Jobs at Agrifoods International Cooperative Ltd (Now Hiring) — 9 open

ROLE: Director of Operations - West

REPORTS TO: Vice President of Operations

LOCATION: Delta & Port Coquitlam, BC

The Director of Operations – West is responsible for overseeing operational performance across all British Columbia manufacturing facilities, ensuring alignment with corporate strategy, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence in Safety, Environment, and Quality. This role works collaboratively with the Corporate Operations Team (EHS, Engineering, Quality Assurance) and Plant Managers to drive consistency, performance, and continuous improvement across all sites. This role does not assume day-to-day plant operational control. Plant Managers remain accountable for site execution. 

The Director ensures:

• Alignment to corporate standards

• Consistent KPI delivery

• Leadership capability development

• Effective implementation of programs and initiatives

Opportunities 

This is a critical leadership role supporting the organization’s continued growth and operational maturity.

The primary opportunity is to:

• Standardize site performance while maintaining site accountability

• Coach and develop site leadership to strengthen leadership capability

• Execute corporate programs through site leadership

• Create, monitor, and own regional KPIs

• Align with the East Director on national practices, KPI definitions, and reporting cadence

• Reduce site-to-site variability through consistent operating standards

• Connect corporate strategy to clear site-level execution

The key challenge will be to:

• Drive consistency without removing plant ownership

• Ensure execution of corporate programs without creating duplication or confusion

• Maintain strong performance across union and non-union environments

This role enables you to:

• Influence multi-site operations at a strategic level

• Develop high-performing leadership teams

• Drive improvements in safety, quality, and operational efficiency

Here is who you are… 

Drive & motivation

• You thrive in a dynamic, multi-site manufacturing environment

• You are motivated by driving performance through others

• You are passionate about developing leaders and building strong teams

• You are driven to standardize processes and improve systems

Character & ABILITIES 

• You maintain strong organizational discipline across multiple sites

• You communicate effectively across all levels of the organization

• You demonstrate sound judgment in escalation and decision-making

• You balance accountability with coaching and mentorship

• You navigate cultural and regional differences effectively

• You are skilled at identifying variability and driving consistency

• You build strong cross-functional relationships with corporate and plant teams

Knowledge & skills

• Strong expertise in multi-site manufacturing operations

• Advanced knowledge of Lean, TPM, and continuous improvement

• Strong understanding of production systems, planning, and KPIs

• Strong financial acumen (cost control, budgeting, efficiency improvement)

• Knowledge of regulatory requirements in:

  • Canadian Food Inspection Agency (SFCR / Preventive Control Plans)

  • WorkSafeBC (OHS Regulation)

• Experience managing both union and non-union environments

• Strong capability in labour relations, workforce engagement and performance management

• Ability to analyze data and drive performance improvements

Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, management, or a related field preferred, with 15+ years of experience in manufacturing operations; an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience will also be considered.

• 10+ years in leadership roles

• Multi-site manufacturing experience required

• Experience in unionized food or beverage manufacturing strongly preferred

• Lean / Six Sigma experience

Nice-to-Have

• MBA or advanced leadership training

• Six Sigma Black Belt

• Experience in dairy or liquid beverage manufacturing

• Experience implementing enterprise systems or digital tools

things you will do… 

• Analyze operational performance across all BC sites to identify trends, gaps, and improvement opportunities

• Drive alignment to corporate KPIs and ensure consistency across facilities

• Coach and develop Plant Managers to strengthen leadership capability and accountability

• Ensure effective implementation of corporate programs (EHS, QA, Engineering)

• Support regulatory compliance 

• Monitor performance and intervene only when escalation thresholds are met

• Support cost control, budgeting, and operational efficiency improvements

• Drive standardization of processes, KPIs, and reporting across sites

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align operational strategies with business objectives

OTHER … 

• Regular travel within the lower mainland as required

• Occasional off-hours support during critical operational events

• May be required to support major incidents, audits, or escalations