Operations Supervisor

Operations Supervisor needed!

Please note that this role requires a strong hands on presence with animals including rabbit breeding and colony management. If you are NOT comfortable working with animals please do NOT apply.

Job Purpose:

This role is responsible for overseeing daily operational activities at the Robesonia, PA site, with a strong hands on presence in animal care barriers and direct responsibility for rabbit breeding and production operations across two buildings. The position provides leadership, training, and supervision to a team of approximately 28 direct reports, including Team Leads, PSS Technicians, and Animal Care Technicians. The role ensures compliance with regulatory, animal welfare, and biosecurity requirements while supporting workload planning, resource management, and departmental budget execution.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership & People Management

• Provide direct line management to Group Leaders, offering coaching, guidance, and hands on support to ensure consistent performance and employee engagement.
• Lead and model expectations in a hands on production environment, spending significant time working alongside teams in animal care barriers.
• Support Group Leaders with employee relations matters, including attendance, performance, and conduct, in partnership with Senior Management and Human Resources.
• Recruit new team members from business case approval through interview, selection, and onboarding.
• Develop and execute training plans to ensure colleagues are properly trained, qualified, and offered development opportunities that support retention.
• Manage staffing levels throughout the year, including workforce planning, annual leave coordination, and production coverage.
• Deputize for senior management as requested.

Animal Breeding, Production & Operations

• Provide operational oversight of rabbit breeding colonies, ensuring production targets, breeding performance, and animal health standards are consistently met.
• Ensure accurate maintenance of breeding history, production performance, and replacement breeding systems within the Colony Management Program.
• Oversee daily and forward looking review of orders to plan workload, adjust production schedules, and allocate resources effectively.
• Analyze stock targets to ensure inventory levels align with sales forecasts and PEI targets.
• Ensure animals and samples shipped to clients meet client specifications and internal quality standards.

Compliance, Quality & Biosecurity

• Ensure all work is conducted in compliance with regulatory requirements, internal SOPs, and applicable animal welfare standards.
• Drive consistent compliance across teams related to biosecurity, animal welfare, work instructions, policies, and procedures.
• Maintain accurate and compliant veterinary health records.
• Actively participate in customer audits and regulatory inspections.
• Support and implement procedures required for compliance with internal quality and operational initiatives.

Collaboration & Facility Oversight

• Partner with Senior Management, Project Management, and Customer Service to support customer tenders, proposals, and complex or challenging orders.
• Provide technical expertise and support to other areas of the business and customer projects as required.
• Ensure animal housing, operational areas, and equipment are routinely monitored; coordinate repairs and maintenance with the Facilities team.
• Promote and maintain a safe working environment in accordance with health and safety policies.

Additional Responsibilities

• Undertake other reasonable duties as assigned by management.
• Adhere to all regulations, policies, guidelines, and procedural principles.
• Perform miscellaneous duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science or a related field (preferred).
• AALAC certification (a plus).
• 1–3+ years of leadership experience, ideally in an animal production or breeding environment.
• 1–3+ years of hands on animal breeding and production experience, preferably with rabbits.
• Experience working in barrier environments or regulated animal care settings strongly preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong people leadership skills with the ability to lead from the floor in a hands on environment.
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• High ethical standards with proven ability to maintain confidentiality and professionalism.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Teams, Outlook, PowerPoint) and ability to learn internal systems.

Physical & Work Environment Requirements

• Ability and willingness to spend a significant portion of time working in animal care barriers.
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs on occasion.
• Ability to stand and/or walk on concrete for at least 2 hours at a time.
• Frequent bending, reaching, pushing, pulling, squatting, and lifting.
• Comfortable working directly with rabbits in a production and breeding setting.