About this role
Career Opportunity
GeoSpectrum Technologies is seeking an experienced Chief Operations Officer to join its Executive team to support continued growth, operational expansion, and increasing complexity across the business.
Reporting to the President and CEO, the Chief Operations Officer (COO) is a key member of the leadership team responsible for overseeing and optimizing operational excellence across a highly specialized engineering and manufacturing organization in the ocean technology sector. GeoSpectrum Technologies is a leading provider of underwater acoustic components and sonar systems delivering to a wide range of industries.
The COO plays a pivotal role in leading operational effectiveness across the organization, and leadership across multiple divisions including: Facilities, Security and Compliance, Cyber & IT, and Manufacturing.
With responsibility of two facilities and several hundred employees, the COO is accountable for leading the organization's operational infrastructure, cross-functional process integration, risk management and compliance and driving capital investments to support business delivery, the employee experience, and responsible resource management.
Key Responsibilities
Executive Leadership & Strategy
• In collaboration with the Executive team, set the short-term and long-term national Operations vision and strategy.
• Report to the Board of Directors on GTI’s Operations updates, risks, requirements and resolutions through executive reports, presentations, and strategic discussions.
• Lead enterprise-wide initiatives that support growth, acquisitions, facility expansion, security and operational transformation.
• Foster a culture of accountability, quality, collaboration, and operational excellence.
Operational Leadership
• Plan, develop and provide executive oversight of operational functions to support program delivery, product development, supply chain management and resource requirements in a highly-complex and rapid changing environment.
• Work with the senior leadership team to establish and cascade clear strategic objectives and KPIs to departments to implement operational plans, performance metrics, and resource requirements.
• Drive initiatives that ensure operational systems, infrastructure, integrated processes and resource management lead to achieving business objectives that scale.
• Oversee organizational risk management - identify and mitigate operational risks that may impact quality, delivery, security, compliance, or customer satisfaction. Lead business prevention, continuity, disaster recovery, and resilience planning efforts.
• Collaborate with the Director of Human Resources to plan optimal staffing, resources and facility growth requirements.
• Drive and support continuous improvement initiatives that increase organizational effectiveness, efficiency, and scalability.
Financial Management & Capital Planning
• Collaborate with Executive and senior leadership to establish long-term strategic requirements, resources and budgets.
• Communicate and manage to financial budgets with senior leadership, across multiple divisions and locations.
• Accountable for annual capital expenditure (CapEx) planning, forecasting, prioritization, and execution.
• Evaluate business cases and return-on-investment analyses for major capital investments.
• Monitor operating expenses and drive cost optimization initiatives while maintaining operational effectiveness.
• Work with senior leadership team to ensure capital projects are delivered on schedule and within approved budget parameters.
Leadership & Team Development
• Build, develop, and mentor high-performing operational leadership teams.
• Establish succession planning strategies for critical operational positions.
• Promote a culture focused on employee engagement, accountability, safety, and continuous improvement.
• Lead organizational change initiatives for a company experiencing high-growth, focused on product maturity, quality and innovation.
• Ensure operational teams are appropriately structured to support current and future business requirements.
Security Management
• Provide executive leadership for physical and IT security operations across all facilities.
• Ensure compliance with government, defense, customer, and corporate security requirements.
• Oversee facility access control systems, asset protection programs, and security infrastructure.
• Lead security risk assessments and implementation of mitigation strategies.
• Ensure alignment between physical security and cybersecurity programs.
Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business and Operations, Technology, or related field.
• Fifteen (15+) years of progressive Operations leadership experience in Defense / Aerospace Manufacturing, or Industrial Technology / Advanced Manufacturing industries. .
• Minimum ten (10) years in executive or senior director-level operational roles, managing large scale projects and operations, across multiple locations, and facility expansion.
• Demonstrated track record of relationship-building, stakeholder engagement, and company representation.
• Strong financial acumen, including experience developing and managing organizational budgets and resources, , interpreting financial statements for business decisions, and upskilling leadership teams on financial budget management.
• Career experience in highly-regulated environments including ISO, NATO standards and Controlled Goods.
• Experience overseeing Manufacturing, Materials, Cyber / Information Management, , Facilities, OH&S and Security.
• Proven ability to lead teams, manage competing priorities, and deliver results in a small-to-medium organizational setting.
• National and international travel required.
Security Requirements
All candidates must be eligible for and maintain Canadian Government Security Clearance (NATO level) and Canadian Controlled Goods.
Office Location: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
About Us
GeoSpectrum Technologies was founded in 1994 by friends who wanted to work together and build a collaborative workplace where employees take pride in contributing to cutting‑edge technology from concept to delivery. Based in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, we design and manufacture state‑of‑the‑art underwater acoustic components, transducers, and end‑to‑end systems for maritime surveillance and exploration. Serving clients across ocean science, defence, and oil and gas industries, we are known for our innovation and for delivering reliable, customized solutions that exceed customer expectations. Over three decades, our core values have shaped a supportive and creative environment that emphasizes employee engagement, technical excellence, and strong customer relationships.
To learn more about who we are and what it’s like to work at GeoSpectrum, we invite you to watch our company video by visiting www.geospectrum.ca.
Total Rewards
Our people are our most valuable asset. Our Total Rewards package is designed to support your wellbeing, growth, and long term success at GeoSpectrum. It includes a competitive base salary, comprehensive health and wellness benefits, paid time off, opportunities for professional development, and programs that recognize and reward your ideas and contribution.
Our Total Rewards Program:
• A collaborative, innovative and community focused workplace culture, including organization and team functions, engaging social committee events, wellness initiatives, and employee-led activities
• Competitive executive compensation aligned with experience and qualifications
• Core office hours to support work-life balance
• Vacation and Sick&Care paid time off
• A comprehensive insurance, health, lifestyle, and wellness benefits program designed to support employees and their families, including:
• Virtual healthcare access to provide timely, convenient health support
• EFAP - Employee and Family Assistance program, including confidential resources for personal and professional support
• Corporate discounts, employee perks, and employee programs that add value beyond base compensation.
• Financial Wellness program
• Group Retirement Savings Program - company-matching to help employees build long-term financial security
• Free on-site parking and additional workplace amenities to enhance the GTI employee experience
Professional Development and Mentorship
GeoSpectrum is committed to creating an environment where colleagues can thrive both professionally and personally, while advancing cutting edge underwater acoustic technology. You’ll engage in regular development and performance discussions with your manager, have access to an online learning platform, and benefit from mentoring programs designed to strengthen your skills and open doors to new opportunities in your field.
We foster a collaborative and inclusive workplace where diverse perspectives are valued, opportunities for growth are equitable, and every colleague can reach their full potential. At GeoSpectrum Technologies, we hire and develop talented individuals who drive innovation.