Director of Operations – US & Canada | Nanak Foods
Search Overview
Organization:
Nanak Foods
Sector:
Food Manufacturing and Consumer Packaged Goods
Location:
Canada and United States
Mandate Type:
Executive Operations Search
Leadership Function:
Director of Operations – US & Canada
Search Scope:
Cross Border Executive Search
Engagement Focus:
Operational Leadership for North American Expansion
Confidentiality:
Confidential Leadership Search Engagement
The Business Landscape
Nanak Foods engaged KIRAH to support the appointment of a Director of Operations – US & Canada during a major stage of organizational growth and cross border operational expansion.
At the time of the search, the organization was establishing a brand new manufacturing facility in Bellingham, Washington as part of its broader North American growth strategy. The expansion represented a significant operational milestone as the company continued strengthening its manufacturing, distribution, and production capabilities across both Canadian and US markets.
Leadership required an operations executive capable of helping oversee complex manufacturing environments while supporting facility setup, operational integration, production scalability, and cross border coordination initiatives.
The mandate carried substantial importance as the organization continued investing in infrastructure growth and operational modernization within a highly competitive food manufacturing environment.
The Leadership Requirement
The role required far more than traditional plant or production management capability.
Nanak Foods needed a senior operational leader capable of navigating manufacturing expansion, operational scaling, team leadership, and cross border operational coordination across Canada and the United States.
The ideal candidate required strong experience across food manufacturing operations, facility leadership, operational efficiency, process management, and large scale production environments.
Equally important was the need for an executive capable of supporting the launch and stabilization of a new facility while partnering closely with executive leadership during a critical growth phase.
The Search Mandate
KIRAH was retained to conduct a targeted executive search for the Director of Operations – US & Canada role.
The assignment focused on identifying operational leaders with experience operating within food manufacturing, consumer packaged goods, production, and large scale operational environments across North America.
Rather than approaching the mandate as a conventional operations placement, the search centered around identifying a strategic operational leader capable of helping guide infrastructure expansion and long term operational growth.
The engagement involved targeted market outreach, executive evaluation, and close consultation with ownership and senior leadership throughout the process.
The Search Strategy
KIRAH conducted focused outreach targeting operations executives across food manufacturing, production, consumer packaged goods, and industrial operational sectors throughout Canada and the United States.
The process emphasized identifying leaders with experience managing complex production environments and operational scaling initiatives.
Candidates were evaluated beyond operational management experience alone.
The assessment process focused heavily on leadership maturity, facility startup capability, manufacturing oversight, operational problem solving, team leadership, and scalability mindset.
Particular emphasis was placed on identifying a leader capable of helping support a newly established US facility while aligning operations across both countries.
The search process also prioritized alignment with Nanak Foods’ entrepreneurial environment, growth trajectory, and operational culture.
Candidates were assessed on adaptability, collaboration capability, leadership style, and their ability to operate effectively within a rapidly evolving manufacturing environment.
The Appointment
The search resulted in the successful appointment of a Director of Operations – US & Canada for Nanak Foods.
The selected executive brought strong manufacturing leadership capability, operational experience, and cross functional management strength aligned with the organization’s North American growth initiatives.
The appointment helped strengthen operational leadership infrastructure during a pivotal stage as the company established and scaled its new Bellingham, Washington facility while continuing broader expansion efforts across Canada and the United States.
The Outcome
Strengthened Cross Border Operations Leadership
Supported the appointment of a senior operational leader capable of overseeing manufacturing and operational growth initiatives across North America.
Successful Operational Expansion Support
Helped strengthen leadership infrastructure during the launch and development of the organization’s new US manufacturing facility.
Specialized Manufacturing Search Execution
Delivered a targeted executive search process focused on operational leadership within food manufacturing and production environments.
Long Term Operational Scalability Alignment
Identified leadership capability aligned with the organization’s expansion objectives and evolving operational infrastructure needs.
Key Search Metrics
Cross Border Executive Search
Targeted outreach conducted across food manufacturing, operations, production, and industrial leadership sectors throughout Canada and the United States.
Facility Expansion Leadership Evaluation
Comprehensive assessment focused on operational scalability, manufacturing oversight, and facility leadership capability.
Manufacturing Sector Search Focus
Search execution tailored to complex production and operational growth environments.
Successful Leadership Placement
Completed the successful placement of a Director of Operations – US & Canada for Nanak Foods during a major North American expansion initiative.