OPEN
Operations Manager
Lead the Day-to-Day Retail Operations of a Thriving, High-Volume Family Owned Business
Milton, ONT
On-Site
The Company
Our client is a long-established, family-owned specialty retail and service business with nearly 60 years of history and a strong reputation for quality, creativity and highly personalized customer service.
Today, the business has grown into a sophisticated operation supported by approximately 24 employees and serving customers throughout the Greater Toronto Area and beyond.
Despite its growth, the company has retained the warmth, personality and entrepreneurial spirit of a family business. Now entering its next chapter, they are looking to introduce greater operational structure while preserving the culture and customer experience that have made the business successful for generations.
The Opportunity
This is a role for someone who wants to do more than “manage” — it’s about becoming the day-to-day operational and people leader of the business.
As Operations Manager, you’ll oversee a fast-moving environment that brings together people, inventory, production, customer service and time-sensitive delivery. You’ll create clarity around priorities, strengthen accountability across the team and ensure the operation runs smoothly from start to finish.
This is a highly hands-on role. You’ll be visible on the floor, coaching employees, solving problems and stepping into the operation when needed — while also introducing practical systems and processes that help the business operate more effectively.
Most importantly, you’ll create capacity for ownership to step back from routine day-to-day management and focus more fully on the future of the business.
What You’ll Own
Lead, coach and support a diverse team of approximately 24 employees
Oversee daily operations, workflow, staffing and execution across the business
Manage scheduling, performance conversations, recruitment, onboarding and employee development
Coordinate inventory, production, packaging and time-sensitive delivery requirements
Establish clear expectations and strengthen accountability and follow-through
Act as an escalation point for customer concerns and service-recovery situations
Reinforce consistent, thoughtful customer service and sales practices
Identify operational issues early and take ownership of resolving them
Recommend practical improvements to systems, processes and communication
Partner closely with ownership while taking increasing responsibility for routine operational decisions
What You Bring
5+ years of progressive leadership experience in operations, retail, hospitality, restaurants or another service-intensive environment
Proven experience leading and developing a team of meaningful size and complexity
Strong people-management capability across scheduling, coaching, performance management and hiring
Experience operating in a fast-paced, high-volume and deadline-driven environment
Exposure to inventory, logistics, delivery operations or perishable products is highly valuable
Strong customer-service instincts and confidence handling sensitive or emotionally charged situations
A warm, approachable leadership style combined with the confidence to establish accountability
Strong organization, communication, problem-solving and decision-making skills
A hands-on mentality and willingness to step outside a narrowly defined job description
Experience within a family-owned, entrepreneurial or independently operated business is considered an asset. Direct industry experience is not required - transferable operational leadership and the ability to learn the business are more important.
Why This Role
This is an opportunity to become a key leader within a successful, established business at an important point in its evolution.
You’ll inherit an experienced team and strong foundation, but you’ll also have genuine room to influence how the business operates moving forward.
Established family business with nearly 60 years of history
Newly created leadership role with immediate, visible impact
Direct partnership with ownership and meaningful autonomy
Opportunity to introduce structure without layers of corporate bureaucracy
Close-knit, people-focused working environment
Potential for the role to expand in responsibility and scope over time
For someone who enjoys being close to the operation, leading people and making things work better every day, this is an opportunity to have a meaningful impact while helping shape the next chapter of an established business.
Compensation
Base salary: $75,000 – $95,000
Employee tips
Opportunity for increasing responsibility and scope as the business evolves
**Please note - the salary range for this position is structured to reflect different stages of proficiency within the role. Compensation at the lower end applies to individuals developing core competencies, while higher compensation is associated with demonstrated expertise and sustained performance. Final offers are determined by the client based on candidate experience and organizational requirements.
Outlier's Process
1
Apply
Submit your application through our online portal. A real human reviews every resume - no automated AI filtering here. We assess your experience, background, and alignment with current opportunities. If there’s a strong match, we’ll be in touch with next steps. If not, we keep your profile on file for future roles that may be a better fit. Depending on the scope of the search, Outlier may continue to manage the process end-to-end, or the client may take the lead directly from this point forward. In either case, we ensure a clear handoff and will let you know exactly what to expect next.
2
Outlier Interview
If your background aligns with what our client is looking for, we’ll schedule a live interview. This 30–45 minute conversation is designed to go beyond your resume. We’ll dig into your skills and experience, but more importantly, we want to hear your story - what motivates you, what you’re looking for next, and what makes you stand out. We also use this conversation to discuss compensation expectations upfront, ensuring alignment early and avoiding surprises later in the process.
3
Candidate Submission
Once we’ve met and confirmed alignment, shortlisted candidates are presented to our client. If selected to move forward, you’ll be asked to complete a short (10–15 minute) online assessment. This helps the client better understand your values, motivation, and work style, and supports a more thoughtful, well-rounded hiring decision.
4
Client Interviews and Beyond
Once candidates move forward, our clients review a well-rounded view of your profile — including your experience, our interview perspective, and assessment insights. From there, they identify who they’d like to meet directly. We act as an advocate and connector throughout, ensuring your strengths are clearly represented and that you’re supported with preparation, context, and timely feedback at every step. For finalist candidates, we further manage background checks, facilitate offers, and support on-boarding, providing support and acting as your coach right until the end.