Head of Operations Service & Support

Do you want to join a purpose driven, innovative, growing technology business with a focus on Clean energy and sustainability? If working with an honest, fair, reputable, responsible and rapidly expanding global organization is high on your agenda, joining our team could be for you.

Whitefox is an award-winning technology company and a market leader in bringing cutting edge solutions to reduce energy, emissions, water and costs from the production of corn-based ethanol in the US. Our Whitefox ICE® solutions are installed in 10 US ethanol plants to date and a further 9 are at different stages of execution in North America. With 200 ethanol plants in the US and opportunities in SAF and green chemicals, the growth potential for our business is significant. We are an international business with operations spanning across Europe, North America, and South America, committed to revolutionizing the industrial landscape, helping producers become sustainable in a low carbon world.

Overview: We are seeking an experienced Head of Operations Service & Support with a proven track record of technical and operations experience in the US ethanol industry to build and mentor a US based team. The ideal candidate has a strong process engineering background, loves being hands on and solving challenges, is passionate about technology and takes pride in developing others to achieve their best. We strive to treat our suppliers and customers honestly and fairly and we are therefore looking for someone who puts themselves in the shoes of others to deliver great service. This role requires extensive travel visiting customer sites.

The Role – Key Responsibilities

Customer Satisfaction and relationship building:

• Develop a good understanding of what is important to each of our customers and implement strategies to enhance customer satisfaction
• Ensure that the customers’ operational requirements are balanced with the business needs of each customer
• Act as the primary point of contact for senior members of customers and potential customers, ensuring their needs are met promptly and efficiently
• Resolve customer issues and complaints with a focus on long-term solutions
• Develop and build positive relationships with suppliers and engineering companies

Technical Support and Expertise:

You will be involved in all parts of the value chain where technical, plant and operations input is needed, from pre-sales, to project execution to on-going customer service and support.

• Develop a good operational understanding of our customers and potential customers’ plants and provide technical input as needed on pre-sales, sales and project execution on Whitefox projects
• Provide technical assistance and guidance to customers regarding automation and control systems in collaboration with our engineering teams
• Develop commissioning, start-up and training plans together with our engineering team and project managers
• Be responsible for all commissioning projects through to acceptance and on-going customer service to ensure our systems are reliable
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex technical issues related to ethanol production processes and Whitefox systems
• Conduct on-site assessments and audits to ensure optimal system performance

Team Development and Leadership:

• Recruit, train, and mentor a team of customer service representatives and engineers
• Foster a positive and collaborative team environment focused on continuous improvement
• Set performance goals, provide regular feedback and coaching to team members
• Develop good relationships with the internal Sales, Engineering and Project Execution Teams to ensure good communication and support

Travel and On-Site Support:

• Travel to customer sites to build strong customer relationships
• Support training sessions and presentations for customers together with your team
• Ensure compliance with safety and regulatory standards during site visits

Continuous Improvement:

• Identify opportunities for process improvements to enhance service delivery
• Collaborate with internal departments (e.g., engineering, sales, and R&D) to address customer needs and feedback and provide insights for ongoing improvement to our solutions and the development of new applications based on what customers may value
• Stay updated with industry trends and advancements in automation and control systems and other technology and engineering solutions that may compliment or compete with Whitefox

What you’ll bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering or related field
• 10+ years relevant experience
• Strong technical knowledge of ethanol production processes, automation, and control systems.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Leadership and team development capabilities.
• Proven experience in the ethanol industry.
• Problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Ability to travel as needed.

What we’ll bring:

• Open & supportive working environment
• Ability to progress your career through different areas
• A diverse international business with opportunity for travel
• Competitive Compensation
• Flexible Working & generous vacation policy
• Health/Dental plan

At Whitefox we look for people who

• have a passion for technology and sustainability
• challenge themselves and others to find new ways to do things
• communicate with consideration
• appreciate everyone in the team
• think strategically about what’s important and the best way to get it done
• continue to learn, practice and adapt
• cultivate resilience