Director of Operations

Richmond Hill, ON
$150,000-180,000 per year
Permanent
Full-time

7 days ago
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The Opportunity:I'm partnering with a well-established, premium food manufacturing organization with a strong North American presence and deep European roots. They're looking to hire a Director of Operations to lead plant-level manufacturing across a high-volume, unionized production environment.This is a senior leadership role suited for someone who thrives on the plant floor and in the boardroom - driving operational performance, building strong teams, and implementing the systems and structure needed to support continued growth. You'll play a key role in shaping the future of operations while ensuring day-to-day execution across production, quality, maintenance, and supply chain functions.What You'll Be Doing:

Leading all aspects of plant operations including production, quality, maintenance, and sanitation.
Driving performance across safety, quality, service, cost, and labour efficiency metrics
Establishing clear accountability, KPIs, and operating rhythms across the facility
Ensuring compliance with food safety, regulatory, and workplace standards
Leading audits and driving corrective actions where needed
Building and executing continuous improvement initiatives across processes and systems
Supporting automation, capacity expansion, and capital improvement projects
Partnering with HR and leadership to manage a unionized workforce effectively
Coaching and developing plant leadership, building bench strength and succession plans
Managing budgets, labour planning, and cost control initiatives
Collaborating with executive leadership to align operations with long-term growth strategy

What You'll Need to Be Successful:

Post-secondary education in Engineering, Operations, Business, or a related field
10+ years of progressive leadership experience in a manufacturing environment
Experience operating within a unionized setting
Strong understanding of food safety, regulatory compliance, and quality systems
Proven ability to lead large teams and drive performance in a fast-paced environment
Experience with continuous improvement methodologies and operational best practices
Strong business acumen with experience managing budgets and capital projects
Ability to balance hands-on leadership with strategic thinking
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills

Compensation Range: $150,000 - $180,000

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