Senior Manager of Program Operations

Senior Manager of Program Operations About OSCIA

The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) is a unique not-for-profit farm organization whose diverse membership has a significant presence in all agricultural areas of the province and across all major sectors. The mission of OSCIA is to facilitate responsible economic management of soil, water, air and crops through development and communication of innovative farming practices. OSCIA is a leader in agricultural program delivery, including cost-share funding distribution, educational workshop offerings for farmers, and administration of on-farm applied research and knowledge transfer opportunities.

The Senior Manager of Program Operations is responsible for the effective operational management and delivery of agricultural and environmental programs administered by the organization. This role ensures programs are delivered efficiently, accurately, and in compliance with funding agreements and established procedures. The Senior Manager of Program Operations oversees day-to-day operations, supervises staff, liaises with government administrators, and ensures the quality and consistency of all program delivery activities.

• Manage the day-to-day delivery of programs, ensuring timelines, assisting with budgets, and performance targets are met.
• Ensure accurate processing and review of cost-share applications and claims in accordance with program terms and conditions.
• Ensure quality control processes are in place to maintain consistency, fairness, and accuracy in adjudication and reporting.
• Monitor operational performance, troubleshoot delivery challenges, and recommend process improvements.
• Support the development and implementation of program tracking systems, databases, and reporting tools.

• Ensure all program activities comply with delivery agreements, funding contracts, and internal policies.
• Prepare and submit operational reports and performance summaries to funding agents and senior leadership for oversight and transparency.
• Maintain accurate and complete program records, documentation, and financial tracking.
• Support audits, evaluations, and performance reviews of program operations.

• Assist with developing and administering program budgets and tracking expenditures against approved allocations.
• Oversee financial compliance processes and coordinate timely, accurate reporting for cost-share and funding programs.
• Contribute to forecasting and operational analyses to support continuous program improvement.
• Contribute directly to the development and implementation of work plans, progress reporting, to ensure program objectives are achieved on time and within budget.

• Supervise senior program staff, providing day-to-day guidance, training, and performance feedback.
• Promote a collaborative, positive, and efficient team environment.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, and development of staff as needed.
• Lead performance evaluations and professional development initiatives for the Program Team Leads, Coordinators and Field Services Lead, emphasizing feedback, mentoring, and continuous learning.
• Coordinate succession planning and skill development, ensuring team capacity aligns with evolving organizational and programming priorities.

• Serve as a point of contact and support outreach efforts to inquiries from government program administrators, agricultural partners, and producers.
• Collaborate with internal teams to coordinate program planning, communications, and delivery.
• Attend trade shows, conferences, and public events, ensuring professional visibility and consistency of messaging.
• Develop stakeholder feedback mechanisms to inform future program design and improvement.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with communications, finance, and IT teams to align messaging and systems integration.

• Contribute to the development of evaluation frameworks and performance measures for programs.
• Analyze program data and prepare operational summaries for management review.
• Identify opportunities to improve delivery efficiency and participant experience.
• Oversee the coordination, development, and ongoing maintenance of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Coordinate the development of post-program evaluation reports and recommendations.

A post-secondary degree in related fields (e.g. natural resource management, agriculture, soil science, biology, agronomy, agricultural biosecurity) is required. A graduate degree in a related field is considered an asset. A post-secondary degree in public administration, or leadership management is considered an asset.

- Earned from professional associations that verify specialized knowledge in leadership competence. Memberships in professional organizations, (Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program…