Vice President, Retail Operations - Burnaby, BC

Location: This hybrid role requires 3 days on-site at our Burnaby, BC office and 2 days remote per week.

Welcome to Specsavers – where we’re not just about eyecare and eyewear, but changing lives through better sight. Ranked the 5th Best Workplace™ in Canada and 12th globally by Great Place to Work®, we’re proud of our optometrist-owned model that makes high-quality, eyecare and eyewear accessible to all Canadians. 

Founded 40 years ago in the UK by visionary husband and wife optometry duo Doug and Mary Perkins, Specsavers has remained privately owned since day one. Today, we are a $7.8 billion global business with over 45,000 colleagues across more than 2,700 retail optical locations.

In Canada, our support office is based in Burnaby, BC. Since entering the market in 2021, we’ve been scaling rapidly, now with over 270 locations nationwide. With advanced clinical equipment and a wide range of affordable, high-quality eyewear, we’re transforming the way Canadians experience eyecare.

If you’re passionate about making a difference and want to be part of a values-driven organization, join us as we continue to grow. Together, we can change lives through better sight.

What You’ll Do

Reporting to the Director of Central Operations, the Vice President, Retail Operations will play a pivotal role in driving store performance and customer experience across Canada.

You'll lead the Retail Operations strategy, ensuring our stores have the support, tools and operational frameworks needed to deliver outstanding customer experiences while achieving commercial success. Working closely with Partners, Retail leaders and global stakeholders, you'll help shape the future of Specsavers Canada while contributing to global best practices.

You'll also lead a high-performing Retail Operations team, creating a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Operational Excellence

• Lead the development and execution of the Retail Operations strategy and annual business plan.
• Drive operational excellence and consistency across the Canadian store network.
• Champion best practice, innovation and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Lead national retail projects and major change programmes to support business growth.

Customer Experience & Store Performance

• Develop and execute customer experience strategies that enhance satisfaction and loyalty.
• Use customer insights and operational data to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Partner with store owners to improve performance, strengthen operational standards and enhance the customer journey.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators to drive accountability and results.

Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement

• Lead, coach and develop a high-performing Retail Operations team.
• Build trusted relationships with Store Partners and senior leaders across the business.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver strategic priorities and operational initiatives.
• Represent Canadian Retail Operations in regional and global forums.

What We’re Looking For

• Significant senior leadership experience in retail operations, customer experience or multi-site retail management.
• Proven success leading large-scale operational teams and driving business performance.
• Strong commercial acumen with experience managing budgets, forecasting and P&L performance.
• Experience leading complex change initiatives and national projects.
• Exceptional stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• A passion for developing people and building high-performing teams.
• Strong analytical, planning and problem-solving capabilities.
• Experience operating within a national, franchise or partnership-based business would be highly advantageous.

Speccies’ Benefits

• 5 weeks of vacation and 1 paid volunteer day per year
• 1 extra paid day off plus an eyecare voucher to celebrate your birthday.
• Health and dental benefits, RRSP matching and a Healthcare Spending Account active from your first day.
• Mental health and wellbeing support, including $3,000 annually for practitioner care and access to our Employee Assistance Program.
• Quarterly bonuses, based on your performance.
• Annual Profit Share program to recognize your part in Specsavers’ success.
• Free parking, access to the building gym, and a fully stocked kitchen with snacks and coffee/tea.
• On‑site wellness offerings in-office, including RMT and yoga sessions.
• Team and company social events, including holiday and annual celebrations. 

Behaviours We Value

• Collaborative: We work together as one Specsavers to deliver on our purpose
• Curious: We question, explore, and seek out diverse perspectives to develop our knowledge and understanding
• Courageous: We challenge the status quo, we experiment with good ideas, and we are brave, bold, and fast in our decision making
• Compassionate: We care, support, and help each other
• Commercial: We treat money wisely and make decisions that are good for our customers, our partners, our people and for the long term

We hope that in applying with us, you value these things as well!

Our Hybrid Work Model

Experience the best of both worlds. At Specsavers, we embrace a hybrid approach that balances in-office collaboration with the flexibility to work from home. We come together in office three days a week to connect, innovate, and keep our culture thriving.

Equal Opportunity Employer

At Specsavers, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We believe that a diverse team enriches our work environment and enables us to achieve our goals. We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage candidates of all backgrounds and abilities to apply. If you believe you can contribute to our mission and vision, we welcome your application, even if you don't meet every qualification listed. We value the unique skills and perspectives each individual brings to our team.

Accessibility and Accommodations

We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible workplace. If you require accommodations at any stage of the application or interview process, please let us know by contacting us at careers.ca@specsavers.com . We will work with you to meet your needs and ensure a fair and equitable experience.

#LI-ED1 #LI-Hybrid