Chief Operating Officer

LifeSmart Health Group; Winnipeg; Hybrid; CAD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Group benefits

Pension plan

LTIP

Job summary

LifeSmart Health is seeking an experienced Chief Operating Officer to lead operational discipline across pharmacy, clinics, and allied health divisions. The role requires building scalable leadership, governance, and reporting structures while guiding post‑acquisition integration and growth initiatives.

The COO will travel between Calgary, Winnipeg and other sites, work in a hybrid environment, and partner with the CEO to advance strategic plans, budgets, and performance across multiple

Qualifications

• Requires 5+ years in COO/VP Ops or equivalent executive leadership roles.
• Experience building scalable operational structures and management teams.
• Direct experience with M&A integration and operating platform consolidation.
• Strong governance design, reporting cadence, and executive-level communication.
• Excellent financial acumen with budgeting and multi-unit performance oversight.
• Healthcare industry experience is a strong asset.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement an executive management framework with cadence and accountability.
• Translate growth strategy into operational plans and budgets across all business lines.
• Build and strengthen the leadership team and reporting lines across multiple sites.
• Lead post-acquisition integration and align operations, HR, and reporting.
• Drive governance, dashboards, and performance management across the portfolio.
• Partner with HR on org design, talent planning, and succession planning.

Skills

Executive leadership

Governance & reporting

M&A integration

Financial acumen

Strategic planning

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA preferred

Job description

LifeSmart Health|Calgary, AB or Winnipeg, MB

• Reports To: President & Chief Executive Officer
• Location: Calgary, AB or Winnipeg, MB (candidate's choice of home office) — required monthly travel to the opposite regional office, plus periodic travel to Edmonton, AB and Vancouver, BC
• Work Arrangement: Hybrid — primarily in-person at head office and site locations
• Hours: 40 hours/week; core Monday–Friday business hours, with occasional evening and/or weekend commitments
• Employment Type: Full-time, permanent, executive leadership team
• Compensation: Competitive base salary, commensurate with experience — group benefits, company pension plan, and a lucrative long-term incentive plan (LTIP)

About LifeSmart Health

LifeSmart Health is one of Canada's fastest-growing privately owned healthcare organizations — a founder-led, locally and independently owned group operating primarily in Western Canada. Headquartered with regional offices in Winnipeg, Manitoba and Calgary, Alberta, LifeSmart Health has grown to 18 locations across Western Canada, spanning community pharmacy, medical clinics, allied health, diagnostics, and home mobility and accessibility solutions.

Since its founding, LifeSmart Health has pursued an active growth and acquisition strategy, bringing together strong independent healthcare businesses under a shared platform while preserving the local, patient-first character that built each of them. As the organization scales, LifeSmart Health is investing in the leadership structure, systems, and operating discipline needed to support its next phase of growth — and is seeking an experienced Chief Operating Officer to help lead that evolution.

The Opportunity

Reporting directly to the President & CEO, the Chief Operating Officer will be a foundational member of the executive leadership team, responsible for bringing structure, discipline, and scalable operating systems to a fast-growing, multi-entity healthcare organization. This is a rare opportunity for a operating executive to shape the operational backbone of a company in the midst of rapid regional expansion — building the management framework, processes, and team that will carry LifeSmart Health through its next stage of growth and acquisition integration.

The COO will work in close partnership with the CEO/President and the broader leadership team across all business lines — pharmacy, clinics, allied health, diagnostics, and mobility — with regular travel between Calgary, Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Vancouver to support site leaders and integrate newly acquired businesses.

Key Objectives

• Design and implement a clear, detailed executive management and meeting framework — establishing cadence, structure, and accountability across the leadership team and all business units.
• D evelop and implement new business strategies that support LifeSmart Health's continued growth, diversification, and market expansion across Western Canada.
• Build out and strengthen the management team as the organization scales, adding structure, reporting lines, and operational discipline.
• Lead the operational integration of newly acquired businesses into the LifeSmart Health platform, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and cultural alignment.

Strategic Leadership & Planning

• Partner with the CEO/President to translate the company's growth strategy into an executable operating plan across all business lines.
• Lead annual and long-range operational planning, budgeting, and performance target-setting in collaboration with finance and business unit leaders.
• Identify operational risks and opportunities across the portfolio and bring forward recommendations to the executive team and ownership.

Operational Oversight & Performance

• Own day-to-day operational performance across all pharmacy, clinic, allied health, diagnostic, and mobility locations.
• Establish standardized operating procedures, KPIs, and performance dashboards to drive consistency and accountability across a multi-site, multi-entity organization.
• Monitor site- and entity-level performance, intervening proactively where operational, financial, or service issues arise.

M&A Integration & Business Development

• Lead post-acquisition integration planning and execution for newly acquired businesses, including operations, systems, HR, and reporting alignment.
• Support due diligence on prospective acquisitions from an operational and organizational readiness perspective.
• Work with regional leaders to identify organic growth and new service line opportunities within existing markets.

Organizational Design & Team Leadership

• Design and build out the management team structure required to support a growing, multi-region organization — including reporting relationships, role clarity, and succession planning.
• Directly lead and mentor regional and functional leaders, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Partner with HR leadership on organizational development, talent planning, and performance management practices across the group.

Governance & Executive Communication

• Establish and lead a structured executive management and meeting framework — including regular leadership meetings, operational reviews, and reporting cadences.
• Ensure clear, consistent communication and information flow between head office, regional offices, and individual site locations.
• Prepare and present operational and strategic updates to the CEO/President and ownership.

Financial & Risk Management

• Partner with finance to manage operating budgets, cost structures, and profitability across business units.
• Ensure operational compliance with applicable healthcare regulations, licensing requirements, and internal policies across all jurisdictions of operation.
• Oversee risk management practices related to operations, safety, and regulatory compliance across a diverse portfolio of healthcare businesses.

What We're Looking For

• 5+ years of progressive leadership experience, with a track record in a COO, VP Operations, or equivalent executive role — ideally within healthcare, healthcare services, multi-site retail, or another regulated, multi-location industry.
• Demonstrated success building and scaling operational structure and management teams within a fast-growing or acquisitive organization.
• Direct experience with M&A integration — bringing newly acquired businesses onto a shared operating platform.
• Strong track record designing executive governance and meeting frameworks, with the discipline to drive consistent execution across a leadership team.
• Excellent financial acumen, with experience managing budgets and performance across multiple business units or locations.
• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or other relevant advanced degree preferred.
• Experience in pharmacy, medical clinics, allied health, diagnostics, or healthcare services is a strong asset.
• Based in Calgary, AB or Winnipeg, MB, with willingness to travel to the opposite regional office on a monthly basis, plus regular travel to Edmonton, AB and Vancouver, BC, and flexibility for occasional evening or weekend commitments.
• A hands-on, builder mentality — comfortable operating in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial, privately owned environment. mentality — comfortable operating in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial, privately owned environment.
• Competitive base compensation, commensurate with experience.
• Comprehensive group benefits plan and pension plan.
• A lucrative long-term incentive plan (LTIP), aligning executive success with the company's long-term growth.