Area Manager

Cain & Associates; Kitchener; On-site; CAD 170,000 - 215,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement savings

Paid time off

Leadership development opportunities

Job summary

Cain & Associates is seeking an Area Manager, Recycling Operations to oversee a five-site Canadian recycling network from Ontario with regular travel. You will drive safety, profitability, and continuous improvement while developing site leaders and coordinating with finance, sales and engineering teams.

The role demands 10+ years of leadership in asset-intensive settings, strong P&L discipline, and a willingness to spend substantial time in the field across Canada.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive operations leadership experience in asset-intensive environments.
• Proven track record overseeing multiple plants or sites and managing P&Ls.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Business or related field; valid driver's licence.
• Willingness to travel regularly across Canada; bilingual French/English is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead operational performance across five Canadian recycling facilities.
• Coach Plant Managers to improve safety, productivity, service, quality and profitability.
• Lead P&L reviews, budgeting, forecasting, cost control and margin improvement.
• Monitor labour, maintenance, equipment utilization, material costs and plant performance.
• Conduct site visits and drive continuous improvement across locations.
• Support capital planning and facility improvement projects.
• Develop site leadership teams through coaching and succession planning.
• Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, transportation and regulatory requirements.
• Partner with commercial, engineering, finance and sales for growth opportunities.

Skills

Multi-site leadership

P&L management

Budgeting

Safety leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Team development

Operational excellence

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Operations/Business

Tools

ERP systems

Forecasting & cost control

Job description

Location: Kitchener or Brampton, Ontario

Travel: Regular travel across Canada; trips may range from a single day to one week

We are recruiting an experienced Area Manager, Recycling Operations to oversee a five-site Canadian recycling operation. This is a senior multi-site leadership role with responsibility for operational performance across facilities in:

• Edmonton, Alberta

The position carries broad accountability for safety, profitability, plant performance, leadership development, capital planning and continuous improvement across the Canadian operation.

The successful candidate will bring strong multi-site leadership experience and the financial acumen required to manage plant-level P&Ls, improve margins, control operating costs and develop high-performing operational teams.

This is not a desk-based regional role. The Area Manager will spend meaningful time in the field, working directly with Plant Managers and site leadership teams to assess performance, address operational challenges and drive improvements.

Travel will vary depending on business needs. Some trips may involve a single-day site visit, while others may require being on location for several days or up to one week.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead operational performance across five Canadian recycling facilities.
• Coach and support Plant Managers to improve safety, productivity, service, quality and profitability.
• Lead P&L reviews, budgeting, forecasting, cost control and margin improvement initiatives.
• Monitor labour, maintenance, equipment utilization, material costs and overall plant performance.
• Conduct regular site visits to assess operations, leadership effectiveness, safety and facility conditions.
• Drive continuous improvement and corrective action across underperforming areas.
• Support capital planning, equipment investments and facility improvement projects.
• Build and develop strong site leadership teams through coaching, performance management and succession planning.
• Ensure compliance with applicable safety, environmental, transportation and regulatory requirements.
• Partner with commercial, engineering, finance and sales teams on growth opportunities and strategic initiatives.

The ideal candidate will bring:

• 10+ years of progressive operations leadership experience, ideally within recycling, waste management, manufacturing, processing, material recovery, industrial services or another asset-intensive environment.
• Proven experience overseeing multiple plants, facilities or operational locations.
• Strong financial experience managing P&Ls, budgets, forecasting, COGS and operating margins.
• Demonstrated success improving safety, productivity, equipment utilization and profitability.
• Experience leading and developing Plant Managers, Supervisors and operational teams.
• Strong understanding of plant operations, maintenance, labour management and capital planning.
• Ability to work effectively across operations, sales, engineering, finance and senior leadership.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Business or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant operational leadership experience.
• Valid driver's licence.
• Ability and willingness to travel regularly across Canada.

Bilingual French and English is considered an asset, particularly given responsibility for the Laval operation.

Base Salary: $170,000–$215,000 + performance bonus

A comprehensive benefits and total rewards package is also provided, including health benefits, retirement savings support, paid time off and leadership development opportunities.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This is an opportunity to take ownership of a significant five-site Canadian operating portfolio and directly influence operational performance, profitability, safety, capital investment and leadership development.

The role provides substantial autonomy and visibility across the business, with the opportunity to work directly with site leadership teams and drive measurable operational improvements across Canada.

For an operations leader who understands both the plant floor and the P&L, this is a strong opportunity to step into broader national operational leadership.