Chief Operating Officer, Western U.S. Agriculture Operations

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Western Crops serves as a key strategic leader within Manulife Agriculture Services. This role exemplifies our corporate values and strategic pillars—prioritizing safety, talent development, stakeholder satisfaction, and continuous improvement.

The COO is responsible for planning, organizing, and overseeing property operations to maximize return on investment while ensuring responsible stewardship on the assets we operate and in the communities we serve. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience managing permanent crop operations, particularly nuts, wine grapes, citrus, apples, and cherries. Expertise in crop planning, budgeting (operational and capital), project execution, marketing strategy, and investment reporting is essential.

Position Responsibilities: 
Leadership & Workforce Development:

• Recruit, train, and develop high-performing teams.

• Provide coaching and mentorship to expand team capabilities and leadership skills.

• Foster a collaborative culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.

• Promote cross-functional teamwork to achieve shared goals.

Operational Excellence:

• Oversee day-to-day property operations across multiple regions.

• Implement strategies that align with stakeholder needs and company objectives.

• Drive efficiency initiatives and cost optimization measures, driving towards improved ROI.

• Promote transparent communication of KPI’s and performance metrics to develop ownership and alignment across all business units.

Financial & Strategic Planning:

• Develop and manage annual operating budgets and capital expenditure plans.

• Monitor performance against KPIs and adjust strategies as needed.

• Communicate variances and operational challenges to the portfolio management and client service leads promptly.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Build strong relationships with clients, vendors, and partners to ensure competitive pricing, favorable terms, and exceptional service.

Risk Management & Compliance:

• Lead with a de-risking mindset to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, industry standards, and internal governance.

Organizational Planning & Change Management:

• Lead organizational planning efforts, including workforce planning and organizational design.

• Support major change initiatives such as mergers, system implementations, or restructuring.

• Champion change management strategies to ensure adoption and smooth transitions.

Reporting & Communication:

• Provide regular reports and insights to the Head of Asset Management, and at times, the platform leadership team.

• Communicate operational priorities, progress, and performance to internal teams.

• Ensure transparency and alignment across organizational levels.

Required Qualifications:

• Proven experience leading large teams in complex agricultural operations.

• Proven ability to build and sustain a positive team culture while delivering operational results. 

• Established network with market participants (industry boards, associations, processors, crop consultants, etc.) 

• Strong knowledge of permanent crop management and marketing.

• Exceptional communication, presentation and negotiation skills.

• Strong interpersonal skills with a focus on collaboration and conflict resolution.

• Highly entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to drive initiatives to completion.

• Advanced financial acumen, including budgeting and cost analysis.

• Proficiency in sustainable practices, technology and data-driven decision-making.

• Ability to thrive under pressure in a fast-paced environment.

• Willingness to travel extensively (50+%).

When you join our team:

• We’ll empower you to learn and grow the career you want.

• We’ll recognize and support you in a flexible environment where well-being and inclusion are more than just words.

• As part of our global team, we’ll support you in shaping the future you want to see.

About Manulife and John Hancock

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. To learn more about us, visit https://www.manulife.com/en/about/our-story.html.

Manulife is an Equal Opportunity Employer

At Manulife/John Hancock, we embrace our diversity. We strive to attract, develop and retain a workforce that is as diverse as the customers we serve and to foster an inclusive work environment that embraces the strength of cultures and individuals. We are committed to fair recruitment, retention, advancement and compensation, and we administer all of our practices and programs without discrimination on the basis of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, religion or religious beliefs, creed, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), sexual orientation, genetic characteristics, veteran status, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, disability, or any other ground protected by applicable law.

It is our priority to remove barriers to provide equal access to employment. A Human Resources representative will work with applicants who request a reasonable accommodation during the application process. All information shared during the accommodation request process will be stored and used in a manner that is consistent with applicable laws and Manulife/John Hancock policies. To request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact [email protected].

Referenced Salary Location

Salary range is expected to be between

Employees also have the opportunity to participate in incentive programs and earn incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance. The actual salary will vary depending on local market conditions, geography and relevant job-related factors such as knowledge, skills, qualifications, experience, and education/training. If you are applying for this role outside of the primary location, please contact [email protected] for the salary range for your location.

Manulife/John Hancock offers eligible employees a wide array of customizable benefits, including health, dental, mental health, vision, short- and long-term disability, life and AD&D insurance coverage, adoption/surrogacy and wellness benefits, and employee/family assistance plans. We also offer eligible employees various retirement savings plans (including pension/401(k) savings plans and a global share ownership plan with employer matching contributions) and financial education and counseling resources. Our generous paid time off program in the U.S. includes up to 11 paid holidays, 3 personal days, 150 hours of vacation, and 40 hours of sick time (or more where required by law) each year, and we offer the full range of statutory leaves of absence.

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