Sr. Manager – Operational Readiness
Reporting to the Director, Operations, the Sr. Manager – Operational Readiness bridges strategy and execution for new Wayfinder facility development and expansion operations. This role will work to understand current processes for Wayfinder and provide strategic management of new process facilities based on high-level business goals to ensure actionable, ground-level workflows. This role oversees the rollout of new processes, systems, and policies for new expansion projects, and upon implementation will provide operational leadership. You will ensure seamless cross-departmental adoption with minimal business disruption as it aligns with executive leaderships business planning.
Key Responsibilities:
Operation Expansion Initiatives
- In tangent with the Technical Sales Lead, implement Wayfinder expansion operations, including facility development, equipment procurement, testing, staffing and start up.
- Establish timelines and project tracking and work with the Projects team to ensure deliverables for implementation are met.
- Establish risk plans and contingencies for said risks to ensure future operational sites are prepared for the 2027 season.
- Create streamlined operational procedures that scale with company growth and product / market demand.
- Manage financial resources and budget for defined operational expansion initiatives.
Operational Readiness
- Provide input to the Director – Operations on capital planning, budgeting, and cost control activities for newly implemented operations.
- Lead seasonal staffing initiatives in tangent with Human Resources to ensure workforce plans are established for operational start-up.
- Identify and provide feedback on cost optimization opportunities while maintaining operational integrity and service quality.
- Ensure operations consistently meet or exceed production commitments, service levels, and quality standards.
People Leadership (Seasonal Operations)
- Leadership and mentorship of all direct and indirect operations report-to’s to coach and mentor for high performance.
- Communicate and direct crews on operational targets and deliverables, and ensure risk to operational excellence is identified and mitigated.
- Provide performance management and workforce planning for operations to optimize staffing and ensure a culture of safety and respect.
- Manage escalated employee relations / labour relations issues in collaboration with human resources and actively participate in safety investigations to manage risk to the business / culture.
- Drive accountability and sustainment of priority processes and initiatives.
- Ensure organizational readiness for audits, inspections, and regulatory submissions.
- Support organizational planning by contributing to annual budgets, staffing forecasts, and resource allocation strategies.
Safety, Compliance, and Risk Management
- Champion and model a safety-first culture across all operations.
- Ensure compliance with provincial regulations, environmental standards, and corporate policies.
- Partner with safety and environmental teams to implement best practices and proactively manage operational risk.
- Monitor safety trends, incident data, and leading indicators to drive continuous improvement.
Other Duties as Assigned
Qualifications and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, or a related discipline; a graduate degree or professional designation is considered an asset.
- Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in large-scale industrial, mining, or resource operations, including 5+ years leading operational rollouts or complex project portfolios.
- Demonstrated analytical skill to resolve complex operational blockers and risk to expansion initiatives.
- Strong communication skills to ensure excellent engagement of key stakeholders.
