Operations Care Center Manager

Are you a natural leader with a heart for both people and pets? At Gateway Services, North America's leading accredited pet aftercare provider, we're looking for an Operations Care Center Manager for our new location in St. Thomas, ON. Are you someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is passionate about operational excellence. In this role, you'll lead a dedicated team, oversee daily operations, and ensure that every process from intake to delivery is handled with precision, care, and compassion. If you're driven by purpose and take pride in building teams that deliver exceptional service and quality, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact every day.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Ownership over all day-to-day operations at the Care Center.
• Ensure that all compliance and environmental initiatives and procedures are implemented and managed appropriately at the Care Center
• Ensure all activities are performed safely and that the Care Center is maintained in a compliant state.
• "Think and act like an owner" – demonstrate a strong business acumen when dealing with team members, suppliers, and customers.
• Demonstrate comfort with P&L Statement and Cost reviews on a monthly basis.
• Collaborate with corporate Finance Department, Regional Manager, Managing Director and COO on annual budget development.
• Utilize Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to set objectives and drive Care Center performance.
• Analyze daily and weekly demand signals (intake) and manage on-time fulfilment of orders.
• Coordinate labor requirements against demand (short-term and medium-term).
• Coordinate tools, operating supplies, packaging materials and products required to fulfill demand.
• Manage completion of orders from intake to delivery to ensure on-time delivery of orders.
• Maintain dashboards in PeT (our central order tracking and fulfillment software).
• Resolve order exceptions as they arise; work with client care, clinics and other departments to drive resolution.
• Monitor pending deliveries and expedite past-due deliveries.
• Maintain and optimize routes for pick-up and delivery efficiency.
• Manage inventory levels of product and supplies and coordinate re-ordering as required.
• Ensure that all Health and Safety and Human Resource initiatives and procedures are implemented and managed appropriately at the Care Center
• Work in conjunction with HR to hire, train and manage a team of technicians, ensuring they are engaged and equipped with the skills they need to perform their jobs successfully.
• Verify timecards to ensure accurate biweekly payroll; manage team member expenses.
• Coordinate and/or conduct training for all new and existing team members, including New Hire training, PeT specific training.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with pet owners, veterinarians, and other stakeholders
• Monitor inventory levels and ensure that supplies and equipment are in good working order
• Ensure that the facility is 'Tour-Ready' by always keeping the location clean and well-maintained, and that safety measures are in place to protect team members and visitors.
• Ensure equipment preventative maintenance schedules are adhered to.
• Participate in routine audits and continuous improvement activities.
• Ensure that all Operational Excellence initiatives and procedures are implemented and managed appropriately at the Care Center
• Model and reinforce Gateway's operational standards by deploying policies, standards, and procedures.
• Audit the Care Center to identify and close gaps versus Gateway's standards.
• Be able to perform all operations and customer service duties including, but not limited to loading and unloading crematoriums, processing cremains, packaging, quality control and servicing a route as a driver/customer service representative.
• Manage all local customer relations and interactions (intake, viewing and visitations, emergency pick-ups etc.).
• Confidently address any, and all, client concerns (with or without support from other functional areas).
• Engage with Sales team on local clinic retention and adoption initiatives or other clinic-facing sales activities.
• Perform other duties as required.

Education, Training & Qualifications  

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• Post-secondary degree or diploma attainment is preferred.
• Three to five years previous supervisory experience in an industrial or service environment with proven leadership abilities.
• Certified in Pet Cremation (CPCOP)

Skills & Abilities   

• Demonstrated leadership skills, with a strong focus on operations and business processes.
• Excellent people management skills, with a track record of motivating and empowering team members
• Demonstration of working independently with minimal supervision, meeting scheduled timelines and budgets.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build lasting relationships with clients and other stakeholders.
• Strong organizational and planning skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks and manage conflicting demands.
• Attention to detail and accuracy, with a focus on maintaining high standards of quality and safety.
• Demonstrated ability to identify key issues and propose practical solutions.
• High level of integrity and worth ethic.
• Strong attention to detail.

Working Conditions  

• Regularly bending, stooping, crouching, kneeling, sitting, repetitive motion, hand/wrist/finger motion.
• Occasionally lifting/moving 100+ lbs.
• Regular exposure to high noise environments.
• Regular exposure to high heat environments.  
• Overtime and weekend work may be available during busier times.
• Regular handling of deceased pets.

This is more than an operational leadership role, it's a chance to be part of a mission that truly matters. As an Operations Care Center Manager, you'll play a vital part in ensuring our clients and their beloved pets receive the dignity, care, and respect they deserve. If you're ready to lead with empathy, excellence, and accountability, we'd love to hear from you. Join Gateway Services and help us continue setting the standard in pet aftercare.