Founding Plant Director in Ellesmere Port

Location - Ellesmere Port, Protos Park, Cheshire, United Kingdom

£90,000 - £120,000 per annum + comprehensive Benefits & Performance Incentives

About Enviroo

Enviroo is a UK‑based recycling pioneer driving innovation in sustainable manufacturing. Our mission is to accelerate the circular economy by transforming used plastic bottles into high‑quality, food‑grade recycled PET (rPET). We are developing our first state‑of‑the‑art recycling facility in Ellesmere Port that will set new national standards for efficiency, environmental performance, and product excellence processing 30,000 tonnes pa.

Why Join Enviroo

• This is more than a plant management role — it is a one‑of‑a‑kind opportunity to shape Britain's sustainability future.
• Help lead one of the UK's most ambitious and leading circular economy manufacturing projects as the Founding Plant Director.
• Join at build stage and shape the facility, operational culture, and talent strategy of the entire organisation from day one.
• Create measurable environmental impact and help deliver critical national infrastructure supporting net‑zero targets.
• Shape the talent and culture of a growing organisation — exploring innovative ways to attract, hire, develop, and retain exceptional people.

The Role

As the Founding Plant Director, you will take full accountability for the operational performance of Enviroo's flagship recycling facility, overseeing every stage from material intake to high‑quality rPET output. Your leadership will ensure the plant operates safely, efficiently, and in full alignment with our ambitious environmental, sustainability, and commercial objectives.

Key Performance Areas

• Safety: Zero‑harm culture, LTI/MTI/FAI rates, near‑miss reporting, safety conversations.
• Environment: Full EA compliance, CAR scores, environmental incidents, audit performance.
• Quality: Food‑grade rPET standards, Right First Time (RFT) %, customer complaints, audit scores.
• Production: Yield %, output tonnage, downtime %, planned maintenance adherence.
• Cost to Produce (per tonne): Total conversion cost, energy, R&M, labour cost optimisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure full compliance with all safety, environmental, and quality legislation while building a culture of accountability and best‑in‑class performance.
• Lead all operational activities across the rPET recycling facility — from sorting and washing to extrusion and decontamination — ensuring efficient, safe, and reliable production.
• Build and empower a high‑performing, values‑driven team that embodies Enviroo's commitment to excellence and continuous improvement.
• Drive continuous improvement in efficiency, yield, quality, and cost‑to‑produce through disciplined operations management and structured problem‑solving.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally to align plant operations with company ESG and net‑zero objectives.
• Manage budgets and resources responsibly, ensuring operational efficiency, cost control, and long‑term asset reliability.
• Represent Enviroo externally, building strong relationships with partners, regulators, and the local community.

Essential Experience & Attributes

• Strong, demonstrable commitment to Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) with a deep understanding of legislative and regulatory compliance.
• Proven experience managing operations within recycling, waste management, or manufacturing environments — ideally large‑scale continuous processing.
• Commercially and analytically minded — able to interpret operational data, set ambitious KPIs, and translate insights into measurable improvements.
• Genuine passion for sustainability, the circular economy, and delivering positive environmental outcomes.

Desirable Qualifications & Experience

• Degree‑level qualification in Engineering, Manufacturing, Chemical, Environmental or related discipline (or equivalent experience).
• Experience in commissioning or scaling up new production facilities (ideally recycling, packaging or process manufacturing).
• Knowledge of ISO standards (9001, 14001, 45001) and integrated management systems.
• Familiarity with ESG reporting frameworks and sustainability performance metrics.
• Continuous improvement expertise (Lean, Six Sigma, TPM or equivalent).
• Strong stakeholder management skills — confident representing the business to partners, regulators and community stakeholders.

The Package

• Base Salary: £90,000 - £120,000 per annum (dependent on experience).
• Performance Bonus: Annual bonus linked to site KPIs and company performance.
• Pension & Benefits: Generous pension scheme, private medical insurance, life assurance, and wellness support.
• Long‑term Incentives: Equity participation / LTIP available for the right candidate.
• Autonomy & Impact: Significant strategic influence and visible leadership in a purpose‑driven, high‑growth business.
• Relocation Support: A comprehensive relocation package is available.
• Holiday: 25 days plus 8‑day bank holidays.
• Working Pattern: Full‑time, site‑based at Ellesmere Port.

How to Apply

To apply, please press the “Apply now” button on this page or for a confidential discussion about this exceptional opportunity, please contact Trek Recruitment Ltd directly.