Director of Operations and Maintenance

Director of Operations and Maintenance

Location: Spain, Italy, or Portugal

Sector: Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) / Biogas / Waste-to-Value

Level: Director / Senior Operations Leadership

About the Company

Our client is a global leader in sustainable solutions that transform waste into renewable energy and valuable resources. With a growing footprint across Europe, the company designs, builds, owns, and operates advanced facilities for the treatment of organic waste, wastewater, and biosolids — producing clean energy, renewable fuels, and recovered materials for a circular economy.

Role Overview

The Director of Operations and Maintenance will take full ownership of plant operations, performance, and maintenance across the company’s renewable gas facilities in Spain, Italy, and Portugal.

This senior leadership role is responsible for driving operational excellence, overseeing preventive and corrective maintenance programs, managing shutdown and turnaround activities, and ensuring optimal plant uptime, safety, and reliability. The successful candidate will lead multi-site operations teams and play a key role in the company’s continued regional growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead all Operations and Maintenance (O&M) activities across multiple renewable gas and waste-to-value facilities in Southern Europe.
• Ensure safe, efficient, and reliable plant operations through structured maintenance and performance management.
• Develop and implement preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance strategies, including oversight of planned shutdowns and turnarounds.
• Define and track operational KPIs aligned with corporate objectives and regulatory compliance.
• Lead and mentor plant managers, engineers, and technical teams — building a culture focused on safety, quality, and accountability.
• Support new plant commissioning, start-up, and smooth transition into operational control.
• Manage O&M budgets, CAPEX/OPEX, and drive efficiency improvements.
• Oversee environmental, health, and safety (EHS) compliance across all facilities.
• Collaborate closely with project execution, engineering, and commercial departments to ensure seamless operations integration.
• Report regularly on performance, risks, and opportunities to the executive leadership team.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, or Process Engineering (or a related technical field).
• 10+ years of experience in industrial plant operations and maintenance, ideally in biogas, wastewater, waste-to-energy, or chemical process industries.
• Proven experience leading multi-site operations at a Director or senior O&M leadership level.
• Strong technical expertise in anaerobic digestion, gas upgrading, utilities, and process control systems.
• Demonstrated success managing maintenance programs, shutdowns, and turnarounds.
• Deep understanding of EHS and environmental compliance requirements.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Fluent in English; additional proficiency in Spanish, Italian, or Portuguese is highly desirable.
• Willingness to travel regularly across Southern Europe.

Why This Role?

This is a rare opportunity to join a market-leading renewable energy company driving the decarbonization of Europe’s waste and energy sectors. You’ll play a pivotal role in shaping operational performance, ensuring long-term reliability, and leading high-performing teams across one of the most dynamic growth regions in the renewable gas market.