Plant Operations Manager / Plant Head - Bio-CNG (CBG)

Plant Manager / Plant Head – Bio-CNG (CBG) Operations

Industry: Bio-CNG / Compressed Biogas (CBG) / Renewable Energy

Experience: 5–15 Years

Qualification: Diploma / B.Tech / M.Tech in Chemical Engineering or M.Sc. Chemistry

Reporting To: Managing Director / CEO / Business Head (based on level) [ Bio Gas JD | ]

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Plant Operations Leader to oversee the safe, efficient, and profitable operation of a Bio-CNG (CBG) Plant. The role is suitable for professionals at the Manager, Senior Manager, Plant Head, GM, or VP level, with responsibilities aligned to experience and capability. The incumbent will drive production excellence, safety compliance, maintenance reliability, team leadership, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

Plant Operations Management

• Lead end-to-end plant operations including feedstock handling, anaerobic digestion, biogas upgrading, compression, storage, and dispatch.
• Ensure achievement of production targets, methane purity standards, gas yield, and plant uptime KPIs.
• Review operational performance and implement corrective actions for process deviations.
• Drive operational excellence through SOP compliance and process optimization.

Maintenance & Asset Reliability

• Oversee preventive, predictive, and breakdown maintenance activities.
• Ensure reliability of digesters, pumps, agitators, blowers, compressors, gas analyzers, and purification systems.
• Coordinate annual shutdowns, equipment overhauls, and vendor support activities.
• Optimize maintenance costs while maximizing equipment availability.

Safety, Health & Environment (HSE)

• Ensure compliance with all plant safety standards and regulatory requirements.
• Lead safety audits, incident investigations, emergency response preparedness, and risk assessments.
• Enforce PPE usage, permit-to-work systems, gas detection protocols, and safe operating practices.
• Ensure compliance with applicable statutory and environmental regulations.

Feedstock & Inventory Management

• Manage feedstock sourcing, receipt, storage, quality monitoring, and consumption.
• Coordinate with suppliers, transporters, and logistics partners to ensure uninterrupted operations.
• Oversee digestate/FOM handling, storage, and dispatch.
• Monitor inventory levels of feedstock, chemicals, consumables, and spare parts.

Team Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Lead and develop operations, maintenance, and shift teams.
• Drive workforce productivity, training, succession planning, and employee engagement.
• Coordinate with procurement, finance, commercial, logistics, and regulatory stakeholders.
• Foster a culture of accountability, safety, and continuous improvement.

Reporting, Compliance & Documentation

• Monitor plant KPIs, production reports, downtime analysis, and operational MIS.
• Maintain statutory, quality, operational, and audit documentation.
• Support management reviews, inspections, certifications, and compliance audits.
• Present operational performance dashboards and improvement plans to leadership.

Cost Optimization & Continuous Improvement

• Drive initiatives to improve gas yield, plant efficiency, and resource utilization.
• Reduce power, water, chemical, and feedstock consumption.
• Implement process improvement and energy-efficiency projects.
• Support expansion, debottlenecking, automation, and technology-upgradation initiatives.

Desired Candidate Profile

• 5–15 years of experience in Bio-CNG, Biogas, Renewable Energy, Chemical, Fertilizer, Petrochemical, Oil & Gas, or Process Industries.
• Strong understanding of anaerobic digestion, gas purification, compression systems, and utilities.
• Experience in plant operations, maintenance management, safety compliance, and team leadership.
• Knowledge of regulatory and environmental compliance requirements.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills.