Haliburton Forest is hiring an Operations Manager for our sawmill in Madawaska, Ontario.

The right candidate is a proven leader who can manage people, process, and budget well — sawmill and forestry-sector knowledge can be built on the job with the support of our experienced production team.

About the Role The Operations Manager is responsible for the day-to-day leadership of the sawmill, specifically: safety, people management, production output, quality, cost control, and coordination with maintenance, logistics, and head office. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who is comfortable in an industrial/production environment, potentially with some experience managing in a unionized environment.

Key Responsibilities

- Lead, coach, and hold accountable a team of production staff and shift/area supervisors.
- Own site safety culture and compliance; drive toward zero-incident performance.
- Manage production schedules, throughput, and quality targets against site budgets.
- Control operating costs, labour planning, and inventory of key inputs.
- Build and maintain a strong communication link with head office, other Haliburton Forest departments, and the sawmill's technical/production leads.
- Identify and lead continuous-improvement initiatives across process, equipment uptime, and workflow.
- Hire, develop, and retain a capable, engaged team.





What We're Looking For We care more about how a candidate has led people and operations than whether that experience was in a sawmill. Strong candidates typically bring:
- A track record of managing a team and a P&L; or cost centre in an operational, industrial, manufacturing, or resource-sector setting.
- Demonstrated leadership: someone who earns trust, sets clear expectations, and holds people accountable fairly.
- Solid problem-solving and decision-making under real production pressure.
- Comfort with budgets, KPIs, and reporting to senior leadership.
- A genuine willingness to learn sawmill/forestry operations — prior sawmill experience is an asset, not a requirement.
- Willingness to be present and visible on the mill floor.

Location Madawaska, Ontario

Sawmill site and surrounding operations in the Madawaska area.

Compensation & Reporting

- Compensation: Commensurate with Experience
- Reports to: President Forest Products Division
- Employment type: Full Time Position

How to Apply Please send your resume and a brief cover note to Donna Rudnick at [email protected]. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until September 30, 2026.

Benefits

- Dental care
- Employee assistance program
- Extended health care
- Life insurance
- Vision care

Work Location: In person

📌 Operations Manager (Madawaska County)
🏢 Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve
📍 Madawaska County