The Ethanol Production Manager is responsible for end-to-end operational leadership of a cassava-based ethanol production facility. The role ensures safe, efficient, and cost-effective production by managing feedstock intake, fermentation, distillation, utilities, quality, and people performance to consistently achieve production, quality, and compliance targets
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Overall Plant Operations
- Provide day-to-day leadership and control of the entire ethanol production process, from cassava feedstock handling through fermentation, distillation, and final product output.
- Ensure stable plant operations, optimal throughout, and minimal unplanned downtime.
Feedstock Management
- Ensure continuous availability and quality of cassava feedstock in line with production requirements.
- Collaborate closely with procurement, logistics, and suppliers to plan timely sourcing and mitigate supply risks.
- Monitor feedstock quality parameters and adjust process inputs to maintain optimal conversion efficiency.
Process Operations & Optimization
- Oversee and continuously improve the core production stages:
- Milling and mash preparation
- Fermentation
- Distillation and dehydration
- Drive process control discipline to maximise ethanol yield, conversion efficiency, and product consistency.
- Identify process losses, bottlenecks, and variability, and implement corrective and preventive actions.
Chemical & Consumables Management
- Monitor usage of process chemicals, enzymes, yeast, and additives to ensure optimal dosing and cost efficiency.
- Coordinate with procurement to maintain adequate inventory levels and avoid production interruptions.
Utilities & By-Product Operations
- Ensure safe and effective operation of supporting systems, including:
- CO₂ recovery systems
- Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP)
- Water Treatment Plant (WTP)
- Steam, power, and compressed air systems
- Ensure by-products and waste streams comply with environmental and regulatory requirements.
Production Planning, KPIs & Continuous Improvement
- Develop and execute production plans aligned with demand forecasts and plant capacity.
- Monitor and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) including:
- Yield and conversion efficiency
- Throughput and capacity utilisation
- Process losses and downtime
- Energy and water efficiency
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives to enhance productivity, reduce waste, and improve operating costs.
Quality, Safety & Compliance
- Ensure compliance with quality standards, safety procedures, and environmental regulations.
- Enforce adherence to SOPs, process controls, and statutory requirements.
- Lead and support audits, inspections, and corrective action programmes.
Team Leadership & Workforce Development
- Lead, coach, and supervise production operators, shift supervisors, and supporting staff.
- Build a performance-driven culture focused on safety, accountability, and operational excellence.
- Ensure appropriate training, skill development, and succession planning within the team.
Maintenance Coordination
- Work closely with maintenance and engineering teams to ensure equipment reliability and asset integrity.
- Plan and coordinate preventive maintenance and shutdown activities to minimise disruptions.
- Provide operational input into maintenance prioritisation and root cause analysis of equipment failures.
Plant Efficiency & Performance Excellence
- Drive high fermentation efficiency by optimising feedstock conversion and minimising process variability.
- Ensure consistent distillation performance to meet ethanol quality and yield specifications.
- Champion operational excellence practices across the plant.
Educational Qualifications/Key Competencies: :
- Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related discipline.
- Minimum 7–10 years experience in ethanol, biofuels, starch processing, distillation, or related process industries.
- Prior experience managing production teams and shift operations in a manufacturing plant.
- Exposure to lean manufacturing, TPM, or continuous improvement frameworks is an advantage.
- Strong knowledge of ethanol production processes, particularly cassava or starch based feedstocks.
- Understanding of fermentation science, distillation operations, and process chemistry.
- Knowledge of utilities systems (steam, water, ETP/WTP, CO₂ recovery).
- Familiarity with health, safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements in process manufacturing.
- Working knowledge of production planning, quality systems, and operational KPIs.
Skills/Abilities
- Proven operations and production management skills in a continuous or batch processing environment.
- Strong analytical and problem solving skills with the ability to optimise complex processes.
- Effective leadership, communication, and people management skills.
- Ability to interpret process data, trends, and reports to drive performance improvement.
- Strong coordination skills across production, maintenance, procurement, and quality functions
- Ability to lead teams in a high intensity, industrial operating environment.
- Ability to make timely, sound operational decisions under production pressure.
- Ability to drive continuous improvement and enforce process discipline.
- Ability to balance safety, quality, cost, and output objectives simultaneously.
- Ability to work hands on while maintaining a clear operational and strategic overview
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