Amanda O'Rourke

Seasoned operations executive with 15+ years of success architecting the systems, talent structures, and governance frameworks that enable organizations to scale with intention. Recognized for taking full ownership of complex, fast-moving mandates and delivering measurable operational clarity in environments where ambiguity is the norm. Brings a distinctive ability to diagnose dysfunction at any level — from broken workflows to misaligned culture — and engineer sustainable solutions that stick.

Known for bridging the gap between strategic vision and ground-level execution, earning trust at the board level while maintaining credibility with frontline teams. Core strengths include enterprise CRM buildouts, multi-program governance, and leading organizations through transformational change.

The consistent throughline: build it right, build it to scale, build it to last.

Director of Operations at UHOME MART (2026-05 – Present)

Recruited to build the operational infrastructure for a new 33,000 sq. ft. retail store from the ground up, supporting the successful launch of a business carrying more than 22,000 SKUs.

• Directed all operational planning leading to the grand opening, including store readiness, merchandising execution, inventory deployment, staffing plans, and launch logistics.
• Designed and implemented company-wide Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) covering receiving, inventory control, merchandising, cash handling, customer service, warehouse operations, opening and closing procedures, and health and safety.
• Built the Human Resources function, developing employee handbooks, onboarding programs, orientation materials, disciplinary processes, attendance policies, scheduling standards, job descriptions, interview guides, and performance expectations.
• Ensured compliance with Canadian retail regulations, including bilingual product labeling requirements, workplace legislation, health and safety documentation, and employment standards.
• Managed large-scale inventory operations, coordinating multiple overseas shipments, receiving thousands of cartons, organizing warehouse flow, and leading merchandising teams to stock the sales floor on aggressive timelines.
• Created labour budgets, staffing models, weekly schedules, productivity targets, and workload planning for teams of permanent employees and temporary labour.
• Worked directly with international ownership to bridge communication between Canadian business practices and overseas management, translating operational requirements into scalable processes.
• Oversaw vendor relationships, purchasing coordination, operational problem solving, and cross-functional execution across merchandising, marketing, HR, warehouse, and customer service.
• Developed pricing strategies, product naming conventions, Canadian packaging standards, promotional calendars, and merchandising plans to support customer experience and retail performance.
• Introduced AI tools and automation to accelerate document creation, policy development, training materials, operational reporting, scheduling, and marketing initiatives.
• Led cross-functional teams through an extremely compressed startup timeline while adapting to changing priorities, limited resources, and evolving executive direction.

Sales & Client Education Representative (RESP Programs) at CST Savings (2023-09 – 2026-05)

• Led end-to-end client onboarding for government-registered education savings plans, supporting 100+ families annually through regulatory compliance and grant eligibility requirements.
• Delivered structured customer training that reduced support friction and improved self-service understanding.
• Coordinated handoffs between Marketing, Sales, and internal operations to ensure clean transitions and minimize drop-offs.
• Developed standardized outreach and education playbooks that enhanced conversion rates and accelerated time-to-value.
• Managed complex support inquiries on eligibility, documentation, and regulatory requirements, ensuring compliance and client satisfaction.
• Equipped families with knowledge tools (sessions, guides, communications) to support ongoing program success.
• Achieved all Year One performance targets through proactive customer engagement and operational follow-through.

Executive Operations Leader at Halton Environmental Network (2022-10 – 2023-09)

• Established standardized performance and grant compliance reporting frameworks, strengthening stakeholder accountability and funding transparency.
• Directed full-cycle talent management, including workforce planning, drafting job descriptions, interviewing, hiring, compensation negotiation, and terminations in alignment with organizational needs and budget constraints.
• Implemented structured onboarding and training systems that accelerated new hire productivity and reduced operational ambiguity.
• Led post-incident operational reviews during service disruptions, implementing corrective action plans to restore continuity and mitigate risk.
• Partnered with program and technical leads to align service delivery with grant obligations and stakeholder expectations.
• Clarified role accountability and implemented structured communication systems, improving cross-functional execution and workflow efficiency.

Operations Manager at Progressive Industrial Fluids Ltd. (2021-09 – 2022-03)

• Led ERP and CRM system enhancements from requirements gathering through vendor coordination, testing, deployment, and organizational change management.
• Aligned system functionality with operational workflows and customer impact priorities, partnering directly with executive leadership and external vendors.
• Monitored operational KPIs and resource utilization to identify inefficiencies and drive process optimization initiatives.
• Developed implementation playbooks and internal training frameworks, increasing system adoption and reducing cross-departmental rework.
• Reduced time-to-productivity for new users through structured onboarding, documentation standards, and support enablement systems.
• Implemented standardized SOPs, communication frameworks, and data visibility improvements to strengthen accountability and execution clarity.

Merchandising & Systems Coordinator at TG Appliance Group (2016-01 – 2019-06)

• Supported rollout of e-commerce and retail technology solutions across 14 store locations, improving digital engagement and operational consistency.
• Managed product data integrity, pricing accuracy, catalog governance, and digital tagging systems to ensure cross-channel alignment.
• Collaborated on UX updates, site enhancements, and wireframe implementations to improve online customer experience.
• Developed standardized documentation, training materials, and internal process guides to support adoption of new systems.
• Partnered with marketing and store operations to align digital merchandising strategy with in-store execution.

Customer Support, EDI & Operations Roles at Sysco · Loblaws · GE Capital · Others (2006-01 – 2015-12)

• Took full ownership of CRM implementation with no prior setup or documentation — independently configured the system, established workflows, and delivered end-user training across the organization.
• At GE Capital, served as the primary technical resource for an enterprise dealer portal launch — self-taught the platform and provided Tier 1 IT support to external dealer networks, resolving system, access, and usability issues well beyond the scope of the role.
• Built foundational expertise across EDI/vendor systems, compliance documentation, data integrity, and cross-functional operational reporting.

Honours Degree in Political Science – York University

Advanced Diploma in E-Commerce & Systems Management – Sheridan College

Artificial Intelligence for Business Leaders – Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania via Coursera