General Manager

Korn Ferry has partnered with our client on their search for General Manager

The Company

Headquartered in Nanaimo, Hullo is a rapidly growing passenger ferry operator transforming travel between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland. Launched in 2023, Hullo provides a premium high-speed service connecting downtown Vancouver and Nanaimo, offering guests a fast, convenient, and customer-focused alternative for regional travel.

Backed by leading infrastructure investors and operated by the Vancouver Island Ferry Company (VIFC), Hullo has quickly established itself as one of British Columbia's most exciting transportation success stories, welcoming more than 1.1 million guests since launch.

With a strong commitment to safety, operational excellence, innovation, and guest experience, Hullo is entering its next phase of growth. The company is focused on building a globally admired transportation brand while strengthening its long-term partnership with Snuneymuxw First Nation and continuing to connect communities across the Salish Sea.

For leaders seeking the opportunity to shape and scale a high-profile transportation operation, Hullo offers a unique platform to make a lasting impact.

Key Pointers

Hullo operates two purpose-built high-speed passenger catamarans, providing a seamless downtown-to-downtown connection between Vancouver and Nanaimo in approximately 70–75 minutes. With a guest-only focus, reserved seating, and multiple daily sailings, Hullo delivers a fast, reliable, and convenient travel experience.

Safety is the cornerstone of Hullo's operation. Supported by a robust Safety Management System (SMS), all crew members maintain Transport Canada certifications and participate in rigorous vessel-specific training, emergency response exercises, and ongoing safety drills. The fleet is equipped with advanced life-saving, fire detection, and emergency response systems to ensure the highest standards of operational readiness and guest safety.

Hullo is equally committed to environmental stewardship and innovation. Through participation in industry-leading marine conservation initiatives and the use of advanced navigation, thermal imaging, and AI-assisted monitoring technologies, the company minimizes its environmental impact while enhancing navigational safety across the Salish Sea.

Position: General Manager

Location: Greater Vancouver (HQ in Nanaimo, British Columbia) – hybrid working enabled

Reporting Relationship Reports to: Ryan Dermody, CEO

Website:

Employment Type: Permanent and Contract

Flexible Engagement Structure:

While Hullo is open to appointing a permanent General Manager, the company would also welcome experienced industry leaders interested in a contract mandate to help strengthen and scale the operation through its next stage of growth.

Purpose of the Position

Being operational for over two years with high reliability and guest satisfaction, Hullo is entering into a growth phase demanding an even more robust operation. The General Manager is a newly created position and is the operational heart of Hullo – the senior leader responsible for translating the company’s strategic vision into a safe, reliable, and exceptional daily service.

Reporting directly to the CEO and leading a team of around 75 people with 5 Direct Reports, the General Manager will provide leadership across all operational functions, including Marine Operations, Fleet Engineering, Terminal Operations, Guest Experience, and Facilities. Hullo is seeking an executive with outstanding management skills who can mentor a team of senior managers and unite disparate departments into a single, high-performing operational unit. The ideal candidate isn’t just a logistician; they are a team builder, capable of unpacking complex challenges and fostering a resilient culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.

The General Manager will also have full P&L responsibility for the operations division, driving efficiency, performance, and the unwavering delivery of the brand promise to Hullo’s guests, from the terminal to the vessel and back.

Key Responsibilities

1. Operational & Strategic Leadership

• Assume responsibility for the performance of all day-to-day operations, ensuring the fleet and terminals operate with the highest standards of safety, on-time reliability, and guest satisfaction.
• Develop and execute the annual operating plan, setting clear KPIs for each department (Marine, Engineering, Terminals, Facilities) that align with the company's strategic goals.
• Lead the operational response to all major service disruptions, incidents, or emergencies, ensuring clear communication and rapid resolution.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement, analyzing performance data to identify and eliminate friction points, optimize processes, and enhance efficiency.

2. Team Leadership & Cultural Development

• Provide direct leadership, mentorship, and professional development to the senior operational management team (Marine Operations team, Sr. Fleet Engineer, Sr. Manager of Terminal & GX, Facilities Manager and IT).
• Act as a key culture-carrier, actively breaking down silos between departments (e.g., vessel crew and shore-side, engineering and guest experience) to build a unified, collaborative, and mission-focused team.
• Oversee all operational human resources, including performance management, succession planning, and labour relations, in partnership with the Director of People & Culture.

3. Financial & Performance Management

• Develop and manage the complete operational budget (Opex and Capex), holding full P&L responsibility for the division.
• Monitor all operational expenditures and financial performance, delivering regular reports, forecasts, and variance analyses to the CEO and Financial Director.
• Champion cost-conscious operations, driving efficiency and optimization without compromising safety, quality, or long-term asset integrity.

4. Safety, Security & Regulatory Compliance

• Uphold and champion the company’s Safety Management System (SMS) at every level of the operation, ensuring unwavering compliance with the ISM Code, Transport Canada regulations, and all other applicable laws.
• Serve as the key operational partner to the company’s Designated Person Ashore (DPA) and Company Security Officer (CSO), ensuring all safety and security protocols are effectively implemented and audited.
• Ensure the fleet and facilities are in a constant state of regulatory readiness.

Year One Critical Success Factors

Within the first 12 months in the role, the General Manager will:

• Establish rapport with all the relevant internal and external stakeholders.
• Drive change management initiatives with the aim of improving operational efficiency and guest experience.
• Develop best practices to ensure a safe and robust operation is in place.
• Coach, mentor, and develop team members to ensure employees are engaged and aligned to Hullo’s goals and objectives.

The Candidate

Experience and Professional Qualifications

• A proven leader with a minimum of 10+ years' experience directly managing other senior managers and multi-disciplinary teams in the maritime industry.
• Demonstrated experience in a unionized environment and strong labour relations skills preferred.
• Familiarity with marine technical, vessel, and terminal operations is a must.
• Full P&L and complex budget management (Opex/Capex) experience for a large division or business unit.
• A track record of building and uniting high-performance teams, with skills in mentorship, communication, and cultural development.
• Expertise in managing within a robust Safety Management System (SMS) or equivalent rigorous regulatory framework.
• A strategic mindset with the ability to move fluidly between high-level planning and hands-on operational problem-solving.

Desirable Qualifications

• Direct experience in the passenger ferry or high-speed craft (HSC) industry is highly preferred
• Experience in a high-growth, entrepreneurial, or scale-up environment, preferably from a similar transportation company.
• Proven expertise in logistics, resource planning, and operational optimization.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong leadership capabilities with the ability to inspire and motivate teams towards achieving company’s goals and objectives.
• Exceptional communication and influencing skills; ability to effectively and efficiently disseminate information to all team members.
• Superior interpersonal skills and a team player; ability to display genuine considerations for staffs and guests to fulfil their needs based on trust and integrity.
• Strong problem solving/continuous improvement skills with the ability to adapt to changes quickly.
• A reliable and dependable self-starter who can work autonomously as well as in a team environment to help colleagues, company, and guests to succeed. Willingness to learn and develop self, others, and company.
• High business and personal ethics and integrity to strengthen Hullo’s’ brand equity in the market.

SE: 510767281