Plant Manager

NAES•South Boston, VA

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Plant Manager provides leadership and direction for all operations at the Halifax County Biomass (HCB) Project, a 49.9 MW woody biomass-fueled facility, ensuring safe, efficient, and reliable performance across fuel handling, combustion, maintenance, safety, environmental compliance, and administrative programs. The role oversees staffing, training, and personnel development while maintaining employee qualifications, engagement, and providing hands-on operational support as needed. Serving as the primary interface with the Owner, regulatory agencies, fuel suppliers, and the South Boston, Virginia community, the Plant Manager ensures compliance while supporting financial performance and promoting the facility’s role as a sustainable energy provider supporting regional power needs and local forest-based economies.

Requirements

A Bachelor of Science degree in engineering or equivalent is desired, providing a strong foundation for understanding the technical aspects of power plant operations and management. Relevant industry or military experience may be considered in lieu of education.
Extensive leadership experience in power generation, preferably within biomass, waste-to-energy, or thermal facilities, with prior Plant Manager or senior leadership experience strongly preferred.
Proven ability to lead and manage multidisciplinary teams, including operations, maintenance, technical, and hourly personnel in an industrial or power plant environment.
Strong knowledge of plant operations, including fuel handling systems, combustion processes, and maintenance practices, with the ability to support troubleshooting and optimize performance.
Demonstrated commitment to safety leadership, with experience implementing programs that address industrial hazards such as fire risk, combustible materials, and confined space operations.
Experience ensuring environmental compliance, including air permits, emissions monitoring, reporting requirements, and regulatory inspections within a power or industrial setting.
Solid understanding of power plant business operations, including budgeting, forecasting, and cost control to support efficient and financially sound plant performance.
Experience administering contracts and managing vendor relationships, including service agreements, fuel supply logistics, and contractor performance.
Proven ability to lead change initiatives, improve operational performance, and enhance workforce engagement, reliability, and overall plant efficiency.
Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to effectively engage employees, regulatory agencies, suppliers, and community representatives.
Must possess a valid, unrestricted U.S. driver’s license and ensure it remains in good standing at all times.

Responsibilities

Provide overall site leadership and governance by establishing clear expectations, reinforcing accountability, and ensuring policies and procedures align with operational objectives, regulatory requirements, and industry standards applicable to a 49.9 MW biomass facility.
Champion a proactive safety culture by promoting safe work practices, reinforcing safety expectations, and ensuring personnel remain vigilant in protecting themselves, coworkers, contractors, and the public, with emphasis on fire prevention, combustible dust hazards, and safe handling of woody biomass fuels.
Ensure compliance with environmental permits, regulatory requirements, and landowner agreements, including air quality standards, emissions monitoring, ash disposal, and preparation and timely submission of required compliance reports.
Direct and integrate core plant programs—including biomass fuel procurement and handling, operations, maintenance, safety, environmental QA/QC, training, and administrative functions—to support safe, efficient, and reliable generation.
Administer the Management of Change (MOC) program to ensure all modifications to equipment, fuel systems, combustion processes, and procedures are properly reviewed, approved, documented, and communicated prior to implementation.
Develop workforce staffing strategies and qualification frameworks, ensuring employees maintain required certifications, training, and competencies to support all operational phases.
Strengthen organizational capability by identifying skill gaps, providing coaching and career development guidance, and supporting initiatives that enhance employee engagement, morale, and retention.
Oversee performance and reliability of biomass boilers, fuel handling systems, and emissions control equipment, supporting O&M personnel, troubleshooting issues, and coordinating technical resources as needed.
Plan and execute scheduled and forced outages, including major maintenance on boilers, fuel handling, and environmental systems, optimizing schedules, resources, and scope to improve reliability and control costs.
Serve as the primary liaison to regulatory agencies, woody biomass fuel suppliers, and local community stakeholders, fostering positive relationships and promoting the facility’s role as a responsible and engaged renewable energy provider.
Administer commercial and contractual obligations, including O&M agreements, fuel supply contracts, power purchase agreements, renewable programs, interconnection requirements, and vendor agreements.
Manage plant financial performance and procurement by developing budgets, monitoring expenditures, forecasting costs, applying cost controls, and overseeing vendor performance with focus on fuel quality and availability.
Carry out and complete additional special projects and tasks as needed.