Chief Operating Officer

WhiteWater makes products, but at our heart, we are a service business, and that means we are a people business. In this way, we excel and create value for our clients by listening to their needs, collaborating to create solutions, problem-solving and attending to the details. Our culture, as you would expect, reflects these traits. We are a diverse group of experts, from creative designers to talented engineers. Whatever the expertise we bring from all over the world, we listen and learn from each other because we are aligned behind a clearly understood purpose: together we create fun for families everywhere.

Interested in starting an exciting career with WhiteWater? Apply today! Whitewater’s Manufacturing department is looking for a candidate to join us in the following role:

Position: Chief Operating Officer

Location: Richmond, BC

Reports to: President, Water Parks

PURPOSE:

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) will be responsible for overseeing the company's ongoing operations and procedures to ensure that products/project are delivered on budget and to schedule. As a key member of the leadership team, the COO will report directly to the President, Water Parks and be responsible for the day-to-day operational functions. This individual will work to ensure that the business operations run smoothly, efficiently, and effectively while aligning with the company’s strategic goals and objectives.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

Operational Leadership:

• Provides strong operational and regional leadership to support of leaders in an international project-based manufacturing company
• Provides the leadership rigor to ensure all aspects of the business are lean and robust
• Leads regional engineering, supply chain, project management in partnership with the global functional leaders
• Establish and enforce policies, procedures, and operational guidelines to ensure delivery excellence
• Drive operational efficiency through process improvement, cost control, and optimizing resource allocation

Strategic Planning and Execution:

• Assesses, identifies and implements key operational strategies and work with the waterpark leadership team to achieve long-term, sustainable and profitable growth
• Monitor industry trends and changes to ensure the company is competitive and innovative in its operations

Team Leadership and Development:

• Mentors leaders and teams operational departments, ensuring alignment with overall business objectives
• Foster a culture of collaboration, high performance, and accountability
• Role models all behaviours and practices that are compliant with and support the vertical mindset and customer intimacy
• Is the link between headquarter operational function heads and regional function colleages

Budgeting and Financial Management:

• Support functional budgets and regional resources within teams efficiently across departments to optimize financial goals
• Ensure key regional financial targets are met related to operational efficiency, profitability, and cost management
• Work closely with the CFO to review and analyze financial reports and KPIs for regional operational performance

Performance Monitoring and Reporting:

• Defines goals for all direct reports, provides regular feedback through coaching conversations, holds people accountable, creates growth and challenges opportunities for individuals
• Provide feedback for indirect functional colleagues to ensure optimal performance
• Track and report key regional operational metrics and performance indicators to the President, WaterParks
• Scan regularly for performance, using data-driven analysis to identify opportunities for improvement and ensure operational efficiency

Risk Management and Compliance:

• Ensures operations are compliance with local, national, and international regulations, including health and safety, labor laws, and industry-specific requirements
• Identify risks associated with operational activities and develop mitigation strategies
• Establish and enforce procedures to ensure quality assurance and regulatory compliance in all areas of operations
• Provide oversight over legal, intellectual property, and complex international contract management

Innovation and Continuous Improvement:

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on streamlining operations, increasing productivity, and reducing costs
• Help drive innovation and leverage new technologies and methodologies to enhance operational capabilities
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

• An experienced leader, with at least 10-15 years of experience in operational leadership within the amusements, construction or comparable industry
• Proven experience in developing and implementing successful operational strategies
• Experience in managing large, multi-functional teams across multiple departments and regions
• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Engineering, or a related field (MBA or other advanced degree preferred). Equivalent experience will be considered in place of formal education
• Ability to oversee large-scale manufacturing operations, including workflow optimization, cost management, quality control, and lean manufacturing techniques
• Must be legally eligible to work in the country of employ
• Able to travel internationally

COMPETENCIES, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Strong communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization and external stakeholders
• Strong ability to lead and motivate multidisciplinary teams, including engineers, designers, and production staff
• Deep understanding of operational processes, budget management, and business systems.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills, with the ability to make data-driven decisions
• Expertise in change management, process optimization, and resource management
• Experience with financial management and budgeting
• Certifications in Project Mgmt Professional (PMP), Lean Six Sigma considered ideal

WhiteWater Competencies:

• Accountability – We do what we say
• Collaboration – We work well together
• Customer Focus – We know and respond to our customers
• Communication – We listen to and understand each other
• Authenticity – We are honest and trust each other
• Resilience – We deal effectively with pressure, are persistent and optimistic
• Flexibility & Adaptability – We are willing and able to respond to changing circumstance