Interim Director, Operations

LHH Knightsbridge; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking an Interim Director of Operations to lead a greenhouse facility in Vancouver. This role involves overseeing cultivation efforts, ensuring operational excellence, and driving innovation in plant production. The ideal candidate will have substantial experience in greenhouse operations or food production, coupled with strong leadership skills. You will be responsible for managing multiple projects, improving processes, and ensuring compliance with industry regulations. This is a unique opportunity to make a significant impact in a critical leadership role within a dynamic organization.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years in greenhouse cultivation or food production.
• Experience in people management and strategic decision-making.

Responsibilities

• Oversee greenhouse operations and ensure stable production.
• Implement best practices for cultivation and manage team performance.

Skills

Greenhouse Operations

Food Production

Project Management

Team Leadership

Strategic Thinking

Communication Skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture or Related Field

Tools

Microsoft Office

DIMO

Job description

IMMEDIATE INTERIM OPPORTUNITY

Interim Director, Operations

Reports To: VP Global Operations & Innovation

Duration: 6 months (approximately)

Location: Vancouver, BC

Our client is a Canadian agricultural and consumer goods company and a leader in its field. They are seeking an Interim Head of Operations for one of its greenhouse production facilities due to a leave of absence. During this period, the interim leader will oversee the organization’s cultivation efforts and facility operations to deliver healthy plants that meet specific breeding and R&D parameters. You will make strategic operational decisions, define priorities, and manage multiple projects to drive innovation. To be considered for the role, you must have a background in either greenhouse operations or food/pharma manufacturing.

Key Accountabilities:

1. Manage a coastal greenhouse facility to enable the smooth and consistent delivery of new product varieties and to deliver a globally competitive pipeline of genetics for the market.
2. Ensure a stable and reliable production environment to enable breeding pipeline and other R&D activities.
3. Continuously improve the facility’s cultivation and operational systems to maintain important genetic resources.
4. Provide leadership to the team, ensuring proper training, development, and performance management with respect to efficiency and compliance.
5. Oversee cultivation schedules, including planting and harvesting.

Science and Innovation agenda:

1. Implement best practices for plant nutrition, pest management, and disease prevention.
2. Monitor and maintain optimal environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, lighting, etc.) in cultivation areas.
3. Oversee nutrient, water, and propagation management and the distribution of products while facilitating production scale trials, initiating new mother stock, and ensuring redundancy of key genetics assets.
4. Recommend, perform, and coordinate corrective actions such as the removal, isolation, or destruction of plants.

Facility operations:

1. Manage day-to-day operations including the maintenance and operations of control systems for cultivation and the facility including electrical, mechanical, and site management systems.
2. Supervise and lead the operations and maintenance team, ensuring proper training, development, and performance management.
3. Work with engineering, IT, and security teams to manage maintenance activities using DIMO and other systems.

Science and innovation:

1. Collaborate with the R&D team to improve cultivation techniques and participate in the development of new cultivars and product lines to meet market demands.
2. Stay informed about industry trends, consumer preferences and demands, new cultivation technologies, and advancements in genetics.

Process improvement:

1. Evaluate cultivation processes and identify areas for improvement to optimize productivity and product quality based on data and KPIs.

Reporting and administration:

1. Maintain accurate records of cultivation activities, production metrics, and inventory levels and generate reports for leadership to track KPIs.
2. Collaborate with the Operational Finance team and broader Operations team to manage and adhere to budgets.
3. Monitor and control expenses related to cultivation and operations, optimizing resources without compromising quality of the work.
4. Ensure compliance with federal, provincial, and local regulations for production and storage including Health Canada license conditions.
5. Oversee the facility’s inventory control and record-keeping and collaborate with the Regulatory Affairs team, as well as regulatory agencies during inspections.

Health and safety:

1. Work with the Director, HSE to align health and safety programs with existing programs, policies, and required legislations.
2. Champion health and safety practices in the facility, ensuring compliance with safety standards and protocols, and the implementation of SOPs.

Sustainability Initiatives:

1. Identify and implement sustainable cultivation practices to minimize environmental impact and introduce energy-efficient measures and waste reduction strategies that align with ESG goals.

Competencies and Requirements:

1. Proven experience in a greenhouse cultivation or food production environment, with a minimum of 5 years in a people management role.
2. Prior experience in agriculture, food, beverage/alcohol, cannabis production, or other regulated products is preferred.
3. Excellent communication skills (oral, written, and presentation).
4. Proven ability to work collaboratively in a team environment and collaborate on projects.
5. Ability to think strategically, problem solve, and make quick decisions.
6. Strong interpersonal, organizational, and leadership skills.
7. Accountable for results, striving to meet and exceed expectations.
8. Advanced knowledge of computer software applications, with proficiency in Microsoft Office products (Excel, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint).

PLEASE SEND YOUR CV (AS A WORD DOC) TO: (Subject: Job Title)

Our interim management services help organizations address leadership gaps, drive change, and lead transformation projects. Our interim executives bring senior-level experience to meet specific objectives with minimal downtime. All have held senior positions and now offer their expertise on a limited engagement basis.

Follow the LHH Knightsbridge LinkedIn page and set up a job alert to learn about new Executive Interim opportunities.

Lee Hecht Harrison Knightsbridge Corp. is committed to equitable treatment and accommodation to ensure a barrier-free recruitment process. In accordance with applicable laws, requests for accommodation will be accepted during the hiring process. Please provide your accommodation needs in advance to the Recruitment Lead.

We thank all interested candidates in advance; however, only those selected for interviews will be contacted.

April 2025