Director of Business Operations

About NKPR

Founded in 2002, NKPR is one of Canada's leading independent communications agencies, specializing in public relations, digital marketing, social media, influencer marketing, talent representation and brand strategy. For more than two decades, we've partnered with global brands and emerging businesses to build reputations, create meaningful connections and deliver measurable business results.

Our clients span real estate, hospitality, lifestyle, fashion, design, technology, consumer brands and financial services. We are known for thinking strategically, moving quickly and delivering exceptional work.

At NKPR, we believe great businesses are built by great people. We've created a collaborative, entrepreneurial environment where initiative is valued, ideas are welcomed and every team member has the opportunity to make an impact. We support one another, celebrate success together and believe the best work happens when talented people genuinely enjoy working together.

Located in the heart of downtown Toronto, our office is a creative, energetic space designed for collaboration—from impromptu brainstorming sessions to summer gatherings on our rooftop patio. We work hard, move quickly and believe in building meaningful relationships while creating a workplace where people are proud to be part of the team.

About the Role

NKPR is seeking a strategic, commercially minded Director of Business Operations to help lead the agency's next phase of growth. This is far more than an operations role—we're looking for a business leader with an entrepreneurial mindset who is intellectually curious, analytical and energized by building better businesses. They don't wait to be told what needs fixing—they anticipate challenges, identify opportunities and implement practical solutions that improve efficiency, profitability and performance.

Working closely with the President and Leadership Team, you'll oversee agency operations, finance, human resources, resource planning and business performance while helping build the operational foundation required for continued growth.

You'll think like an owner, embrace technology and AI, make data-driven decisions and build systems that help both our people and our business thrive.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the agency, ensuring projects and initiatives are delivered efficiently, on time and within budget.


• Develop and continuously improve operational systems, policies and processes that increase efficiency and scalability.


• Identify operational challenges and proactively implement solutions that improve productivity and profitability.


• Maintain vendor relationships and operational infrastructure to support the smooth running of the agency.


• Act as the primary operational contact for office facilities, vendors, security, emergencies and business continuity, responding to issues as needed to ensure the agency continues to operate smoothly.


• Support agency events and operational initiatives as needed, approaching every responsibility with an ownership mindset and commitment to the success of the business.
  

Business Intelligence & Performance

• Develop executive dashboards and forecasting tools that provide meaningful visibility into agency performance, profitability and staffing utilization to support planning and executive decision-making.


• Analyze profitability, staffing utilization and operational performance to identify opportunities for improvement.


• Forecast staffing needs and agency capacity.


• Present recommendations to leadership based on insights—not simply reporting results.

Leadership & Resource Management

• Lead, mentor and support department leaders and operational staff.


• Partner with the Leadership Team to develop staffing plans and allocate resources effectively, ensuring the right people are assigned to the right clients at the right time.


• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, ownership and continuous improvement.


• Conduct performance reviews and support ongoing professional development.

Strategic Planning

• Translate business strategy into operational execution.


• Identify opportunities for growth, operational scalability and continuous improvement.


• Stay current on operational best practices, AI advancements and emerging technologies.


• Participate in weekly business development meetings and provide regular business insights and recommendations to the President.


• Prepare and maintain client contracts, Statements of Work and vendor agreements.

Technology, AI & Automation

• Champion the use of AI and automation to improve efficiency across the agency.


• Evaluate and implement technology that enhances operations, communication and project management.


• Continuously identify smarter, more scalable ways of working.


• Recommend emerging tools and technologies that strengthen the business.

Financial Leadership

• Partner closely with the Finance Manager to monitor the agency's financial performance.


• Review financial reports and recommend opportunities to improve profitability.


• Understand payroll, P&Ls, accounts receivable, accounts payable, budgeting, forecasting and resource utilization.


• Ensure financial systems support accurate reporting and informed business decisions.

Client & Vendor Management

• Maintain strong relationships with key clients, partners and vendors.


• Review agency contracts and Statements of Work.


• Ensure teams have the operational support and resources needed to deliver exceptional client service.


• Negotiate vendor agreements and identify cost-saving opportunities.

Human Resources & Culture

• Lead all human resources functions including recruitment, hiring, onboarding, employee relations and performance management.


• Develop and implement HR policies and best practices.


• Oversee performance reviews and career development initiatives.


• Champion employee engagement, retention and professional development.


• Foster a workplace culture built on collaboration, accountability, inclusion and continuous learning.


• Address employee concerns professionally, thoughtfully and confidentially.


• Experience with BambooHR is considered an asset.

Project & Special Initiatives

• Lead agency-wide operational projects from planning through execution.


• Implement project management best practices that improve consistency and delivery.


• Conduct post-project evaluations and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.


• Coordinate and support special agency initiatives as required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Human Resources, Marketing, Communications or a related field. MBA considered an asset.


• 7–10 years of progressive operations leadership experience, ideally within a communications, marketing, public relations or professional services environment.


• Demonstrated success building operational systems that improve efficiency, profitability and scalability.


• Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, utilization, profitability analysis and resource planning.


• Proven ability to lead high-performing teams and influence across departments.


• Exceptional organizational, analytical and problem-solving skills.


• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.


• Experience with Microsoft Office, business reporting tools and project management platforms.


• Experience implementing technology and AI solutions that improve business performance.


• Strong understanding of HR principles, employment legislation and organizational development.


• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.

Key Competencies

• Sound business judgment and commercial acumen


• Solutions-focused, entrepreneurial mindset


• Resourcefulness and operational excellence


• Hands-on leadership – leads by example and steps in wherever needed


• Leadership and team development


• Human resources leadership


• Ability to make decisions with imperfect information


• Technology, AI and automation fluency


• Client and stakeholder management


• Flexible, proactive and highly accountable

Success in This Role

Within your first 12 months, you will:

• Build the operational infrastructure that enables NKPR to scale efficiently while maintaining exceptional client service.


• Improve operational efficiency by implementing smarter systems, technology and AI-driven solutions across the business.


• Build and retain a high-performing team by attracting exceptional talent, creating a seamless onboarding experience and fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous growth.


• Improve employee engagement and retention by ensuring our people feel supported, challenged, recognized and equipped to do their best work.


• Ensure the agency has the right people, in the right roles, at the right time through thoughtful workforce planning.


• Strengthen communication and collaboration across departments.


• Anticipate operational challenges before they impact the business and proactively develop practical solutions.


• Become a trusted strategic partner to the President—bringing insights, recommendations and solutions, not simply reporting on what has happened.

Compensation

Competitive compensation package commensurate with experience, qualifications and demonstrated ability.

The Ideal Candidate

You naturally ask, "How can this be better?" and enjoy turning ideas into systems, data into decisions and teams into high-performing organizations. You take ownership, lead by example and thrive in an entrepreneurial environment where no two days are the same.

If you're passionate about building better businesses, developing great people and making a meaningful impact, we'd love to hear from you.