Director of Program Operations

Tuft & Paw is a high-growth cat CPG brand expanding from consumables into smart connected devices. We need a relentless project driver — someone who owns the critical path, chases down blockers, and refuses to let things slip. This is a builder role: you'll define how Tuft + Paw runs projects, then actually run them.

The Reality

We're launching our most complex product ever - a connected smart device - requiring tight coordination across product, marketing, finance, ops, and brand, with ~$1M+ in tooling commitments approaching. Multiple product lines at different lifecycle stages each need active management. Right now, that coordination work falls on the CEO and VP Product by default. That doesn't scale.

We don't have a repeatable framework for how we take a product from "built" to "successfully in market." You'll build it — and then live in it.

What You'll Actually Do

• You own the project management function at Tuft + Paw. Near-term, that means doing a lot of the work yourself. Over time, it means building the system others operate in.
• Build the PMO foundation. Design how this company manages projects — stage gates, templates, milestone frameworks, escalation paths. Define what "on track" looks like across different project types and make it the standard.
• Drive launches end-to-end. Own the critical path for new product launches. Map every dependency, define phase gates, assign ownership, and push relentlessly until things ship. No handoff falls through because you're watching all of them.
• Chase down blockers. You don't wait for updates — you go get them. When something is slipping, you're the first to know and the first to act. You're comfortable applying pressure across functions to keep timelines intact.
• Own the master view. Maintain a real-time picture of what's in flight — milestones, blockers, owners, timelines — across all active programs. Surface risks before they become problems.
• Keep people accountable. Cross-functional teams move faster when someone is tracking every commitment and following up without apology. That's you.

Who You Are

• You're a bulldog. You don't drop threads. When a project starts to drift, you notice before anyone else — and you course-correct without being asked.
• You're not a bureaucrat. You build lean, practical systems that people actually use. Stage gates that mean something. Templates that save time. Meetings that end with clear owners and dates.
• You're credible in a room with senior leaders — not because you have the fanciest slide deck, but because you've done the work and can defend every line item on the plan.
• You're biased toward action. You'd rather make a call, adjust, and keep moving than wait for perfect information.

Requirements

• 5+ years in program or project management, ideally across complex, multi-functional product launches
• Proven track record in a high-growth startup or scale-up — comfortable when the playbook doesn't exist and headcount is lean
• Deep project management fundamentals: critical path thinking, stage gate design, risk tracking, dependency mapping
• PMP or PgMP certification (or actively in progress)
• Experience building PMO processes from scratch, not just operating inside existing ones
• Hands-on with AI tools to accelerate program ops — synthesizing notes, automating status reporting, flagging risks. You've actually worked these into how you operate.
• Based in Canada or available for North American hours