Senior vice president - operations

Senior Vice President, Operations

Reports To: President or Chief Executive Officer
Location: Hybrid/Remote (occasional on-site visits as required)
Employment Type: Full-time

Position Summary

The Senior Vice President, Operations will lead an integrated operations portfolio including Supply Chain, Procurement, Logistics, Warehousing, Manufacturing, and Quality Assurance & Regulatory Compliance. This high-impact leadership role is responsible for building operational excellence, scalability, and efficiency as the organization expands to new production facilities and markets. Reporting directly to the President/CEO, the SVP provides leadership and oversight to operations executives and cross-functional teams to ensure alignment, cost optimization, and continuity of supply. This position collaborates closely with Finance, Sales, R&D, and Marketing to support strategic growth and operational performance.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership and Strategy

• Provide enterprise-wide leadership across core operational domains: supply chain, procurement, logistics, warehousing, quality assurance/regulatory, and manufacturing.
• Lead long-range planning, operational scale-up, and capital investment prioritization.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration to deliver productivity, cost, safety, and quality targets.
• Oversee manufacturing leadership to ensure achievement of margin, efficiency, and output goals.

Facility Expansion and Scale-Up

• Develop and execute the expansion roadmap for new manufacturing or production facilities.
• Lead location planning, capacity modeling, CAPEX budgeting, and vendor selection.
• Oversee commissioning, equipment validation, facility build-out, and workforce planning.
• Ensure operational ramp-up aligns with safety, quality, and commercial objectives.

Supply Chain and Procurement

• Direct demand and supply planning to maintain optimal inventory and service levels.
• Oversee procurement of raw materials and packaging, including supplier negotiation and cost control.
• Build a resilient, sustainable supply chain with strong risk mitigation and traceability frameworks.

Logistics, Warehousing, and Fulfillment

• Lead design and execution of warehousing and order fulfillment strategies across sales channels.
• Manage third-party logistics (3PL) providers, freight cost optimization, and service level agreements.
• Implement scalable logistics systems to improve efficiency and real-time visibility.

Quality Assurance, Safety, and Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure adherence to regulatory standards such as CFIA, HACCP, and GFSI (or equivalent frameworks).
• Maintain and continuously improve a comprehensive Quality Management System.
• Promote a proactive safety culture and ensure compliance with occupational health and safety regulations.
• Partner with the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) or equivalent body to enhance safety practices.

Leadership and Team Development

• Build and develop a high-performing operations leadership team with a focus on accountability and engagement.
• Collaborate with executive peers on organizational strategy, resource allocation, and growth planning.
• Establish, track, and report on operational KPIs to drive business performance and decision-making.

Required Skills and Abilities

• Strategic leadership and organizational management
• Supply chain optimization and operational scale-up
• Manufacturing and production management
• Large-scale capital project planning and execution
• Cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management
• Quality and regulatory compliance (HACCP, GFSI, CFIA or equivalent)
• Logistics and fulfillment operations
• Risk management and workplace safety leadership
• Financial and analytical acumenl
• Data-driven decision making
• Change and transformation leadership
• Executive-level communication and presentation

Core Competencies

• Strategic and critical thinking
• Operational excellence and continuous improvement
• Leadership and people development
• Financial and business acumen
• Regulatory and compliance expertise
• Project management and delivery
• Risk mitigation and safety management
• Customer and quality focus

Education and Experience

• 10-15 years of progressive senior operations leadership experience in manufacturing, supply chain, or related fields.
• Experience in food manufacturing, consumer packaged goods (CPG), or pet product/food industries preferred.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Engineering, or related discipline (MBA preferred).
• Proven track record of leading multi-site operations and facility expansion projects.
• Strong expertise in procurement, ERP systems, and logistics technology platforms.
• Demonstrated success in building and mentoring high-performing teams.
• Bonus: Experience in natural, sustainable, or premium product categories.

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