Job Posting: Director of Operations – Building Centres / Hardware Retail
Position: Director of Operations
Location: Milton and Cambridge / Ontario
Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent
Reports To: Ownership
About the Role
We are looking for an experienced, hands-on Director of Operations to oversee the daily operations and performance of our four building centre / hardware retail locations.
This is a senior leadership role for someone who can work directly with ownership, lead and hold store managers accountable, improve operational consistency, and help each location perform at a higher level.
The successful candidate will be responsible for supporting, coaching, and elevating store managers while ensuring that company standards are being followed across all locations. This person must be comfortable working in the stores, reviewing numbers, identifying problems, following up on action items, and creating a strong culture of accountability.
Key Responsibilities
- Oversee the operations of four building centre / hardware retail locations
- Lead, support, coach, and hold store managers accountable
- Visit each location regularly to review performance, standards, staffing, inventory, customer service, yard operations, and overall execution
- Create and implement store manager scorecards, KPIs, checklists, and reporting systems
- Conduct regular manager meetings and follow up on action plans
- Monitor sales, gross margins, labour costs, inventory controls, shrink, customer service, and profitability
- Improve consistency in procedures, communication, and expectations across all locations
- Work with store managers to improve team performance, scheduling, training, and staff accountability
- Ensure proper documentation of employee issues, customer concerns, operational problems, and follow-up actions
- Review store cleanliness, merchandising, organization, yard standards, delivery performance, and customer experience
- Help identify underperforming areas and create practical improvement plans
- Support ownership in making decisions related to staffing, management structure, store performance, and operational improvements
- Ensure all locations are operating efficiently, professionally, and profitably
Areas of Focus
The Director of Operations will be responsible for improving and maintaining standards in areas such as:
- Store manager accountability
- Sales and customer service performance
- Contractor customer service
- Inventory control and shrink reduction
- Gross margin improvement
- Labour scheduling and productivity
- Yard and delivery operations
- Cash/POS controls
- Staff accountability and documentation
- Store cleanliness, merchandising, and organization
- Communication between stores and ownership
- Weekly reporting and operational follow-up
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate has experience as a:
- Director of Operations
- Regional Manager
- District Manager
- Multi-Unit Retail Manager
- Area Manager
- Senior General Manager
- Branch Operations Manager
- Retail Operations Manager
Experience in building supplies, hardware, lumber, contractor sales, home improvement retail, industrial supply, plumbing/electrical supply, distribution, or inventory-heavy retail is strongly preferred.
Required Qualifications
- Proven experience managing multiple retail, branch, supply, or operational locations
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to hold managers accountable
- Experience managing store managers, department managers, or branch managers
- Strong understanding of retail operations, staffing, inventory, customer service, and profitability
- Ability to create and manage KPIs, scorecards, checklists, and reporting systems
- Strong communication, follow-up, and documentation skills
- Ability to work hands-on in the stores and identify operational issues quickly
- Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills
- Comfortable working directly with ownership
- Valid driver’s licence and ability to travel between locations
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
Preferred Experience
- Building centre, hardware, lumber, contractor supply, or building materials experience
- Experience managing yard operations, deliveries, contractor customers, and inventory-heavy businesses
- Experience improving underperforming locations
- Experience developing store managers and leadership teams
- Experience with POS systems, inventory controls, labour management, and margin improvement
- Experience creating performance reviews, accountability systems, and operational standards
Key Success Measures
Success in this role will be measured by:
- Improved store manager accountability
- Stronger communication between stores and ownership
- Improved sales and gross margin performance
- Better inventory control and reduced shrink
- Improved customer service and contractor satisfaction
- Better labour scheduling and productivity
- Consistent operational standards across all locations
- Improved team performance and staff accountability
- Timely reporting, follow-up, and documentation
- Improved profitability across the business
Compensation
Compensation will be based on experience and qualifications.
The package may include:
- Competitive base salary
- Performance-based bonus
- Vehicle allowance or travel reimbursement
- Phone allowance
- Opportunity for long-term growth within the company
How to Apply
Please submit your resume and a brief summary of your experience, especially any experience with:
- Multi-location operations
- Building supplies, hardware, lumber, or contractor supply
- Managing store managers or branch managers
- Improving operational performance
- Creating accountability systems and KPIs
We are looking for a strong, hands-on leader who can bring structure, accountability, and consistent performance to our four locations.
Pay: $90,000.00-$130,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
