About Connors Bros.
For more than 130 years, Connors Bros. has been a proud part of New Brunswick's history and one of Canada's most recognized seafood processors. Founded in the 1880s by Lewis and Patrick Connors in Blacks Harbour, the company grew from a small family fishing operation into a globally recognized seafood manufacturer.
Today, Connors Bros. is a division of Clover Leaf Seafoods Corp. and is home to the Brunswick® brand, the only sardine producer remaining in North America and one of the largest sardine producers in the world. In addition to Brunswick products, our facility also produces seafood products for several well-known private-label brands sold across Canada.
Our Blacks Harbour facility combines generations of experience with modern food manufacturing practices, producing high-quality seafood products that reach customers across North America and around the world. We are proud to be a major employer in Charlotte County, offering rewarding careers in production, skilled trades, maintenance, leadership, administration, and support services.
At Connors Bros., our success is built on teamwork, safety, quality, and continuous improvement. You'll join a company with a rich heritage, a strong commitment to our employees, and a vision for the future.
The Opportunity
As Senior Manager, Sardine Operations, you will provide strategic leadership for our end-to-end manufacturing operations, overseeing the production process from Wet End through Packaging and Finished Goods.
Reporting as a key member of the Operations leadership team, you will be responsible for ensuring safe, efficient, and high-quality operations while balancing customer service, production performance, employee engagement, and financial results.
Working closely with leaders across Maintenance, Engineering, Quality Assurance, Supply Chain, Human Resources, Finance, and Commercial Operations, you will help shape the future of our manufacturing operation through operational excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Success in this role means creating an environment where people thrive, production performs, and continuous improvement becomes part of the culture.
Core Duties & Responsibilities
As Senior Manager, Sardine Operations, you will:
Provide Operational Leadership
- Lead all manufacturing operations across Wet End, Processing, Packaging, and Finished Goods.
- Establish operational priorities aligned with business objectives.
- Ensure production targets, quality standards, customer expectations, and financial goals are consistently achieved.
Drive Safety, Food Safety & Compliance
- Champion a culture where safety always comes first.
- Ensure compliance with all health and safety, environmental, food safety, and regulatory requirements.
- Support audit readiness and maintain compliance with applicable standards, including HACCP, SQF, and CFIA requirements.
Improve Performance
- Lead Lean Manufacturing, Operational Excellence, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Monitor operational KPIs and implement strategies to improve productivity, quality, efficiency, and cost performance.
- Identify opportunities for automation, technology, and process improvements.
Lead People
- Develop, coach, and mentor leaders while building strong, engaged teams.
- Foster accountability, collaboration, and a culture focused on continuous learning.
- Support succession planning and talent development across operations.
Partner Across the Business
- Work collaboratively with Supply Chain, Maintenance, Engineering, Quality Assurance, Finance, Commercial, and Human Resources.
- Support positive labour relations in partnership with Human Resources, including administration of the collective agreement.
- Represent the facility during corporate initiatives, audits, and strategic projects.
Manage Business Performance
- Develop annual operating plans and capital budgets.
- Manage operational resources to meet current and future production demands.
- Drive initiatives that improve long-term operational capability and business sustainability.
Skills and Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Business Administration, Food Science, Operations Management, or a related discipline.
- Minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience in a manufacturing environment, including at least 5 years in a senior plant or multi-functional operations leadership role.
- Demonstrated success leading large manufacturing teams and delivering measurable improvements in safety, quality, productivity, and financial performance.
- Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Operational Excellence, and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Proven experience managing capital projects, operating budgets, and strategic business planning.
- Comprehensive understanding of food manufacturing, quality systems, regulatory compliance, and health and safety standards; knowledge of CFIA, SQF, and HACCP requirements is an asset.
- Experience leading in a unionized manufacturing environment is an asset.
- Exceptional leadership, communication, coaching, and relationship-building skills with the ability to influence at all organizational levels.
- Strong analytical, financial, and problem-solving capabilities with a data-driven approach to decision-making.
- Ability to lead organizational change while building a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Must be legally allowed to work in Canada.
Why Join Connors Bros.?
At Connors Bros., you'll have the opportunity to:
- Lead one of Canada's most recognized seafood manufacturing operations.
- Make a meaningful impact on the future of a historic manufacturing facility.
- Work alongside experienced leaders who value innovation and continuous improvement.
- Develop people, strengthen operations, and influence strategic business decisions.
- Build a rewarding career with a company that has proudly served communities for more than 130 years.
Our Values
Every Connors Bros. Team Member is expected to demonstrate our core values every day:
- Focus Forward – We embrace innovation and continuously improve.
- Come Together – We work collaboratively and respectfully.
- Find A Way – We solve problems with determination and creativity.
- Act Right – We act with integrity, accountability, and respect.
- Show Care – We support one another and create an environment where people feel valued.
What We Offer
- Competitive hourly wage.
- Comprehensive benefits package.
- Pension and retirement savings opportunities.
- Training and professional development.
- Opportunity to work in a dynamic and team-oriented environment.
Working Conditions & Physical Capacities
This position is based at our Blacks Harbour manufacturing facility and combines office responsibilities with regular time spent on the production floor.
The successful candidate should be comfortable working in a food manufacturing environment that includes varying temperatures, noise, humidity, and production activity while following all required PPE and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs).
Flexibility is required to support a multi-shift operation, including occasional work outside normal business hours. Limited travel may also be required.
Apply Today
If you're ready to lead a high-performing manufacturing operation and help shape the future of one of Canada's most iconic seafood brands, we'd love to hear from you.
Please submit your resume and cover letter to [email protected], quoting Senior Manager, Sardine Operations in the subject line.
Connors Bros. fosters diversity, inclusion and belonging within and across our organization. We welcome all to apply, including women, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity. Interested applicants can apply directly.
Connors Bros. is an accessible employer. If you require accommodation throughout the recruitment process (including alternate formats of materials or accessible meeting rooms), please let us know and we will work with you to meet your needs.
We thank all applicants for expressing interest in employment opportunities with Connors Bros. Please note that only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Applicants may be required to undergo a background check and meet the security criteria specified for the position.
Pay: From $140,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
