Senior Director of Operations

Job Summary

The Senior Director of Operations will oversee the operational performance and strategic execution across the company. Reporting to the Vice President of Operations, this role is responsible for providing leadership and direction across all operational teams and facilities, ensuring alignment with company goals, operational excellence, safety, and efficiency. The Senior Director plays a key role in driving consistency, continuous improvement, and accountability across all facilities, supporting the organization's growth and long-term operational success.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Support the Vice President of Operations in executing the company's operational strategy and long-term goals.
• Provide leadership, direction, and guidance to the Directors and managers overseeing the facilities, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and high performance.
• Translate strategic initiatives into actionable operational plans and performance targets for each facility.
• Participate in strategic planning, expansion projects, and capital investment planning.
• Oversee daily operational performance across all facilities, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and adherence to production and quality standards.
• Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for production, maintenance, safety, and distribution to ensure targets are achieved.
• Identify areas for improvement and implement standard operating procedures (SOPs) to optimize productivity and cost-effectiveness.
• Ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements, including Health and Safety, Food Safety, HACCP, and PrimusGFS standards.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Supply Chain, Quality Assurance, Engineering, HR, and Finance to ensure alignment across departments.
• Mentor, coach, and develop facility Directors, ensuring strong leadership pipelines and succession readiness within the operations function.
• Ensure effective communication and alignment between facilities and corporate leadership.
• Support the VP of Operations in developing and managing the operations budget, ensuring adherence to cost and efficiency targets.
• Lead initiatives to optimize resource utilization and control operational costs.
• Ensure all facilities maintain a safe, compliant, and well-maintained work environment.
• Identify and mitigate operational risks, implementing proactive measures for safety and reliability.
• Implement best practices across facilities to standardize performance and quality outcomes.
• Represent Operations in leadership meetings, providing insight and updates on facility performance.
• Act as a key point of contact during audits, inspections, and customer visits.
• Other core expectations as defined by the company.

Requirements and Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Engineering, or a related field; MBA preferred.
• Minimum of 8–10 years of progressive leadership experience in a manufacturing, greenhouse, or food processing environment, including multi-site responsibility.
• Strong knowledge of operational best practices, lean methodologies, and performance management systems.
• Demonstrated success leading and developing senior operational leaders.
• Knowledge of GMP, HACCP, Food Safety, Health and Safety regulations, and related compliance standards.
• Proven experience in strategic planning, resource allocation, and execution in a fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional leadership, interpersonal, and communication skills with the ability to influence across multiple levels.
• Analytical thinker with strong problem-solving skills and a data-driven approach to decision-making.
• Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and experience with ERP systems.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly between facilities in Canada and the US