Plant Manager, Elkhart
Evergreen Grease Enterprises
Company: Evergreen Grease Enterprises — this role also directly supports Evergreen Grease Service (EGS)
Job Status: Full-Time
FLSA Status: Exempt
Reports To: President
Supervises: Directly runs the Elkhart site and its crew day to day. This is a single-site, hands-on leadership role — the entire job is Elkhart, not a multi-site portfolio.
Work Schedule: Hands-on, on-site at Elkhart daily; hours will fluctuate based on build needs, with on-call, evening, and weekend availability required
Location: On-site, hands-on at Elkhart, IN. This role is 100% focused on Elkhart.
Travel Requirements: ~%25 — the priority is being present and hands-on at Elkhart every day
Compensation: Commensurate with experience; bonus structure tied to build milestones and KPI performance
Role Summary
The Plant Manager, Elkhart is 100% focused on one thing: building Elkhart into a fully functioning facility. This is not a caretaker role, and it is not an oversight role — it is a builder's role. The person in this seat is on the floor, in the yard, and hands-on every day, standing up the processes and infrastructure that don't fully exist yet.
We're looking for someone hungry and energetic who wants to put their own stamp on a facility — build it, own it, and be able to point to what they built. There is real room to grow into broader leadership and responsibility as Elkhart matures and the company scales beyond it. But right now, and for the next 6 months to a year, this job is full steam ahead on the build. Nothing else competes with that priority.
The Build — What You're Really Walking Into
Elkhart is not a finished operation waiting for someone to run it. It is a project under active construction, and it will be under active construction for the next 2 to 3 years. This is not a turn-key role, and this person is not stepping into a previously defined seat. A meaningful part of the job is figuring out what the job is, alongside the President, as the site takes shape.
We are potential. We are opportunity. This is a chance for someone to put their own stamp on something real — to build the systems, standards, and team from scratch, not inherit and maintain someone else's.
What This Role Is Not
- This is not a desk job. This role does not sit around producing reports and dashboards. The work happens on the floor and in the yard, not behind a monitor. If cleaning a toilet or turning a wrench is beneath you, this job is likely not for you.
- This is not a “tell other people what to do” job. We manage process, not people from a distance. Directing from the sideline is not leadership here — being in it with the crew is.
- This is a lead-from-the-front job. Get in there with the team and make sure it gets done — personally, not by proxy.
Elkhart Build Priorities (First 6–12 Months)
This role exists to hit a specific set of build milestones at Elkhart. The full list is still being finalized with the President, but these are the non-negotiable starting points — nothing else on this job description matters until these are functioning:
1. Functioning Grease Processing
- Collection Truck Offloading — stand up a reliable, repeatable process for offloading collection trucks.
- Grease Heating — get the grease heating system operational and running at target throughput.
2. Functioning Tank Farm
- Stand up a fully operational tank farm — inventory tracking, safe operation, and reliable capacity.
3. Functioning Water Disposal
- Stand up a compliant, functioning water disposal process for the site.
This list will evolve as the build progresses and as priorities are finalized with the President — the person in this role should expect it to change and be comfortable helping shape it, not waiting for a finished version.
About Us
Evergreen has been a leader in the used cooking oil and grease recycling industry for 30 years, beginning with our first facility in Adrian, Michigan. We provide prompt, reliable service and used cooking oil recycling expertise, with a commitment to serving our communities. Used cooking oil and other Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG) are brought to our facilities for processing into feedstocks used in renewable fuel production, including biodiesel. Evergreen offers bundled services including Used Cooking Oil Collection, Industrial Byproduct Waste Management, Grease Trap Service, and Interceptor Cleaning.
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Early Morning
You're on-site at Elkhart, walking the yard, checking overnight progress, and reviewing the crew schedule before the first truck rolls in. Hands-on issues — an offloading snag, a tank farm build item, a coverage gap — get handled by you, in person, alongside the team.
Core Build Hours
You're running Elkhart's build directly — working alongside the crew on truck offloading, grease heating, tank farm, and water disposal build-out; troubleshooting equipment; and tracking progress against the build priorities. Some days include updating the President on where the build stands.
After Hours & Weekends
Elkhart's on-call structure is built and followed. You're reachable for true escalations, and still hands-on when something needs to get done tonight — especially during this build phase, when a lot still isn't fully automated or documented.
Core Responsibilities
Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this role at any time.
1. Grease Processing Build & Operation — Collection Truck Offloading & Heating
- Design, build, and stand up a reliable collection truck offloading process — the equipment, the flow, and the crew routine around it.
- Get the grease heating system operational, running safely, and hitting target throughput.
- Own hands-on troubleshooting of offloading and heating equipment as issues come up — this is done alongside the crew, not delegated away.
