Director, Operations

Sofina Foods Canada; Calgary; On-site; CAD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Sofina Foods Canada in Calgary seeks a Director, Operations to lead primary chicken processing, drive continuous improvement across manufacturing, logistics, quality, and customer service, and optimize plant performance.

You will build and develop high-performing teams, coach leaders, and promote a safety-first, inclusive culture. The role requires strategic leadership to meet cost, quality, and regulatory targets, while advancing sustainability and customer satisfaction.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of plant or technical management experience (food processing preferred).
• Extensive plant operations knowledge and prior plant leadership.
• Proven people management and ability to develop teams.
• Experience deploying Continuous Improvement principles.
• Exceptional communication skills, including DEI engagement.
• Strategic thinker with ability to translate strategy into actions.
• Strong business acumen and change leadership.
• Collaborative, entrepreneurial leadership style to drive results.

Responsibilities

• Strategically manage capacity to meet production requirements and broader Sofina operations goals beyond specific plant location.
• Foster a safe working environment, ensuring compliance to all OHS and environmental regulatory and corporate standards.
• Promote preventive Maintenance programs, focusing on reliability improvement and capital reinvestment as required.
• Oversight of all QA programs and processes to ensure required food safety and product quality standards.
• Identify and develop the capability and skill set of direct reports to achieve business results; manage performance and provide guidance.
• Promote a collaborative employee and labour relations environment, building positive relationships with Union representatives.

Skills

Leadership

Continuous Improvement

Communication

Change Management

Strategic Thinking

People Management

DEI Initiatives

Operations Management

Business Acumen

Collaboration

Education

Post Secondary Degree in a related field

Job description

Reporting to the VP, Operations, the Director, Operations is responsible for overseeing primary chicken processing operations and driving continuous improvement across manufacturing, logistics, quality, and customer service functions to optimize plant performance. The Director provides strategic and operational leadership to ensure the achievement and exceedance of key performance indicators related to cost management, workplace safety, regulatory compliance, maintenance and engineering, environmental stewardship, product quality, and customer satisfaction.

A key focus of the role is building, developing, and inspiring high-performing teams. The Director provides leadership and direction to managers and employees across multiple functions, fostering a culture of accountability, engagement, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Through effective coaching, talent development, succession planning, and performance management, the Director empowers teams to achieve operational goals while supporting employee growth and organizational capability. The Director champions a people-first approach that promotes a safe, inclusive, and respectful workplace, ensuring employees are equipped, motivated, and aligned to deliver operational excellence and sustainable business results.

Key Accountabilities

• Strategically manage capacity to meet production requirements and broader Sofina operations goals beyond specific plant location. Accountable for product yield, labour efficiency and overhead expenses.
• Foster a safe working environment, ensuring compliance to all OHS and environmental regulatory and corporate standards. Oversee in depth root cause analysis of any non-compliance, and implementation of corrective and preventative measures.
• Promote a culture of best-in-class preventative Maintenance programs, focusing on reliability improvement and capital reinvestment as required.
• Oversight of all QA programs and processes to ensure required food safety and product quality standards in accordance with all functional company standards and government regulations.
• In coordination with Human Resources, identify and develop the capability and skill set of direct reports to achieve business results. Manage performance and encourage development activities, providing feedback and guidance.
• Promote a collaborative employee and labour relations environment, building positive relationships with Union representatives.

Qualifications

• Post Secondary Degree in a related field, and minimum of 10 years Plant or Technical Management experience; Food Processing industry preferred.
• Diverse Plant operations knowledge acquired through comprehensive related experience, with previous Plant leadership.
• Demonstrated people management and development capability and proven success in leading and inspiring teams to excel.
• Experience with development and deployment of Continuous Improvement principles and programs.
• Exceptional communication skills including experience engaging with DEI initiatives, with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels of a matrix organization.
• Critical thinker with the ability to apply strategic practices, ensuring execution and delivering results while respecting corporate values.
• Strong business acumen coupled with an ability to translate business strategy into practical application.
• Collaborative/entrepreneurial leadership mindset with demonstrated ability to lead change and drive sustained business results.