Operations Manager- Ag Retail

Operations Manager

Crop Management Network Inc.

Central Alberta — North Territory · Full-Time, Permanent · Management

Crop Management Network (CMN) is a locally owned agricultural retailer, serving growers across central Alberta from eleven locations. This role leads our five northern locations — Fort Saskatchewan, Vegreville, Holden, Onoway, and Mayerthorpe. Together with our logistics division, Crop Management Logistics Inc. (CML), we deliver crop inputs, agronomic support, and reliable bulk transportation that local farms count on year-round.

We are growing, and we are hiring an Operations Manager to lead operations across our northern territory — five retail locations spanning Holden, Vegreville, Fort Saskatchewan, Onoway, and Mayerthorpe — working through a team of Ops Leads who run each site. This is a leadership role for someone who builds strong teams, sets a high standard for safety and operational excellence, and takes pride in developing people and running facilities the right way.

About the Role

As Operations Manager, you lead the operation across your territory through your Ops Leads. The Ops Leads run the day-to-day at each location; your job is to support, coach, and develop them-setting the standard, removing roadblocks, and holding every site to the same expectations for safety, facility readiness, inventory accuracy, and customer service. You also directly manage the Location Administrators across your territory.

You will partner closely with a Sales Manager who covers the same territory as an equal peer; you own operational performance while they own sales. You report to the Director of Operations, and you will be set up for success with a structured onboarding that gets you into every location, alongside our team, before you operate independently.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and support your Ops Leads — the Ops Leads run their locations day-to-day; you coach and develop them through regular check-ins, documented one-on-ones, and quarterly reviews, building leaders who operate with increasing independence. You also directly manage the Location Administrators.

• Own safety and compliance — keep every location audit-ready and lead by example on AWSA, WHMIS, TDG, and COR requirements; review every safety incident promptly and visibly champion safe work.

• Hold the facility standard — through monthly site walkthroughs and chem shed audits, work with the Ops Leads are maintaining facility and yard standards, and coordinate maintenance and capital improvement needs.

• Own inventory accuracy — oversee the monthly physical counts your sites complete, reconcile against our inventory system, sign off on adjustments, and hold every location to a real-time accuracy standard.

• Plan for the seasons — prepare seasonal staffing and facility readiness ahead of peak, and align operational capacity with the sales plan alongside your Sales Manager peer.

• Report and improve — provide a weekly operations summary to the Director of Operations and continuously raise the standard across your territory.

• Own financial performance — manage operating budgets and expenses across your territory, monitor cost and margin performance against plan, control facility and maintenance spending, and partner with the Director of Operations on capital planning and forecasting.

• Manage vendors and third parties — oversee relationships with suppliers, contractors, and service providers across your territory, negotiate and manage agreements, hold third parties to safety and performance standards, and ensure work is delivered on time and on budget.

What You Bring

• Minimum 5 years of operational leadership in agricultural retail, bulk chemical or fertilizer handling, or a related industrial facility-management environment.

• Demonstrated people management — performance reviews, conduct, coaching, and development conversations.

• Multi-site management experience, accountable for more than one location at the same time.

• Strong working knowledge of safety and regulatory frameworks (AWSA, TDG, WHMIS); COR program management or audit-preparation experience is a significant asset.

• Comfort with business and inventory systems — ERP or inventory software, spreadsheets, and reporting tools; experience with Tronia is an asset.

• A safety-first leader who is visible, consistent, and uncompromising, and who builds teams through coaching rather than solving every problem personally.

Credentials

• Certificate or degree in Operations Management, Agriculture, Engineering, or a related field preferred.

• AWSA certification or demonstrated regulatory-compliance experience required.

• Valid Class 5 driver’s licence — regular travel between locations is required.

• Forklift certification and First Aid are assets.

Why Join CMN

We invest in our people and back it up with a strong, comprehensive package:

• Health, Vision & Dental premiums paid by CMN

• $ annual Health & Wellness Account

• RRSP matching starting at 3% and increasing with years of service

• Clothing Allowance ($) & Workwear Allowance ($) annually

• Life, dependent life, critical illness, AD&D, and short- and long-term disability coverage

• Benefits effective immediately upon hire

• Support for training and professional development, plus company events throughout the year (golf and hockey tournaments, Christmas party)

How to Apply

Ready to lead with us? Submit your resume and a brief cover letter telling us why this role and CMN are the right fit for you. We thank all applicants for their interest; only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

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Crop Management Network Inc. is an equal-opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace.