KELOWNA BC

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• Terms: Full Time or Part Time, Permanent, Monday to Friday, Flexible Hours
• Start Date: March 2024
• Salary: $38-$45 per hour, based on experience

We are an environmentally friendly codling moth control program in the beautiful fruit growing region of the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys. Since the Program started more than 20 years ago, the amount of pesticides used in the valley against codling moth has dropped by 96%. Our Program breeds and sterilizes codling moths at our state-of-the-art facility in Osoyoos, and we release them into orchards where they mate with wild moths to prevent the population from reproducing all over the Okanagan. Our Program also provides trapping and monitoring, education, and enforcement services for orchardists.

This position is based out of beautiful Kelowna, British Columbia. Working out of our Head Office located at the Regional District of the Central Okanagan on KLO Rd. SIR offers a great RRSP matching program, excellent medical/dental coverage, paid vacation, and a welcoming, positive work environment.

About You

You like working as part of a team and have a good sense of your own management style. You have great planning and organization skills. You accomplish work in a timely manner and can establish a realistic and systematic course of action for self and others to accomplish specific goals. You have excellent communication skills and must be outcome oriented. You are proactive, self-disciplined, organized, and have a strong attention to detail.

You show commitment and dedication to complete tasks on time and with minimal supervision, and you demonstrate a high level of dependability in all aspects of the job. You are sensitive to the communication levels required by varied audiences, and can adapt accordingly (Politicians, the Public (ie Growers & Orchardists), Managers and Supervisors, and Field Staff).

You will be fully engaged and busy from the first day. You would work mainly onsite at our Kelowna Head Office, with regular travel during the agricultural season to our field offices in the Okanagan (Vernon to Osoyoos). Being part of the team means heading out into the orchards when its needed.

About The Position

In the role of Operations Manager, you will oversee and provide leadership for the day-to-day operations of the OKSIR Field Program. You will make important planning and strategic decisions for the success of each field season. You are the direct supervisor for (6) field supervisors and (2) urban supervisors and you will communicate daily with these staff. The Operations Manager works closely with the Program Entomologist to ensure program operations are scientifically sound, and they must maintain close working relationships with the rest of the senior leadership team including the Facility Manager and Office Manager.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Provide leadership for and oversee all aspects of the field program including transport and release of moths, collection of field data, ensuring grower and homeowner compliance.
• Work collaboratively with the senior leadership team to ensure the success of both the field operations and the OKSIR program as a whole.
• Ensure satellite field offices are safe and productive while fostering a positive and collaborative work environment through continuous communication and by promoting a culture of excellence.
• Forecast seasonal field requirements with detailed plans and work with the general manager to produce the annual field budget. Ensure field expenditures are in line with budgeted amounts.
• Lead team of field and urban supervisors, including hiring, training, motivating, daily supervision, and annual performance evaluations.
• Work with the Office Manager to manage the hiring and onboarding of seasonal field staff.
• Support field supervisors to trouble shooting operational challenges and emergency responses.
• Implement, regularly review, and when required, improve operational policies and procedures.
• Maintain a close working relationship with the Facility Manager to coordinate field operations with facility production schedules and constraints.
• Coordinate vehicle and ATV fleets including ensuring regular maintenance, timely repairs, and compliance with insurance and other permitting requirements.
• Oversee ongoing implementation and maintenance of OKSIR’s Pest Monitor database, including working with the OKSIR GIS Technician.
• Act as Safety Coordinator for the Occupational Health and Safety Program, ensuring the OH&S Program is compliant with Worksafe BC requirements and ensuring field operations are compliant with the OH&S Program.

Requirements and Skills

• Relevant education and/ or experience
• Management experience
• Project management experience
• High proficiency with a variety of computer platforms and software
• Excellent knowledge of office procedures and ability to multi-task
• Excellent verbal and written communication and documentation skills
• Ability to work well with a variety of stakeholders, including board directors, local government and industry staff, growers, vendors, and general public
• Valid BC Drivers License

Benefits

• SIR offers a great RRSP matching program, excellent medical/dental coverage, paid vacation, and a welcoming, positive work environment.

 If this sounds like a good fit for you, please submit your resume, with a cover letter that clearly demonstrates why you’re the one for the job, to jobs@oksir.org . 

Please understand that due to the anticipated volume of responses, we will contact only those candidates who most closely match our requirements.

 WAGE: Starting at $30.81/hour
Holiday and wellness package $60,079 annually
SCHEDULE: 37.5 hours per week: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, Monday – Thursday with flexibility based on operational needs
POSTING OPENS: Thursday, March 7th, 2024
POSTING CLOSES: Sunday, April 14th, 2024, or until a candidate is found.
START DATE: As soon as possible
END DATE: March 2025
This position is a 12-month full-time contract with opportunity for extension based on funding availability and securing of service delivery contracts 

LUSH Valley Food Action Society is a Comox Valley based non-profit organization. We envision a region where healthy, local food is at the heart of community wellbeing. Through a number of programs and initiatives, LUSH Valley supports the Comox Valley community to gain food-systems tools, engage in just and resilient local food systems and receive equitable access to nourishing food.

When you work with LUSH Valley, you work with an energetic and passionate team making positive change in the Comox Valley.

LUSH Valley offers:

• A diverse and inclusive work environment
• Opportunities for growth and learning
• A monthly wellness benefit
• Fresh food perks

POSITION SUMMARY

The Operations Director will work independently and with the Executive Director and Social Enterprise Manager to ensure day-to-day operations of the organization run smoothly and within financial means. The Operations Director will make informed decisions and implement efficient solutions based on financial oversight, aligned opportunities and operational capacity to ensure that LUSH Valley thrives.

The Operations Director reports directly to the Executive Director and works as part of a three-person leadership team.

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES

OPERATIONS [35%]

In collaboration with the Program Team:

• Oversee warehouse operations
• Support LUSH Valley staff and programs, specifically the Good Food Box, Farm Gleaning, Healthy Student Meal and all programs related to warehouse operations
• With support of the Social Enterprise Manager, ensure the integration of warehouse programing, kitchen and catering operations
• Identify and create systems to improve operational efficiency and increase productivity in the warehouse and kitchen
• Work with staff to track operational data, create goals and implement work plans
• Work with the Grants and Impact Manager and program staff to evaluate and report on operations and improve programming
• Work with staff to implement new programs or partnerships
• With the leadership team, hire, onboard and supervise employees as needed
• Carry out check-ins and performance reviews with staff
• Ensure compliance with relevant employment regulations and federal and provincial employment policies
• Support the implementation of new employment policies
• Fulfill operational tasks as needed when staff are sick/on vacation
• Be available to respond to operational issues in case of emergency

FINANCIALS & CONTRACT DEVELOPMENT [20%]

In consultation with the Leadership Team:

• Manage price structures for LUSH Valley’s fee-for-service offerings based on industry standards and to ensure financial viability
• Organize and manage program budgets
• Build relationships with and promote LUSH Valley services to prospective partners
• Negotiate contracts and Memorandums of Understanding with organizations/clients
• Negotiate contracts with businesses, partners, government and individuals
• Work with the Bookkeeper to ensure invoicing is up to date and budget is closely monitored
• Adjust operations and deliverables in response to financial fluctuations
• Work with the Bookkeeper to provide financial actuals to funders and partners as needed

SITE MANAGEMENT & DEVELOPMENT [25%]

In consultation with the Social Enterprise Manager and with input from the Executive Director:

• Prepare and submit permit applications for development
• Implement plans for building maintenance and development
• Liaise with building and trades contractors to ensure project completion within budget
• Organize certification bodies to assess and approve completed work
• Research and order commercial kitchen and processing equipment
• Negotiate and manage rental agreements
• Ensure ongoing maintenance and upkeep of building in a timely manner
• Communicate with upstairs strata for noise-related or other common property issues
• Manage and maintain LUSH Valley assets as needed
• Create and implement safety plans and policies
• Ensure first aid and safety gear is up to standards and staff have needed training
• Provide invoicing and reports to funders related to building development

LEADERSHIP & ORGANIZATIONAL [20%]

In partnership with the Leadership Team:

• Work in alignment with LUSH Valley’s vision, mission and values
• Participate in and help lead organizational planning sessions and staff meetings
• Develop essential planning strategies and execute strategic decisions
• Review standard policies and procedures and implement policies as needed
• Fulfill Executive Director’s tasks when they are sick/on vacation
• Act as an ambassador and spokesperson for the organization
• Improve processes and operational systems to support the organization’s goals
• Collaborate with businesses to develop and maintain mutually-beneficial relationships
• Support information flow and management
• Support the business sponsorship program
• Ensure compliance to maintain charitable society status
• Support the Executive Director with Board reports and attend/report to the LUSH Valley Board of Directors as needed

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Strong financial literacy, particularly within the context of a non-profit society
• Strong ability to develop budgets and manage spending across multiple projects
• Ability to develop and utilize multiple organizational systems
• Ability to adapt to dynamic, complex and changing responsibilities
• Excellent English language written and verbal communication skills
• Comfort with public speaking
• Skill in maintaining funder relationships and contract negotiations
• Experience communicating with diverse individuals
• Logistical knowledge of running a food organization
• Experience managing teams
• Ability to maintain a positive attitude, pivot and work comfortably in a rapidly-changing environment with many partners
• Competency in developing short, medium and long-term goals and determining indicators for measuring program evaluation and efficacy
• Experience with building development, business and sales is an asset
• Experience working with volunteers or community is an asset

KNOWLEDGE & EDUCATION

• 3-5 years of experience in food-related businesses and/or non-profit organizations
• 2 years of experience working in HR or HR-related positions
• Bachelor’s Degree in Food Systems, Organizational Development, Health Sciences, Social Development, Human Resources, Environmental Studies, Business Management, Business Administration or related field. Equivalent experience of relevant nature will also be considered
• Strong understanding of food security, food justice and cultural contexts within BC

Please send your resume and cover letter to maurita@lushvalley.org and support@lushvalley.org

LUSH Valley is grateful to receive all applications, but will only contact shortlisted candidates.

LUSH Valley believes in diversity, employment equity and social justice. We encourage applications from all community members, and would be especially interested in receiving them from Indigenous peoples, visible minorities, persons with disability, LGBTQIA2S+ people and members of marginalized communities.

As communities from coast-to-coast-to-coast experience the impacts of climate-related weather events, natural asset management is an increasingly important way to help communities protect and manage the ecosystems that deliver the key services on which all of us rely.

This is the mission of Natural Assets Initiative (NAI), a multi-award-winning not-for-profit: to make natural asset management a mainstream practice across Canada, and in support of this, for local governments and others to adopt methodologies and tools in standard ways across the country. More on us here!

The Director of Operations and Finance is responsible for ensuring excellence in NAI’s administrative and financial systems and processes. This is critical to the timely, coordinated delivery of effective projects and activities and to NAI’s reputation as a trusted partner. Our organization is experiencing rapid growth, and so experience with change management would be a great asset in this dynamic role.

The Director of Operations and Finance works collaboratively as part of the leadership team with the Executive Director, the Project and Ops Assistant, the Board Treasurer, NAI project managers, and oversees the work of a contract bookkeeper.

This position is supported by NAI’s Project and Operations Assistant and an external bookkeeper.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

As a highly qualified candidate, you have at least 5 years of experience in operations and financial management, either in a non-profit or consulting firm environment, OR a combination of relevant skills and experience (i.e., 3 years’ operations experience plus 2 years’ finance). You have an operational and systems mindset and work well in a team.

SKILLS + EXPERIENCE

To qualify for this position, you have the following skills and experience:

• Ability to evaluate systems and protocol, determine potential improvements, implement and support change, with the goal of improving daily operations
• Deep understanding of budgeting and accounting principles and practices, including payroll
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel and Quickbooks Online, and be comfortable learning and using new systems for project management (Teamwork)
• Excellent verbal & interpersonal communication skills
• Strong initiative / self-motivated
• Demonstrated leadership skills and the ability to inspire a team

Additional relevant skills or experience include:

• Human Resource management
• Board of Directors support
• Knowledge of contract management, procurement and best practices

BENEFITS

We are proud to offer:

• Competitive wages
• Comprehensive health package for staff and their families
• Enhanced (5 weeks) vacation benefits
• Flexible paid sick/wellness time
• Training and professional development
• Remote position (anywhere in Canada)

If you want to surround yourself with a fantastic team doing inspiring work — we would love to meet you!

 To be considered for this position, please send your resume outlining your employment and educational experience and a cover letter that describes how your skills and experience will allow you to be successful in this role to sairaht@naturalassetsinitiative.ca .