Director, Product Operations & Execution

Kinaxis Inc.; Ottawa; Hybrid; CAD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible vacation

Flexible work options

Well-being programs

Virtual fitness classes

Mentorship programs

Career development

Recognition programs

Hackathons

Job summary

Kinaxis is seeking a Director, Product Operations & Execution to define and lead the operating system that translates strategy into consistent delivery. You will unite program management, launch orchestration, field readiness, and data-driven decision making to improve how priorities move from planning to delivery.

As a strategic, hands-on leader, you will build scalable operating models, align Product Management, Engineering, Go-to-Market, Deployment, Support, and Customer Success, and champion

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Technology, Product Management, Operations, or a related field; or equivalent relevant experience.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in product operations, program management, business operations, product management, or a related function within an enterprise software or SaaS environment.
• 5+ years of leadership experience building, managing, and developing high-performing teams in a complex, global organization.
• Collaborator with proven experience leading complex product or platform programs and improving cross-functional execution and delivery predictability at scale.
• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing operating models, governance, portfolio processes, and continuous improvement practices.
• Strong understanding of product development lifecycles, release and launch management, and cross-functional field readiness.
• Experience using data, analytics, AI-enabled tools, and automation to streamline operations, improve reporting, and support faster, more informed decisions.
• Strong business acumen and systems thinking, with the ability to connect strategy, execution, customer impact, and operational performance.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders and align teams without direct authority.
• Ability to lead through ambiguity and change while balancing strategic priorities with disciplined execution and a company-first mindset.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the Product Operations strategy, operating model, governance, and roadmap in alignment with Product and business priorities.
• Act as a trusted advisor to Product and technology leaders, identifying execution risks, operational gaps, and opportunities to improve organizational effectiveness.
• Establish clear governance, decision rights, operating rhythms, and accountability mechanisms that enable timely decisions and consistent execution across the Product organization.
• Lead, coach, and develop the Product Operations team and program management practice, building strong capability in execution leadership, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee execution of complex, cross-functional product and platform programs, ensuring clear plans, milestones, dependencies, risks, decisions, and escalation paths.
• Orchestrate product launches and field readiness with Product Management, Engineering, Go-to-Market, Deployment, Support, Customer Success, Sales, and learning teams.
• Create portfolio-level visibility into priorities, delivery health, launch readiness, risks, and outcomes; provide clear recommendations and updates to senior leadership.
• Simplify and continuously improve Product processes, tools, handoffs, and operating rhythms to increase speed, predictability, and scale.
• Use data, analytics, AI, and automation to improve reporting, risk forecasting, decision-making, and team productivity, with appropriate governance and human oversight.
• Act as a trusted advisor and cross-functional change leader, aligning stakeholders, resolving trade-offs, and driving adoption of new ways of working.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Governance

Data analytics

Cross-functional collaboration

Product lifecycle

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Automation platforms

AI tools

Job description

About Kinaxis

Are you looking to join an innovative, market-leading company where you can truly elevate your career? At Kinaxis we are serious about culture, we are serious about technology, we are serious about customers, and we are serious about not taking ourselves too seriously. If you are looking to be part of an incredible growth story, then we might just be the place for you!

In 1984, we started out as a team of three engineers. Today, we have grown to become a global organization with over 2000 employees around the world, 6 global office and a best-in-class HQ in Ottawa, Canada. As winners of several Top Employer awards globally, we are proud to work with our customers and employees towards solving some of the biggest challenges facing supply chains today.

Kinaxis is a global leader in modern supply chain orchestration, powering complex global supply chains, and supporting the people who manage them. Our powerful, AI infused platform provides full transparency and visibility across end-to-end supply chains, enabling our customers to make faster, better decisions. We are trusted by renowned global brands to provide the agility and predictability needed to navigate today’s volatility and disruption. With more than 40,000 users in over 100 countries, we are expanding our team as we continue to innovate and revolutionize how we support our customers.

Location

Ottawa and Toronto, Canada - Hybrid

Other Canadian locations - Remote

About the role

The Director, Product Operations & Execution defines and leads the operating system that enables the Product organization to translate strategy into consistent execution. The role brings together program execution, launch orchestration, field readiness, operational excellence, and data-driven decision-making to improve how product priorities move from planning through delivery and adoption.

