Vice President Operations

Company Description West Country Energy Services is a Western Canadian service provider specializing in industrial and commercial vegetation management and pipeline leak detection/LDAR. The organization supports clients in the energy sector by helping maintain safe, compliant, and efficient operations across diverse project sites. With a focus on reliability and technical expertise, West Country Energy Services delivers solutions that reduce risk and protect critical infrastructure. Team members collaborate closely with customers and field crews to ensure high-quality service delivery and long-term partnerships.

Vice President of Operations

Vegetation Management | Field Services

Position Overview

West Country Energy Services is seeking an experienced, results-driven Vice President of Operations to lead and oversee the operational performance of our growing vegetation management company.

This is a senior leadership position responsible for driving operational excellence, developing strong management teams, improving efficiencies, maintaining high safety standards, and ensuring consistent, profitable business growth.

The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker and hands-on leader who understands the complexities of field-based service operations and can translate business objectives into measurable results. They will bring strong leadership, financial discipline, operational expertise, and the ability to build a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Provide overall leadership and direction for daily operations across all vegetation management divisions.
• Develop and execute operational strategies aligned with company goals and growth objectives.
• Establish performance standards, operating procedures, and accountability measures.
• Improve productivity, resource utilization, scheduling, and operational efficiencies.
• Ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to customer expectations.

People & Leadership Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop project managers, supervisors, and field leadership teams.
• Build a strong culture of accountability, communication, teamwork, and performance.
• Support workforce planning, recruitment, retention, and succession planning.

Safety & Risk Management

• Champion a proactive safety culture across all operations.
• Ensure compliance with applicable workplace safety regulations, industry standards, and environmental requirements.
• Ensure field operations are conducted safely and responsibly.

Financial & Business Performance

• Maintain accountability for operational budgets, job costing, margins, and profitability.
• Identify opportunities to improve gross margins and reduce operating costs.
• Monitor key performance indicators and implement strategies to improve results.
• Collaborate with executive leadership on annual budgets, forecasting, and strategic planning.

Equipment & Resources

• Oversee fleet, equipment, maintenance, and asset utilization.
• Ensure equipment availability, reliability, and cost-effective management.
• Optimize labour, equipment, and materials to maximize operational performance.

Customer & Business Development

• Maintain strong relationships with key customers and strategic partners.
• Support business development through operational planning, estimating, and service delivery strategies.
• Ensure a high level of customer satisfaction and consistent service quality.
• Identify opportunities to expand service capabilities and support company growth.

Qualifications & Experience

• Must possess a valid Alberta Pesticide Applicator Certificate or an equivalent recognized certification, or be eligible and willing to obtain the required Alberta certification.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in operations, preferably within vegetation management, forestry, utilities, or related field-service industries.
• Demonstrated experience leading large, geographically dispersed field operations.
• Proven ability to manage multiple departments, managers, supervisors, and field crews.
• Strong understanding of operational financials, budgeting, job costing, and profitability.
• Experience managing fleet, equipment, labour, and resource allocation.
• Strong knowledge of occupational health and safety practices.
• Excellent leadership, communication, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to drive operational improvements and sustainable business growth.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for a leader who:

• Thinks strategically but understands the realities of day-to-day field operations.
• Leads from the front and earns the respect of employees at every level.
• Makes decisions based on performance, data, and sound business judgment.
• Builds strong teams and develops future leaders.
• Understands that safety, quality, productivity, and profitability must work together.
• Is comfortable operating in a fast-paced, growing organization.

The Opportunity

This is an opportunity to join a growing vegetation management organization in a key executive leadership role. The successful candidate will have a significant impact on the company's operational direction, team development, customer relationships, and long-term success.

Compensation: Competitive compensation package based on experience, including performance incentives and additional benefits.

Reports To: Chief Executive Officer