General Manager - Severn Wye Biochar in Warrington

The General Manager will lead Severn Wye Biochar to operational excellence and sustainable financial success. This is a rare and exciting opportunity to be at the forefront of a rapidly emerging sector—producing renewable energy while actively capturing carbon and helping to reshape how energy is generated in the UK.

As a key leader in this pioneering business, you will play a central role in taking the plant from commissioning through to full operation. You will drive the development and implementation of efficient working practices, optimise technical performance, and ensure the plant operates safely, cost-effectively and profitably.

You will oversee relationships with subcontractors, suppliers and offtakers, ensuring consistently high standards of product quality and service delivery. Reporting directly to the Board of Directors, you will work closely with them to define strategic priorities and support the long-term growth and evolution of the business.

We are seeking an ambitious, technically strong leader with the vision and capability to build and guide a team in a business that has the potential to transform the energy landscape. You will bring robust technical expertise, strong attention to detail, and a commitment to maintaining the highest standards of safety, efficiency and operational performance.

Purpose of the Role

The General Manager will have overall responsibility for the successful operation, management, growth and reputation of the Severn Wye Biochar plant in Warrington. The role will ensure that the plant operates safely, efficiently and profitably, meets all statutory and accreditation requirements, and is recognised as a leading project within the biochar and carbon capture sectors.

Working closely with the Board of Directors, the postholder will lead operational delivery while supporting commercial development, accreditation, and external partnerships.

Key Responsibilities

• Plant Operations and Compliance: Provide overall leadership and day-to-day management of the biochar plant, ensuring safe, efficient and cost-effective operation. Ensure full compliance with health and safety legislation, environmental permits, industry standards and all other relevant legal requirements. Develop, implement and maintain operational policies, procedures and performance standards. Monitor plant performance, production output and quality, ensuring the facility operates at full capacity.
• People Management: Recruit, manage and develop operational staff to support safe and efficient plant operations. Ensure all staff receive appropriate induction, training and ongoing support, particularly in relation to health and safety and operational best practice. Foster a positive safety culture and high-performing team environment. Manage staff performance, wellbeing and development in line with organisational values and policies.
• Commercial and Contract Management: Manage contracts with feedstock suppliers, service providers and offtakers, ensuring delivery to agreed quality standards, timescales and commercial terms. Identify and secure additional contracts and commercial opportunities where required to support plant performance and growth. Work with the Board of Directors to secure and maintain contracts for biochar sales, carbon credits and energy offtake.
• Accreditation and Assurance: Work with the Board of Directors to achieve and maintain all required accreditations and certifications relating to the biochar plant, including (but not limited to) carbon accreditation and biochar certification. Ensure robust monitoring, reporting and verification processes are in place to support accreditation, auditing and stakeholder confidence.
• Partnerships, Profile and Sector Engagement: Build strong partnerships and collaborative relationships within the biochar, carbon capture and wider low-carbon sectors. Represent Severn Wye Biochar externally with partners, suppliers, offtakers, regulators and industry bodies. Promote the Severn Wye Biochar project to ensure it is recognised as a credible, high-quality and innovative operator within the sector.
• Governance and Reporting: Provide clear, accurate and timely reports to the Board of Directors on operational, financial, H&S and commercial performance. Support strategic planning and continuous improvement initiatives in line with the organisation’s objectives.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria:

• Management experience in an operational, industrial or processing environment.
• Proven responsibility for health, safety and regulatory compliance.
• Experience of managing staff, including recruitment, training and performance management.
• Demonstrable experience of contract management, including suppliers and customers/offtakers.
• Experience of working with senior stakeholders.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Strong understanding of health and safety management systems and legal compliance.
• Commercial awareness, with the ability to balance operational performance, cost control and revenue generation.
• Excellent leadership and people-management skills.
• Strong negotiation, communication and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-moving and technically complex environment.

Personal Attributes:

• Credible, confident and professional, able to represent the organisation externally.
• Proactive and solutions-focused, with strong problem-solving skills.
• High levels of integrity, accountability and attention to detail.
• Commitment to sustainability, environmental responsibility and continuous improvement.

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience in the biochar, carbon capture, renewable energy, waste, or environmental sectors.
• Experience of working with accreditation, certification or carbon credit schemes.
• Technical understanding of plant-based or thermal processing technologies (e.g. pyrolysis).
• Experience of operating within a regulated environmental or industrial framework.

Applying:

If you are interested in applying, please send your CV and a covering letter of not more than two pages outlining your interest in the role and how you meet the person specification to Sandy Ruthven at hr@severnwye.org.uk.

Equality: We are committed to improving the diversity of our team and therefore guarantee an interview to candidates from ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ or disabled communities who meet the essential job criteria, recognising that these are under-represented at Severn Wye. However, we will always appoint the candidate who best satisfies the job description and person specification.