As a strategic and hands‑on leader, the Director leads the Product Operations function and program management practice, establishes scalable operating models, and strengthens alignment across Product Management, Engineering, Go-to-Market, Deployment, Support, and Customer Success. The Director also champions the responsible use of AI, automation and intelligent workflows to improve transparency, predictability, decision velocity, and productivity.

Vacancy Status

This is an existing job vacancy

What you will do

• In partnership with the VP, Product Operations & Excellence and other Product leaders, define and lead the Product Operations strategy, operating model, governance, and roadmap in alignment with Product and business priorities.
• Act as a trusted advisor to Product and technology leaders, identifying execution risks, operational gaps, and opportunities to improve organizational effectiveness.
• Establish clear governance, decision rights, operating rhythms, and accountability mechanisms that enable timely decisions and consistent execution across the Product organization.
• Lead, coach, and develop the Product Operations team and program management practice, building strong capability in execution leadership, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee execution of complex, cross‑functional product and platform programs, ensuring clear plans, milestones, dependencies, risks, decisions, and escalation paths.
• Orchestrate product launches and field readiness with Product Management, Engineering, Go-to-Market, Deployment, Support, Customer Success, Sales, and learning teams.
• Create portfolio‑level visibility into priorities, delivery health, launch readiness, risks, and outcomes; provide clear recommendations and updates to senior leadership.
• Simplify and continuously improve Product processes, tools, handoffs, and operating rhythms to increase speed, predictability, and scale.
• Use data, analytics, AI, and automation to improve reporting, risk forecasting, decision‑making, and team productivity, with appropriate governance and human oversight.
• Act as a trusted advisor and cross‑functional change leader, aligning stakeholders, resolving trade‑offs, and driving adoption of new ways of working.

What we are looking for

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Technology, Product Management, Operations, or a related field; or equivalent relevant experience.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in product operations, program management, business operations, product management, or a related function within an enterprise software or SaaS environment.
• 5+ years of leadership experience building, managing, and developing high‑performing teams in a complex, global organization.
• A collaborator with proven experience leading complex product or platform programs and improving cross‑functional execution and delivery predictability at scale.
• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing operating models, governance, portfolio processes, and continuous improvement practices.
• Strong understanding of product development lifecycles, release and launch management, and cross‑functional field readiness.
• Experience using data, analytics, AI‑enabled tools, and automation to streamline operations, improve reporting, and support faster, more informed decisions.
• Strong business acumen and systems thinking, with the ability to connect strategy, execution, customer impact, and operational performance.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders and align teams without direct authority.
• Ability to lead through ambiguity and change while balancing strategic priorities with disciplined execution and a company‑first mindset.

#Director; #LI-EM1

Work With Impact:

Our platform directly helps companies power the world’s supply chains. We see the results of what we do out in the world every day, when we see store shelves stocked, when medications are available for our loved ones, and so much more.

Work with Fortune 500 Brands:

Companies across industries trust us to help them take control of their integrated business planning and digital supply chain. Some of our customers include Lockheed Martin, Unilever, P&G, ExxonMobil, Cisco and more.

Social Responsibility at Kinaxis:

Our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee weighs in on hiring practices, talent assessment training materials, and mandatory training on unconscious bias and inclusion fundamentals. Sustainability is key to what we do and we’re committed to a long‑term net‑zero operations strategy. We are involved in our communities and support causes where we can make the most impact.

People matter at Kinaxis and here are some of the perks and benefits we offer, which may vary by location and employee:

• Flexible vacation and Kinaxis Days (company‑wide days off)
• Flexible work options
• Physical and mental well‑being programs
• Regularly scheduled virtual fitness classes
• Mentorship programs, training, and career development
• Recognition programs and referral rewards
• Hackathons

For more information, visit the Kinaxis website at www.kinaxis.com or the company’s blog at http://blog.kinaxis.com.

Kinaxis welcomes candidates to apply to our inclusive community. We provide accommodations upon request to ensure fairness and accessibility throughout our recruitment process for all candidates, including those with specific needs or disabilities. If you require an accommodation, please reach out to us at [e-mail]. This contact information is for accessibility requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.

Kinaxis is committed to ensuring a fair and transparent recruitment process. We use artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the initial step of the recruitment process to compare submitted resumes against the job description to identify candidates whose education, experience, and skills most closely match the requirements of the role. After the initial screening, all subsequent decisions regarding your application, including final selection, are made by our human recruitment team. AI does not make any final hiring decisions.