Alera is the creator of Zensa Topical Anaesthetic, one of the fastest growing pharma skin care products in the medspa and tattoo markets (@zensaskin on IG). As we continue to expand and evolve, Alera is looking for a highly motivated Operations & Quality Assurance Manager to join our dynamic team based in Vancouver. With a track record of rapid growth over the past few years, we need someone who thrives in an innovative, results-driven environment and is ready to contribute to the success of a sophisticated wellness brand.
Description:
As the Operations & Quality Assurance Manager, you will report directly to the Senior Operations Manager and work cross-functionally with our Sales and Finance teams. You will be responsible for the day-to-day execution and continuous improvement of our supply chain and quality operations, ensuring products are manufactured, released, stored, and delivered efficiently while consistently meeting established quality and compliance standards.
From an Operations perspective, you will own procurement, production planning and scheduling, demand forecasting, inventory management, logistics, 3PL performance, and oversight of order fulfillment. You will maintain visibility across the supply chain.
From a Quality Assurance perspective, you will oversee the systems and processes required to maintain product quality and operational compliance. This includes coordinating quality documentation and product release requirements, overseeing customer quality complaints, maintaining supplier and manufacturing quality records, and ensuring established SOPs are consistently followed.
This is a hands-on ownership role within a growing organization. Success requires strong operational judgment, attention to detail, disciplined follow-through, and the ability to identify risks before they affect product availability, quality, or customer experience. The Operations & Quality Assurance Manager will be expected not only to manage existing processes, but to strengthen the systems, reporting, and accountability required to support the company's continued growth.
Responsibilities:
- Place, track and expedite purchase orders with contract manufacturers and domestic/overseas component suppliers
- Build and maintain a rolling production schedule across manufacturing partners, ensuring components are ready ahead of each batch, and that schedule risk is flagged early
- Own the demand forecast for all markets and channels, and convert it into a supply plan that specifies what must be ordered, from whom, and by when
- Meet with Sales on a regular cadence to reconcile the operational forecast against commercial expectation, and measure forecast accuracy against actual consumption
- Manage inventory accuracy, reorder points and safety stock across Canadian and US warehouses, 3PL facilities and in-transit stock
- Manage 3PL performance against service-level agreements, including receiving accuracy, pick and pack accuracy, on-time dispatch and inventory variance
- Manage inbound and outbound freight across air, ocean, LTL and parcel, along with customs documentation, tariff classification and cross-border requirements
- Act as the escalation point for order issues, short shipments, damage claims, returns and delivery disputes, and resolve them through to conclusion
- Support Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs with the operational content of Health Canada and FDA submissions, GMP compliance, supplier qualification and lot traceability
- Manage lot traceability, first-expiry-first-out rotation, shelf-life monitoring and the disposition of short-dated or obsolete stock
- Produce a regular operations report covering inventory position, service performance, open purchase orders, production status and identified risks
- Identify single points of failure and undocumented processes, and lead the work to document and improve how we operate
Requirements:
- Post-secondary education in supply chain management, operations, business administration or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
- 4+ years of progressive operations experience, including direct ownership of procurement, production scheduling or inventory management
- Practical experience managing third-party logistics providers, contract manufacturers or other outsourced operational partners
- Working knowledge of international shipping, customs documentation and import and export requirements
- Advanced spreadsheet capability, including the construction of planning and forecasting models
- Experience with an ERP, inventory management or accounting system, and the discipline to keep it accurate
- Excellent written communication and attention to detail. The ability to send a short, timely, factual update to colleagues and customers is core to this role
Preferred Skills:
- Exposure to a regulated manufacturing environment; pharmaceutical, natural health product, cosmetic, and medical devices
- Familiarity with Health Canada site and product licensing, or US FDA requirements. Full regulatory competence is not expected; you will be trained on this side of the role
- Any involvement in regulatory submissions or dossier preparation, in any capacity
Compensation:
$80,000 – $100,000 per annum, commensurate with experience. Full-time, permanent, on-site in the Vancouver area.
To Apply: Thank you for considering a career at Alera. Please submit your resume along with your application. We appreciate all applicants, but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
