Operations Specialist

About Skipper Otto Community Supported Fishery

Skipper Otto Community Supported Fishery is an innovative solution for home cooks to source premium, wild seafood directly from independent, Canadian fishing families. Skipper Otto is on a mission to keep small-scale fishing alive in Canada, protect our valuable ocean resources, and ensure everyone has access to traceable, sustainably caught, Canadian seafood. Founded in 2008, Skipper Otto was the first Community Supported Fishery in Canada, and one of the first world-wide.  

Skipper Otto is a great place to work We have a strong, supportive team with a growth mind-set and a culture of positivity, creative problem solving, collaboration, and fun. We value people, communities, and environmental and social justice.  We are a certified
Living Wage Employer
, and a certified
BCorp
.

Who You Are?

You are the kind of person who embraces planning and details in order to avoid challenging situations but can also adjust quickly when plans need to change to adapt to the unexpected. You have worked on the supply chain or inventory side of a business and understand those challenges. You have an eye for detail and love problem solving. You take pride and ownership of your work, and are a strong communicator and active listener. Your partners and co-workers trust and respect you because you clarify expectations and are empathetic to their challenges and needs. And you are excited about learning and working in an impact-driven company with a passionate team toward a shared vision for a more just and sustainable world.

You also have:

• Post secondary degree (preferably in Supply Chain, Business, Science, Math or related field) or equivalent job experience required.
• Professionalism and strong attention to detail in verbal and written communications.
• Effective at keeping workflows organized and time-management skills with the ability to jump in and assist in managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and take initiative proactively.
• Team player who isn't afraid of and sees value in rolling up their sleeves.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Workspace tools.

You should also have some of the following:

• 2+ years of logistics or manufacturing experience, preferably in supply chain. A background in food distribution, regulation and/or manufacturing is strongly preferred.
• Proficiency with project management software (especially Asana).
• Experience with inventory management systems (especially Wherefour).
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Cloud.
• Knowledge of fishing operations and seafood processing and supply chains at various levels.
• Valid BC Driver's License and certification to operate forklift and similar equipment (or willingness to learn) will be an infrequent but useful skill set.
• Ability to participate in infrequent physical work that involves comfortably lifting boxes up to 30 lbs and assisting with fisheries offloads and product movements.
• Familiarity with and an interest in the local food movement, sustainable food systems, and/or fisheries.

Role Overview

The Operations Specialist plays a key role in supporting the day-to-day flow of seafood products from harvest to distribution. Reporting to the Director of Operations and working closely with the operations team, this position ensures smooth coordination with seafood harvesters, processors, and partners to maintain quality, traceability, and efficiency across the supply chain.

This role requires extra schedule flexibility during the summer's peak fishing months from June to September. The successful candidate is comfortable adapting to changing priorities during this peak season by shifting their hours and/or days of work to earlier start times, or evening hours or weekend work and, in less frequent cases, stepping in on short notice to assist with product handling or transportation needs. While requiring flexibility from the candidate, Skipper Otto also commits to planning and communicating shifting hours and schedules as far in advance as possible.

Specific Responsibilities

The Operations Specialist will:

Operational & Distribution Logistics Support

• Support in the coordination of logistics with seafood harvesters, including scheduling offloads, recording landing information, and arranging transportation.
• Help troubleshoot operational challenges in real-time.
• Support in the coordination and movement of fish through all levels of processing, ensuring accurate records and timely communication in order to maintain quality and ensure traceability.
• Review all paperwork for accuracy and enter data into the appropriate systems.
• Support inventory counts and manage product input and adjustments in inventory and ecommerce systems to maintain accurate stock and batch information.

Equipment Maintenance & Management

• Ensure pre-season operational readiness and regulatory compliance of all equipment assets - including vehicles, scales, cranes, and pallet jacks - in coordination with the Director of Operations and Distribution Manager.
• Work to proactively identify, troubleshoot, and report equipment issues to support timely resolution and minimal operational disruption.
• Manage recurring in-season operational setup and documentation to support accurate post-season reporting and compliance requirements.

Packaging and Material Sourcing

• Assist with forecasting and ordering to ensure availability of packaging materials for operation and distribution demand.
• Support with custom label edits and printing, ensuring quality control on print runs and timely delivery to processors.

Special Projects

• In coordination with the Director of Operations and the Distribution Manager, coordinate logistics for live-product pickups, including communication with harvesters and the Skipper Otto team, order management, inventory tracking, and setup of specialized equipment or materials.
• Assist with offsite or extended-hour offloads when needed, meeting harvesters at the point of offload, maintaining product quality, and ensuring accurate chain-of-custody records.
• Willingness to conduct infrequent specialized processing tasks (e.g., Arctic char), including material preparation, sample collection, and communication with academic or research partners.

Compensation

• The position offers a starting salary range of $62,000-$68,000.
• Extended health, dental and vision benefits and an employee EAP program available after 3 months of employment.
• Vacation entitlement is three weeks paid vacation time, with additional paid days off between Christmas and New Years Eve.
• This role participates in the company-wide Extra Day Off (EDO) program with additional Fridays off throughout the year, which results in an alternating 4-day/ 5-day work week year round.
• Discounted seafood and an initial $100 seafood share credit.
• We are very people-oriented and believe in celebrating our milestones. We host company events, outings, and small celebrations year round.

Position Details

• Regular work week will consist of 40 hours of work, Monday to Friday from 9am – 5pm.
• Work will take place at Skipper Otto's place of business in Kitsilano located at 202 – 1965 West 4th Ave, Vancouver, BC V6J 1E8.
• You will report directly to the Director of Operations.

How to Apply

• Please apply by sending an e-mail with a cover letter and resume to and let us know why you would be a good fit.
• Clearly refer to the position title in the subject line of the email.
• Please apply by Dec 28th, 2025.
• Successful candidates will be contacted by email. While we thank everyone for their application, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
• We are an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with a disability.