Chief Operating Officer

Venor; Bedford; On-site; CAD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Commissionaires Nova Scotia, based in Bedford, Nova Scotia, seeks a Chief Operating Officer to join the executive team and drive province-wide operational strategy and delivery. Reporting to the CEO, you will translate strategic priorities into actionable plans, set service standards, and ensure consistent performance across all contracts and districts.

You will lead large-scale operations, manage budgets, and negotiate contracts, while building strong relationships with clients, government

Qualifications

• University degree or equivalent with senior leadership experience.
• Experience leading large, complex operations where service quality and client satisfaction are critical.
• Strong experience in contract management, client relationships, budgeting, and people leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead province-wide operations and provide executive-level advice on strategy and growth.
• Oversee contract negotiations, RFPs, and staffing, including recruitment and training.
• Own operational budget planning, revenue oversight, and financial performance with CFO collaboration.
• Ensure policies, training, equipment, and facilities meet current and future needs.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Operational leadership

Contract management

Budgeting

Client relationship management

People leadership

Negotiation

Data-driven decisions

Education

University degree

Master's degree (asset)

Job description

Based in Bedford, Nova Scotia, Commissionaires Nova Scotia (CNS) is the province's leading not-for-profit security provider, delivering guarding, monitoring, investigative, and specialized security services to more than 200 sites across the province. With roughly 1,300 employees, a large share of them veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces and RCMP, CNS is the largest private-sector employer of veterans in Nova Scotia. As part of the national Commissionaires federation of over 22,000 security professionals across Canada, CNS reinvests more than 90% of its annual revenue directly into employee wages, training, and benefits.

On their behalf, we are seeking a strategic and hands‑on Chief Operating Officer to join the executive team. Reporting to the CEO and serving as second-in-command, you'll work closely with the CEO to set and drive CNS's operational vision, strategy, and employment capacity across the province. You'll translate the organization's and Board of Directors' strategic priorities into actionable operational plans, goal setting, service delivery standards, performance management, and budget and operational planning.

This is a critical leadership position within the management team, accountable for the effective, consistent delivery of security services across Nova Scotia through a workforce of approximately 1,300 Commissionaires. You'll work closely with District Managers, the Contract Officer, and other operational leaders, while building strong relationships with clients, government partners, and staff across the organization. In the CEO's absence, you'll assume the responsibilities of Acting CEO, making this a role of significant scope, visibility, and impact on CNS's continued success.

What You’ll Be Doing

In this role, you'll lead the organization's province-wide operations and provide executive-level advice on operational strategy, service delivery, and organizational growth. You'll oversee the delivery of security services across district operations, major federal and commercial contracts, and other operational areas, establishing service standards, operational goals, and performance measures to support consistent delivery across the province. You'll provide executive oversight of the RFP process for new and renewed contracts, playing a key role in contract negotiations and leading operational planning for new contracts, including guard recruitment, staffing, and training needs. You'll also lead operational and district budget planning, oversee annual revenue, and work closely with the CFO to establish contract earning rates and monitor financial and operational performance. You'll ensure policies, training, equipment, leased properties, and operational capabilities are effectively managed and positioned to meet current requirements and support future growth, including opportunities to strengthen and expand service offerings.

What You’ll Bring

You bring a university degree or an equivalent combination of education and senior leadership experience, with a professional designation or master's degree considered an asset. You have demonstrated experience leading large, complex operations where service quality, client satisfaction, and employee performance are critical to success, along with strong experience in contract management, client relationship management, budgeting, and people leadership. You're a skilled negotiator and sound decision-maker with the ability to navigate complex operational and employee matters, balance competing priorities, and interpret and apply relevant legislation, regulations, policies, and collective agreements. You bring strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, and you're highly organized and comfortable using technology to support data-driven decision-making. You must hold a valid Nova Scotia Driver's Licence, and the required federal NATO Secret-level security clearance.

The ideal candidate is a collaborative, hands‑on executive with an adaptable leadership style who combines strategic, innovative thinking with strong operational judgment and a genuine commitment to service excellence. You're comfortable leading through others while staying connected to what's happening across the organization, and you bring the relationship-building skills to work effectively with employees, clients, government partners, and other stakeholders. You're equally comfortable addressing immediate operational needs and looking ahead to the systems, capabilities, and opportunities that will support CNS's continued growth.