Assistant Plant Manager

About The Role

The Assistant Plant Manager supports the safe, efficient, and compliant operation of the Tyrone Energy biomass / waste‑to‑energy facility. Working closely with the Plant Manager, the role focuses on day‑to‑day operational delivery, maintenance planning, and people supervision to ensure plant performance, safety, and environmental standards are consistently achieved.

This is a hands‑on operational leadership role, suited to an experienced plant or maintenance professional ready to step into a site leadership position while remaining close to the plant and equipment.

• Support the Plant Manager in the day‑to‑day running of the facility, ensuring safe and efficient operations at all times.
• Assist with workforce planning, shift coverage, and supervision of site personnel.
• Act as a point of contact for operational issues during shifts, escalating where required.
• Lead by example on site, promoting strong standards of safety, discipline, and performance.

• Support the planning, coordination, and execution of preventative maintenance activities across the plant.
• Assist in creating, maintaining, and monitoring planned maintenance (PM) schedules to maximise plant availability.
• Oversee critical spares management, stock levels, and stock‑taking activities.
• Work with maintenance teams and contractors to ensure work is completed safely, efficiently, and to required standards.
• Update and maintain records within the CMMS system, ensuring accurate tracking of maintenance activity and defects.

• Support plant improvement projects, shutdowns, and maintenance campaigns, assisting with planning, scheduling, and delivery.
• Coordinate resources and contractors for assigned projects, ensuring timelines and safety requirements are met.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives focused on safety, reliability, and operational efficiency.

• Ensure compliance with company health & safety policies, procedures, and safe systems of work.
• Actively promote a safety‑first culture and challenge unsafe behaviours.
• Support compliance with environmental operating permits and regulatory requirements.
• Assist with audits, inspections, and investigations, ensuring actions are closed out effectively.

We’re looking for someone who is a proactive, self‑motivated leader capable of supporting site leadership while managing day‑to‑day responsibilities.

• Experience in an operational or maintenance role within a heavy industrial, energy, or processing environment.
• Proven hands‑on maintenance background working with heavy plant or machinery.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to plan and prioritise work effectively.
• Confident communicator, able to supervise teams and coordinate contractors on site.
• Proactive, self‑motivated, and able to work on own initiative while supporting site leadership.

• Practical experience in biomass, waste‑to‑energy, or similar process‑driven environments.
• Working knowledge of CMMS maintenance management systems.
• Experience operating in safety‑critical and environmentally regulated environments.

We are Panda. We value waste.

We’re in the business of waste management but that doesn’t just mean collecting bins. Behind every collection is a passionate team of people finding smarter, safer, and more sustainable ways to recycle and repurpose materials that would otherwise go to waste.

Over the past 30 years, Panda has grown into a leading resource recovery business, bringing together almost 3,000 people across multiple brands, united by a shared vision and strong values. While our operations are diverse, our purpose is clear: to protect our people, support our customers, and create positive impact for the communities and environments we serve.

At Panda,
people are at the heart of everything we do
. We work as one team, combining different skills, experiences, and perspectives to achieve shared goals. We care for each other’s wellbeing, encourage development, and support growth because we know we’re stronger together.

We…