Operations Controller
Business Unit: Burnac Produce Ltd.
Location: 80 Zenway Blvd., Vaughan, ON
Status: This posting is for a current vacancy.
The Future of Produce
For over 80 years, Burnac Produce Ltd. has been bringing the world’s freshest fruits and vegetables to tables across Canada and the U.S. From one truck and a dream to becoming the nation’s largest produce supplier, our growth is built on quality, trust, and innovation. We partner with growers locally and globally to deliver exceptional freshness and reliability, every time, without compromise.
The Opportunity
We are seeking an Operations Controller, a senior, high-accountability role responsible for financial oversight, vendor claims management, and procurement support across three key commodity groups: grapes, cherries, and citrus. You will be the financial backbone of the Category Team: monitoring gross profit in real time, tracking losses at the container level, building and executing vendor claims, and signing off on all category purchase orders. This is a highly analytical role — the successful candidate owns financial outcomes, drives vendor recovery, and operates with the precision and accountability of a business owner, working closely with the CEO, category managers, logistics, and external vendors.
What We Provide
We offer comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage, plus life and disability insurance. You’ll also have access to our Employee Assistance Program for mental health and wellness, and a collaborative, team-oriented work environment.
What You’ll Do
- Monitor gross profit (GP) daily and weekly across the grape, cherry, and citrus categories, tracking financial performance at the container level and identifying root causes of loss in real time.
- Accrue losses throughout the season, maintain accurate running totals by commodity group, and report directly to senior leadership on category financial performance and recovery status.
- Provide financial support and guidance to category managers to ensure weekly GP targets are met.
- Build, support, and execute vendor claims to recover losses from quality failures, spec deviations, poor pack-out performance, and other claimable events, maintaining thorough documentation and evidence packages for all submissions.
- Conduct end-of-season reconciliations, particularly for citrus, coordinating multi-million dollar claim settlements with key vendors and negotiating claim outcomes in partnership with category managers and senior leadership.
- Differentiate between claimable losses (vendor fault) and internal losses (e.g., overstock, deterioration) and manage each appropriately.
- Review and approve all purchase orders for grapes, cherries, and citrus prior to finalization, verifying freight charges, currency allocations, and cost line items, and correcting erroneous charges that would negatively impact gross profit.
- Manage vendor advance payment schedules for the citrus program, aligning advances with loading schedules and product receipt, and flagging discrepancies between advance commitments and actual receipts.
- Support the planning and development of the offshore grape procurement program (Peru, Chile, Brazil, etc.), analyzing historical data year-over-year to inform volume planning, vendor allocation, overbooking strategies, and contingency planning.
What You Bring
Must-haves:
- Minimum 8–10 years of experience in a financial, procurement finance, or trade finance role with direct P&L or gross profit accountability.
- Demonstrated experience managing or overseeing financial outcomes at a business, category, or program level.
- Strong analytical and financial acumen — able to understand root cause, financial impact, and recovery strategies.
- Experience reviewing, approving, or auditing purchase orders or supplier invoices in a commercial environment.
- Advanced attention to detail with a zero-tolerance approach to financial error.
- Intermediate to advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
- Professional maturity, strong interpersonal communication, and the ability to work cross functionally with category, logistics, and executive stakeholders.
Nice-to-haves:
- Experience in a perishable goods, produce, food distribution, or commodity trading environment.
- Background in vendor claims, charge-back management, or supplier reconciliation.
- Familiarity with accounting principles, financial statements, or ERP systems — training provided for internal systems.
- Formal accounting designation (CPA or equivalent) — experience and results matter more than credentials.
- Experience running or owning a business with bookkeeping, cost management, or financial planning responsibilities.
This position does not require Canadian experience beyond the skills and qualifications listed above.
Work Environment
- Office-based environment with frequent computer use.
- Standard business hours, with extended hours possible during peak season, end-of-season reconciliations, and major claim settlements.
- Fast-paced, high-impact environment with direct exposure to senior leadership.
- Frequent interaction with category managers, logistics, finance, external vendors, and the CEO.
Application Screening
Applications may be screened using automated tools or qualification-based questions to assess whether minimum job requirements are met.
How to Apply
If you’re interested in joining our team, please apply directly through Indeed by clicking the Apply Now button.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed. They should not be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities. Employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities as needed.
Burnac Produce Ltd. is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, record of offences, marital status, family status, disability, or other protected status.
We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Accessibility
We are committed to providing accommodation throughout the recruitment process in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). If you require accommodation during any stage of the recruitment process, please contact us at [email protected] with the position title and details of your accommodation request.
#INDOpCo
Pay: $100,000.00-$125,000.00 per year
Application question(s):
- Do you have a minimum of 8 to 10 years of experience in a financial, procurement finance, or trade finance role with direct P&L or gross profit accountability?
- Have you managed or overseen financial outcomes at a business, category, or program level?
- Do you have intermediate to advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel?
- Do you have experience reviewing, approving, or auditing purchase orders or supplier invoices in a commercial environment?
Work Location: In person
