General Manager

The General Manager will be based at the Houston HQ office but will travel frequently and spend significant time at the Peoria, IL plant.

SUMMARY OF COMPANY

BioUrja Renewables, LLC is a leading manufacturer of industrial-grade, beverage-grade, and fuel-grade ethanol and co-products, located in Peoria, IL. The company operates a 135 million gallon per year production plant, which is among the largest industrial alcohol facilities in the U.S., with a long history of successful operations.

We are part of the BioUrja Group, a family-owned energy and agricultural trading, supply and distribution group headquartered in Houston, Texas and having operations across the USA, as well as in the UK, UAE, India, Singapore, and Mexico. We are proud to have been listed as one of the top four largest privately held companies in the Houston metropolitan area.

POSITION SUMMARY

The General Manager (GM) will provide overall leadership, strategic direction, and operational oversight of an ethanol production facility with a unionized workforce. The GM will be responsible for achieving safety, quality, production, cost, and environmental objectives while fostering a culture of accountability, compliance, and continuous improvement. This role will serve as the highest on-site authority, ensuring effective collaboration between management, union representatives, and employees.

The Plant Manager will report directly to this position.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership & Strategy

o Provide overall leadership for the facility, setting operational strategy aligned with corporate goals.

o Lead and develop a high-performing management team, including the Plant Manager and other functional heads.

o Champion a culture of safety, compliance, continuous improvement, and employee engagement.

Operations Oversight

o Ensure efficient and reliable plant operations, meeting or exceeding production, quality, cost, and customer requirements.

o Oversee maintenance, production, engineering, supply chain, HR and EH&S activities through direct reports.

o Approve budgets, capital investments, and production schedules.

Labor & Workforce Management

o Act as senior management liaison with union leadership, working to build constructive labor relations.

o Oversee administration of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA), ensuring compliance and fostering positive labor-management relations.

o Support the Plant Manager in day-to-day workforce management, grievance resolution, and contract interpretation.

Financial & Compliance Accountability

o Manage plant P&L performance, ensuring cost control, revenue optimization, and adherence to financial targets.

o Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations (OSHA, EPA, DOT, etc.) as well as company policies.

o Drive continuous improvement in energy efficiency, yield, and waste reduction.

Stakeholder Engagement

o Report regularly to executive leadership on plant performance, risks, and opportunities.

o Develop and maintain strong relationships with regulatory agencies, community stakeholders, and industry partners.

o Represent the plant in corporate meetings and industry forums as required.

QUALIFICATIONS

- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Operations Management, or related field (Master’s preferred). - 15+ years of progressive leadership experience in industrial operations, with at least 5 years in ethanol, biofuels, chemicals, or related process industries.

- Demonstrated experience managing in a unionized environment with a strong understanding of labor relations.

- Proven track record of driving safety, compliance, and operational excellence.

- Strong financial acumen and experience managing budgets and P&L.

- Exceptional leadership, communication, and change management skills.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

- Strategic Leadership: Ability to align plant operations with long-term business objectives.

- Labor Relations: Skilled at managing collective bargaining agreements and fostering collaboration with unions.

- Operational Excellence: Deep understanding of production processes, maintenance, and process optimization.

- Safety & Compliance Focus: Uncompromising commitment to regulatory compliance and employee well-being.

- Decision-Making & Accountability: Results-driven with the ability to make sound, timely decisions.

BENEFITS

- Competitive pay, paid time off and paid holidays

- Medical (with wellness discount), dental, vision

- Company-paid life insurance, long-term disability and, and short-term disability

- Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts

- 401(k) with Company match

- Cash Balance Retirement Plan

EEO STATEMENT

BioUrja Renewables LLC is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

BioUrja Renewables LLC participates in the E-Verify Employment Verification Program.

BioUrja Renewables LLC is not currently accepting unsolicited resumes from search firms. Regardless of past practice, all resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at BioUrja Renewables LLC, via-email, the Internet or directly to hiring managers at BioUrja Renewables LLC in any form without a valid written agreement in place for that specific position will be deemed the sole property of BioUrja Renewables LLC. As a result, no fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by BioUrja Renewables LLC.

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

- 401(k)

- 401(k) matching

- Dental insurance

- Employee assistance program

- Flexible spending account

- Health insurance

- Health savings account

- Life insurance

- Paid time off

- Vision insurance

Application Question(s):

- What are your salary requirements?

Willingness to travel:

- 75% (Preferred)

Work Location: In person