Director, Operations

Ice River Sustainable Solutions, 485387 30 Sideroad, Shelburne, Ontario, Canada

Job Description Posted Friday, February 27, 2026 at 5:00 AM

At Ice River Sustainable Solutions, we’re a Canadian, family‑owned company turning 100% recycled plastic into sustainable products and leading the way in innovation. Recognized as one of Canada’s Top Greenest Employers, we’re driven by creativity, passion, and the belief that together, we can build a cleaner future. We’re looking for self‑motivated, hands‑on doerswho love to learn, work hard, and make things happen—if that’s you, you belong on our team.

Role Overview The Director of Operations leads safe, efficient, and profitable operations across multiple manufacturing sites, providing strategic and hands‑on leadership to Plant Managers and Operations leaders. This role translates business strategy into consistent operational execution by balancing safety, quality, cost, delivery, and engagement, while strengthening frontline leadership capability and operational discipline. Working closely with HR, Continuous Improvement, Supply Chain, Maintenance, Quality, and Finance, the Director of Operations drives sustainable performance and long‑term organizational strength across the business.

Key Accountabilities Operational Leadership

Provide direct leadership and oversight to Plant Managers and site leadership teams across multiple facilities

Ensure consistent execution of operational standards, policies, and performance expectations across all sites

Drive operational excellence across safety, quality, productivity, cost control, and service

Establish clear operational priorities aligned to business objectives and growth plans

Act as a visible, hands‑on leader in the plants, balancing strategic direction with floor‑level engagement

Safety, Quality & Compliance

Champion a safety culture, holding leaders accountable for proactive safety leadership

Ensure compliance with all health & safety, environmental, food safety, and regulatory requirements

Partner with Quality and H&S teams to investigate incidents, address root causes, and implement preventative measures

Reinforce operational discipline and GMP expectations across all facilities

Build strong, accountable Plant Management teams through coaching, performance management, and development

Partner with HR to support: Leadership capability building (Supervisors, Leads, Plant Managers)

Succession planning and talent pipelines

Performance management and corrective action

Set clear expectations for leadership behaviour, consistency, and decision‑making across plants

Foster a culture of engagement, accountability, and continuous improvement

Lead and sponsor continuous improvement initiatives focused on: Line efficiency

Waste reduction

Downtime reduction

Cost optimisation

Partner with CI and Maintenance to ensure: Strong preventative maintenance practices

Standardised processes and KPIs

Data‑driven problem solving

Ensure improvement initiatives are practical, sustainable, and embedded into daily operations

Financial & Performance Management

Own operational KPIs and dashboards across all sites

Monitor and manage operational budgets, labour efficiency, and cost performance

Analyze performance trends and implement corrective actions where targets are not met

Support capital planning, justification, and execution for operational investments

Ensure plant‑level decisions align with overall business financial objectives

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

Work closely with Supply Chain to align production planning, inventory, and service levels

Partner with HR on workforce planning, labour strategy, and engagement initiatives

Collaborate with Finance on forecasting, budgeting, and cost control

Serve as a key operational voice at the senior leadership table

The Director of Operations is expected to:

Lead with consistency, clarity, and fairness

Be comfortable making tough decisions while remaining people‑centred

Hold leaders accountable without micromanaging

Model strong communication, follow‑through, and operational discipline

Balance urgency with long‑term sustainability

Qualifications & Experience

Post‑secondary education in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or related field (preferred)

10+ years of progressive operations leadership experience in a high speed beverage manufacturing environment

Proven experience leading multi‑site operations

Strong understanding of: Safety‑sensitive manufacturing environments

Continuous improvement methodologies

Labour‑intensive operations

Demonstrated ability to lead and develop senior operational leaders

Strong financial and analytical acumen

Comfortable operating at both strategic and hands‑on levels

Travel Requirement

Regular travel between manufacturing sites within Canada (estimated 40‑50%)

$140‑175K/year to start

Please let Ice River Sustainable Solutions know if you require accommodation during the hiring and selection process and we will work with you to make appropriate arrangements. Ice River Sustainable Solutions is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

We are committed to equity, diversity and inclusivity in the workplace, we welcome applications from women, racially visible individuals, people with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and LGBTQ2S+ persons.

Note to Recruiting Agencies:

Ice River Sustainable Solutions does not respond to unsolicited emails from third party recruiters acting on behalf of job seekers. All candidates are encouraged to create their own online profile, allowing us to reference resumes effectively and advise when opportunities match your knowledge and skills. Any profiles created by recruiters on behalf of job‑seeking candidates will be deleted. This practice threatens future interactions between third party recruiters and Ice River Sustainable Solutions recruitment.

Ice River Sustainable Solutions, 485387 30 Sideroad, Shelburne, Ontario, Canada

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