Director, Cooperative

Job Type:

Regular

People are at the heart of our success. Our culture encourages collaboration, transparency, and accountability in order to generate value and achieve sustainable results. Being part of the team means committing to an environment where everyone’s impact truly matters.

At Agropur, each role aims to generate value and have a tangible impact on collective performance.

The Director, Cooperative is responsible for defining and implementing an engaging cooperative vision that strengthens member commitment to the Cooperative’s strategic directions and objectives, thereby contributing to its growth and long-term sustainability. The role leads the development, evolution, and delivery of services, activities, and programs that meet the current and future needs of members across Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. As the leader of the Cooperative Affairs team, the Director translates this vision into strategies, action plans, and measurable results.

The Director, Cooperative serves as a strategic advisor to Agropur’s leadership team and corporate functions on matters related to cooperative principles and values, cooperative governance, member engagement, member services, and broader member-related issues.

Context to maximize your impact:

• Recognition of years of service for vacation calculation;
• Flexible group insurance plan including telemedicine services;
• Employee assistance program;
• Opportunities to invest in yourself (career development, etc.);
• Annual bonus;
• Pension plan with company contributions;
• Salary scale 008: $138 900 to $173 600 (Base salary will be determined based on your academic background, experience, training, and skills related to the position.)

Where you will drive value :

• Act as the driving force behind Agropur’s member engagement and cooperative life by designing and implementing, with the support of the Member Relations team, all meetings and activities intended for members and delegates, in alignment with the Cooperative’s strategic priorities. These include regional meetings, the Annual General Meeting, the Delegates’ Summit, and activities aimed at the next generation of members.
• Define relevant performance indicators, measure member engagement with the Cooperative, and recommend adjustments as needed.
• Design and implement recurring consultation mechanisms to gather member perspectives on key organizational issues and generate actionable insights to support decision-making.
• Develop and deploy content across multiple communication channels to help members and shareholders better understand the Cooperative’s strategy, operations, and key business priorities.
• Collaborate with the Communications team in developing corporate messages delivered to members by organizational leaders.
• Through the Member Services team, oversee the identification, evolution, and delivery of services provided to members by a team of agronomists located throughout the service territory. These services include supporting member dairy producers in areas such as milk quality and transportation, milk payment, animal welfare, and on-farm sustainability, as well as managing the annual Club of Excellence competition. They also include guidance related to membership eligibility, member file management, and farm transfers.
• Lead the Capital and Membership team in delivering administrative services primarily related to producer milk payments, patronage dividend calculations and payments, share redemptions, and member registry management.
• Support the Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Cooperative Affairs in establishing the objectives and strategies of the Cooperative Affairs Department, as well as preparing reports and updates for the Board committee responsible for member engagement and oversight of member services.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key cooperative partners to advance inter-cooperation initiatives and maximize benefits for both the Cooperative and its members.
• Work closely with other departments to keep members informed about the Cooperative’s commercial and operational activities and coordinate employee education initiatives related to the cooperative model, values, and principles.
• Plan, manage, and monitor annual objectives and budgets for the Cooperative Affairs Department. Lead, develop, and support a team of approximately ten employees while ensuring strong performance management in a changing and evolving environment.

What will enable you to have an impact:

Required Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy, Agricultural Economics, Business Administration, or another relevant field related to agriculture and/or cooperative management.
• An equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may also be considered.

Required Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in the agricultural sector, ideally within dairy production, or within a cooperative environment.
• Demonstrated leadership experience with a proven ability to engage, develop, and advance teams.
• Experience managing multiple projects and teams simultaneously in complex environments with competing priorities and tight deadlines.
• Strong knowledge of the Canadian agricultural industry, preferably dairy production, as well as a solid understanding of cooperative principles, cooperative governance, and issues affecting cooperative members.

Required Competencies:

• Strategic thinker capable of identifying emerging issues, assessing impacts, and translating analysis into actionable recommendations and plans.
• Ability to challenge existing practices constructively, solve complex problems, propose innovative solutions, and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
• Strong autonomy, sound judgment, and decision-making skills with minimal supervision.
• Excellent communication, listening, influencing, and facilitation skills with diverse audiences.
• Ability to build trusted relationships and collaborate effectively with members, leadership, the Board of Directors, and internal and external stakeholders.
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities while maintaining a high level of rigor in execution and follow-through.
• Ability to lead and support change initiatives, engage stakeholders, and foster adoption of new approaches and ways of working.
• Proficiency with standard business software, including Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Fluent in both French and English, spoken and written.

A role aligned with what creates the greatest collective impact.

Agropur welcomes people from all backgrounds and origins. We are proud to be an employer with a diverse community and are committed to providing a respectful and inclusive experience for all employees and applicants. We will work with candidates who request accommodation. Please note that an adequate knowledge of French is required for positions in Quebec. Agropur uses artificial intelligence technology to assist our recruiters in screening, assessing, or selecting applicants for this position. 

In this text, the use of the masculine gender to designate persons is intended only to lighten the text.