The Operations Excellence Implementation Manager is an individual contributor responsible for leading the execution, rollout, and operationalization of enterprise and regional operational initiatives across auction, yard, logistics, and asset-handling environments. The role ensures that process improvements, operational changes, and technology-enabled solutions are implemented consistently, adopted effectively, and sustained at scale. This role operates across multiple sites, regions, and operational functions, often managing concurrent initiatives with cross-functional dependencies, live auction constraints, safety considerations, and material impact on frontline execution. Reporting to the Manager, Operations Excellence, this role serves as the primary bridge between strategy, solution design, and frontline execution. The Implementation Manager translates improvement concepts into practical, field-ready solutions that operate effectively in high-volume, safety-sensitive, and time-constrained operational settings. The role exercises significant autonomy and judgment and drives outcomes through matrix leadership, influence, and operational credibility. This role carries high execution complexity, broad cross-functional influence, operational and safety risk exposure, and a high degree of autonomy within defined governance.
Responsibilities• End-to-End Implementation Delivery : Lead end-to-end implementation of operational initiatives, including process changes, system deployments, policy updates, and new ways of working. Develop and execute detailed implementation plans addressing scope, sequencing, resourcing, dependencies, readiness, and risk mitigation. Coordinate activities across Operations, Technology, Change Management, Training, Safety, and other enabling teams. Maintain accountability for implementation outcomes, including adoption, operational stability, and measurable performance impact.
• Operational Readiness and Adoption : Assess site and regional readiness for change and proactively identify adoption risks ahead of rollout. Partner with Change Management and Training teams to ensure communications, learning materials, and job aids to enable effective frontline adoption. Validate that new processes, tools, and workflows are practical, safe, and usable in live auctions, yards, and field environments, and ensure they are embedded into standard operating procedures and daily routines.
• Stakeholder Engagement and Field Partnership : Serve as the primary point of contact for site leaders, regional operations teams, and frontline stakeholders throughout implementation. Facilitate working sessions, site visits, pilots, and rollout activities. Gather, synthesize, and translate frontline feedback into actionable insights while balancing enterprise standardization with site-level operational realities. Build trust and influence outcomes without direct authority.
• Risk, Issue, and Dependency Management : Identify, assess, and actively manage operational, safety, schedule, and adoption of risks associated with implementation activities. Track and manage dependencies across teams and initiatives, escalate issues appropriately, and provide clear analysis and recommendations. During live rollouts, make real-time decisions to protect operational continuity, employee safety, and customer experience.
• Measurement, Reporting, and Continuous Improvement : Define and track implementation success measures such as adoption, compliance, efficiency, quality, safety, throughput, process consistency, and reduction in rework or operational variance. Provide clear, structured reporting to Operations Excellence leadership and senior stakeholders. Capture lessons learned and contribute to the development of repeatable implementation frameworks, playbooks, and best practices to strengthen organizational capability over time.
• Governance and Decision Support : Determine rollout sequencing, site-level adaptations, and implementation approaches within approved scope and governance. Make go/no-go recommendations for pilots and broader deployment and support prioritization and resourcing decisions through data-driven insight and operational judgment • Operational Excellence Capability Building : Contribute to the advancement of Operations Excellence standards by reinforcing disciplined execution, continuous improvement practices, and consistent implementation approaches across the organization.
• Other duties as assigned
• Typically 5-7 years of progressive experience in implementation, operations, operational excellence, or transformation roles.
• Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional operational implementations with measurable outcomes.
• Experience working directly with frontline, site-based, or customer-facing operational teams strongly preferred.
• Experience in asset heavy, industrial, logistics, or safety-sensitive environments preferred.
• Proven ability to influence without authority and operate effectively in fast-paced, high-constraint environments.
• Ability to travel to operational sites, including auction locations and equipment yards, as required.
• Ability to walk, stand, and navigate large outdoor yards and industrial environments for extended periods during site visits and implementations.
• Ability to sit and work at a computer for extended periods.
• Ability to occasionally lift or move materials weighing up to 25 pounds.
• Ability to safely work around moving equipment, vehicles, and machinery while adhering to all safety protocols.
• Work is performed in a combination of office and operational yard environments, including Ritchie Bros. auction sites and facilities.
• Office environment includes standard business equipment and prolonged computer use. • Yard and field environments may include exposure to outdoor weather conditions, noise, dust, uneven surfaces, and moving heavy equipment.
• Role requires adherence to all safety policies and use of required personal protective equipment (PPE) when in operational areas.
• Work schedules may require flexibility to support live auction events, site implementations, and critical operational milestones.
• Travel is estimated at approximately 30%, including regular travel to auction sites and yards and occasional overnight travel across North America
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