Operations Efficiency & Quality Director

SGS; Canada; Remote; CAD 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global testing and inspection company in Canada seeks an Operations Efficiency & Quality Director to drive performance improvements across laboratories. The role involves managing the Quality Management System, ensuring compliance with international standards, and leading efficiency initiatives using LEAN principles. The ideal candidate has over 7 years of management experience in lab operations. This position offers competitive compensation and opportunities for professional growth.

Qualifications

• Over 7 years of experience in a leadership or lab operations improvement role.
• Proven track record in corrective action execution and lab turnaround.
• Strong experience leading LEAN-based projects.

Responsibilities

• Analyze existing lab operations against client expectations for improvement opportunities.
• Manage Quality System resources efficiently across NAM.
• Develop, implement, and track performance KPIs.

Skills

LEAN principles

Leadership

Quality Systems

Crisis Management

Performance Improvement

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Job description

Operations Efficiency & Quality Director

We are SGS – the world's leading testing, inspection and certification company. We are recognized as the global benchmark for sustainability, quality and integrity. Our 99,600 employees operate a network of 2,600 offices and laboratories, working together to enable a better, safer and more interconnected world.

This position is responsible for driving performance improvement across all Natural Resources laboratories. The role leads the implementation of efficiency initiatives using LEAN principles, works directly with lab managers to address underperformance, and ensures KPI targets are consistently achieved and tracked through real-time metrics.

This position is also responsible for the design, implementation and monitoring of the Quality Management System and accreditation requirements in conformance with required International and Regional standards such as ISO/IEC 17025 at various NAM sites.

Responsibilities

• Process Optimization: Analyze existing lab operations against client expectations to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Lead initiatives to improve safety, quality, and turnaround time without compromising industry compliance.
• Quality Assurance & Control: Manage Quality System resources (people, IT, software & hardware and training) in an efficient and sustainable manner across NAM (MIN and OGC locations). Organize and schedule site audits to monitor Quality System conformance.
• Accreditation: Act as the representative for SGS with accreditation bodies, reference material suppliers and international standards organizations. Maintain appropriate laboratory accreditations to support market coverage and development.
• KPI Ownership: Develop, implement, and track performance KPIs. Address deviations proactively with lab managers, ensuring accountability and measurable improvements.
• Hands-On Performance Improvement: Work directly with lab managers to conduct root cause analyses, implement corrective actions and monitor execution. Support lab service and product improvements.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Coordinate with Quality, Training, and Health & Safety to align improvement strategies and ensure consistency across labs.
• Steering Committee Leadership: Serve as change agent with authority to drive initiatives across locations.
• LEAN 5S Execution: Apply LEAN principles to drive operational excellence, cost reduction, and service level improvement.
• Cost Analysis and Action Planning: Collaborate with P&L owners to assess improvement ROI and drive standardized cost-saving measures.
• Ensure a mandate for cost-benefit analysis to assess the impact of cost improvements and implement those improvements across all sites in a standardized way.
• Benchmarking: Align KPIs with industry standards; continuously seek improvement opportunities through comparison and data.
• Performance Communication: Ensure clear and consistent reporting (daily, weekly, monthly) to senior management. Liaise with Site Operations Manager, Assistant Managers and Client Services personnel in response to customer quality complaints and claims.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent combination of education and industry experience.
• Over 7 years of experience in a leadership or lab operations improvement role.
• Proven track record in corrective action execution, crisis management, and lab turnaround.
• Strong experience leading LEAN-based projects and efficiency transformations.
• Experience with Quality Systems and accreditation process and auditing.
• Managerial experience required.
• Ability to travel to various NAM locations.

SGS is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and as such we recruit, hire, train, and promote persons in all job classifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression and Indigenous status, or any other characteristics protected by law.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required.

This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts the company's rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Accommodations are available on request for qualified candidates during each stage of the recruitment process.

Please note that candidates applying for Canadian job openings should be authorized to work in Canada.