Contact our Clean Energy team to find out how we can support your business.
The renewable fuels sector is undergoing extraordinary growth. As countries legislate for net-zero and industries seek alternatives to fossil fuels, biofuels, clean fuels, and low carbon fuels are becoming vital components of the global energy mix.
From Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to green hydrogen and e-fuels, this dynamic marketplace is attracting significant investment, policy support and public attention. Acre partners with organisations across the fuels value chain to secure exceptional leadership and technical talent, helping to accelerate the transition to a more sustainable, low-emission future.
Why These Roles Are Emerging
Organisations are seeking specialists and sustainability-led leadership as the renewable fuels sector moves from pilot to scale. These roles are emerging because:
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National and regional regulations are accelerating demand for alternative fuels and tighter lifecycle carbon accounting
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Heavy transport, aviation, shipping, and hard-to-abate industries are relying on biofuels and clean hydrogen to decarbonise
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Corporate decarbonisation strategies increasingly include Scope 3 emissions, requiring innovation in fuels procurement and partnerships
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Public and private capital is flowing into fuel innovation and infrastructure, creating demand for commercial and technical leadership
Key Segments Within Renewable Fuels
Acre’s recruitment expertise spans the full breadth of the renewable fuels ecosystem, including:
Biofuels
This includes biodiesel, bioethanol, biomethane, and Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), typically derived from organic waste, crops, or used oils. Biofuels are the most commercially established renewable fuels and are essential for decarbonising hard-to-electrify sectors like aviation, shipping, and heavy transport.
Hydrogen & Ammonia
Green, blue, and turquoise hydrogen, along with ammonia as a carrier, are gaining traction as low-emission fuels and industrial feedstocks. These fuels are central to decarbonising sectors such as steel, chemicals, and long-haul transport, with demand growing for infrastructure, storage, and distribution expertise.
E-Fuels and Synthetic Fuels
Produced by combining green hydrogen with captured carbon, these drop-in fuels are gaining attention for their compatibility with existing combustion engines and aircraft. Roles in this space often span R&D, carbon capture, electrolysis, and synthetic chemistry.
Waste-to-Fuel and Circular Carbon Technologies
These innovative processes convert waste biomass, municipal waste or industrial by-products into usable fuel. These technologies play a dual role in emissions reduction by diverting waste from landfill while producing low carbon fuels.
Advanced Feedstocks
This includes next-gen materials such as algae, lignocellulosic biomass, and CO₂ utilisation inputs. The focus is on improving yield, sustainability and scalability of fuel production, particularly where first-generation feedstocks present land-use or food security concerns.
Policy and Regulation
With regulation driving investment and compliance, expertise in global fuel standards, carbon intensity scoring (e.g. LCFS, RED III), and sustainability certifications (e.g. ISCC, RSB) is critical. These roles ensure organisations stay ahead of evolving policy landscapes.
Commercialisation and Offtake
From Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) to long-term offtake deals for SAF or hydrogen, commercial roles in renewable fuels require market foresight, investor engagement, and strategic partnerships to bring technologies to scale.
Examples of Executive and Management Roles We Recruit
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Chief Sustainability Officer – Renewable Fuels
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VP, Biofuels Strategy & Commercialisation
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Director of Feedstock Procurement (Advanced Biofuels)
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Head of Hydrogen Project Development
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Director of Lifecycle Carbon Analysis
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Sustainable Fuels Policy & Regulation Lead
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Business Development Manager – E-Fuels
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Head of Aviation Sustainability (SAF)
Examples of Acre’s Work in Renewable Fuels
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Placed a VP of Biofuels Commercial Strategy for a global energy firm launching an advanced renewable diesel platform
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Recruited a Head of Hydrogen Development for a clean fuels infrastructure developer expanding across Europe
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Delivered a Carbon Compliance Lead (interim) to a SAF certification body scaling to meet new ICAO requirements
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Conducted global market mapping of feedstock procurement talent for a US-based SAF start-up
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Hired a Director of Lifecycle Emissions & GHG Analysis for a consortium of heavy transport companies transitioning to low carbon fuels
Key Hiring Gaps (Data-Driven Hiring Challenges)
Through our proprietary market research, industry data, and Sustainability Census insights, we’ve identified pressing challenges facing clean fuels recruitment:
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A shortage of regulatory experts able to navigate global fuel carbon intensity standards
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Low availability of candidates with cross-sector fluency, particularly transitioning from oil & gas into alternative fuels
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Insufficient diversity in technical roles, especially within hydrogen and synthetic fuels
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High demand for commercial leaders with experience in SAF or hydrogen offtake agreements
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A skills gap in lifecycle analysis and carbon accounting, now critical for policy alignment and funding
Geographical Hotspots for Renewable Fuel Talent
Acre supports hiring globally, with particular demand across:
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North America – Biofuels and SAF innovation hubs in California, Texas, and the Midwest
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Europe – Hydrogen clusters in the Netherlands and Germany; strong SAF presence in the UK and Nordics
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Asia-Pacific – Strategic investment in hydrogen and ammonia in Japan, Australia, and Singapore. Investment in Singapore into sustainable aviation fuel.
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LATAM & Africa – Emerging feedstock hotspots for sugarcane ethanol, biogas, and circular fuel inputs
Why Partner With Acre
Acre has been at the forefront of sustainability and clean energy recruitment for over 20 years. Our global team of sector specialists bring:
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Deep technical and commercial knowledge across the clean fuels value chain
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Access to an unrivalled global network of purpose-driven professionals
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Strategic advisory support, including competency mapping and team design
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A clear commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, embedded in every search
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A mission-driven approach that aligns talent strategy with your sustainability goals
Looking to Build a Team in Clean, Renewable or Bio-Based Fuels?
Whether you’re scaling a biofuels platform, building a hydrogen hub, or launching a SAF commercial team, Acre can help.
Let’s build a future powered by renewable fuels.
Contact our Clean Energy team to start a conversation.