- Document the process as it's built, so it survives beyond you and can be trained to others.
2. Tank Farm Build & Operation
- Build out a fully functioning tank farm — safe operation, accurate inventory tracking, and reliable capacity management.
- Own preventative maintenance planning for tanks, pumps, hoses, and related infrastructure as it's stood up.
- Be the first responder for tank farm issues, safety incidents, and time-sensitive problems.
3. Water Disposal Build & Operation
- Stand up a compliant, functioning water disposal process for the site.
- Represent the company with government agencies on water disposal permitting and compliance.
- Own ongoing compliance and documentation once the process is operational.
4. Elkhart Site Leadership — Hands-On
- Serve as the day-to-day, on-the-ground leader of the Elkhart site — not a remote overseer, and not a desk-bound one. Direct the process, not just the people.
- Conduct daily walkthroughs of the Elkhart facility and yard; personally verify PPE compliance, equipment condition, and work area cleanliness.
- Directly manage and schedule the Elkhart crew, stepping in to cover gaps or resolve issues in person when needed.
- Maintain OSHA/MIOSHA/IOSHA-compliant, clean, and audit-ready conditions at the site as it's built out — no exceptions.
5. Process Documentation & Reporting
- Document systems and procedures as they're built — right now, most of this doesn't exist yet, so this role is the one creating it, not just maintaining it.
- Report build progress and operational performance to the President on a defined cadence, with a clear point of view on what needs to happen next.
- Identify broken, manual, or inefficient workflows as they're discovered during the build, and drive the fix — not just flag it.
6. Growth Path
- As Elkhart matures and hits its build priorities, there is real room to grow into broader leadership and responsibility, potentially including a role in supporting other sites as the company scales. That is not the scope of this role today — today, the scope is Elkhart.
Qualifications
Required
- Comfortable operating without a fully defined process or playbook — this role is being built, not inherited, and requires someone who can create structure rather than wait for it.
- Hands-on experience standing up, commissioning, or significantly rebuilding an industrial or processing facility — trucks, tanks, or fluid/waste handling systems.
- Working knowledge of grease/FOG, fluid handling, or similar industrial processing systems preferred.
- Strong knowledge of OSHA/MIOSHA/IOSHA safety compliance and experience leading safety practices on the floor.
- Comfortable being evaluated against measurable build milestones and KPIs; does not require daily supervision to perform.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to represent the company with government agencies, vendors, and customers.
- Bachelor's degree is a plus but not required — hands-on operational experience matters more than a diploma; 8–10+ years of equivalent, relevant experience is fully acceptable in its place.
- Proficient with Microsoft Office and basic process/project documentation tools.
- Ability to work outdoors in all weather conditions and to physically perform hands-on tasks.
- Valid driver's license required.
Strongly Preferred
- Background in process or plant startup / commissioning.
- Background in field service, waste management, industrial fluid handling, or the FOG/UCO industry.
- A track record of building something from scratch — a process, a team, or a facility — not just managing something that already existed.
- Mechanical or Industrial Engineering background a plus.
Position Dimensions
Employees Supervised: Direct, hands-on management of the Elkhart site crew
Budgetary Responsibility: Yes — Elkhart site operating and build budget
Revenue-Generating Responsibility: Yes, as the site becomes operational
Inventory / Company Assets: Yes — Elkhart plant assets, tools, equipment, and technology
Physical Demands
- Constantly required to sit, walk, stand, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crawl, and crouch.
- Regularly required to reach with hands and arms; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
- Vision requirements include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
- Occasionally required to lift, push, pull, or carry up to 50 pounds.
Work Environment
Job functions will be carried out primarily on-site at the Elkhart facility, in both office and outdoor environments, with some travel required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Expect regular interruptions throughout the workday. Because Elkhart is still being built out, expect the scope, tools, and processes of this role to keep evolving over the next 2 to 3 years rather than staying fixed.
Benefits
- Direct Deposit
- PTO Program
- 8 Paid Floating Holidays during the calendar year
- Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
- Full range of voluntary benefit options
- 401(k) & 401(k) Match after 6 months of employment (4% company match)
- Basic Life & LTD (Employer Paid)
- Mileage Reimbursement (for pre-approved business travel), unless a company vehicle is available
- Cell Phone Reimbursement up to $50/month (unless a company phone is issued)
- Referral Bonus Program
- Tuition/License/Endorsement Reimbursement (for qualified programs)
Evergreen Grease Enterprises is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants without regard to race, age, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status. EEO is the Law.
Pay: $90,000.00 - $110,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Referral program
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- Do you have experience in plant start up/commissioning?
- Do you have a background in mechanical/industrial engineering?
- What industries have you worked in that would directly support the build out of our operation?
Work Location: In person
