commissioning its first U.S.-based production facility to meet growing national and global demand.

Position Summary

The Plant Manager will oversee all aspects of production, maintenance, and logistics at the company’s flagship manufacturing facility. This role is critical to the company’s operations and overall success, ensuring that manufacturing activities align with the highest standards of safety, quality, and efficiency. The ideal candidate will be a hands-on leader who thrives in a fast-paced, startup-like environment, possesses strong organizational skills, and is passionate about building high-performing teams and scalable systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead daily plant operations, including production, maintenance, and logistics.
• Establish and enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs), safety protocols, and quality standards.
• Maintain production schedules and ensure targets are met on time and within budget.
• Recruit, train, and manage plant personnel; foster a culture of professionalism, accountability, and safety.
• Drive process improvements to increase operational efficiency and minimize downtime.
• Oversee budget planning, cost control, and performance tracking across all plant functions.
• Ensure compliance with all local, state, and federal environmental and safety regulations.
• Serve as a critical liaison between executive leadership and the production floor.
• Lead commissioning of the new production facility and transition to full-scale operations.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with leadership on strategic planning and resource needs.

Success Metrics

• Efficient and safe launch of full-scale production within the first 90 days.
• Alignment of production outputs with sales goals and strategic milestones.
• Measurable improvements in productivity, quality, and cost efficiency over 12 months.
• Strong team culture and effective workforce planning.
• Proactive problem-solving, ownership of results, and consistent adherence to company values.

Required Qualifications

• Proven experience managing teams in a production, manufacturing, or industrial operations environment.
• Strong leadership and communication skills; capable of motivating and mentoring teams.
• Demonstrated ability to manage operational complexity, budgets, and continuous improvement efforts.
• Hands-on problem solver with a “get it done” mindset and willingness to “get your hands dirty.”
• Familiarity with safety, environmental compliance, and quality control systems.

Preferred Attributes

• Experience in wood processing is strongly preferred.
• Track record of successful plant commissioning or scale-up projects.
• High integrity, humility, and commitment to team success over individual ego.

Work Environment

This is a fully onsite role located in North Central West Virginia. The ideal candidate will be embedded in the day-to-day operations and actively involved in the launch and long-term success of the plant.

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