Sam Nova

Senior operations and site-services leader with 25+ years of progressive experience across remote mining camps, lodges, healthcare, airline catering, hospitality, and high-volume food-service operations. Proven leadership in remote-site operations, multidisciplinary teams, contractor coordination, health and safety, facilities and site services, maintenance coordination, potable water and wastewater systems, fleet and equipment records, procurement, budgets, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance.

Red Seal Journeyperson

Chef with extensive experience leading large teams, complex operations, emergency response, audits, SOPs, and client-facing service delivery.

Career objective: Seeking a permanent, full-time leadership position as a Camp Manager, Project Manager, Health & Safety Manager, Nutrition Manager, Food Production Director, or Executive Chef with a reputable organization where I can leverage my extensive experience in remote camp operations, food services, health and safety, project coordination, team leadership, site services, maintenance coordination, and operational management. Committed to delivering exceptional service, maintaining high standards of safety and quality, controlling costs, developing high-performing teams, and contributing measurable value to the organization.

Operations Project Manager / Site Operations - Coeur Silvertip Mine / Skeena Gold & Silver - Whitehorse, YT / Eskay Creek, BC

(2026-04)

Remote Mining Operations

• Lead day-to-day remote-site and camp operations in accordance with client requirements, site procedures, safety standards, and operational priorities.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary site teams and 27+ contractors/service providers, aligning responsibilities, KPIs, schedules, deliverables, and compliance requirements.
• Oversee camp services including food services, housekeeping, janitorial operations, lodging, administration, maintenance coordination, and site support functions.
• Manage potable water and wastewater systems, including operational monitoring, inspections, documentation, maintenance coordination, and compliance requirements.
• Coordinate site-services maintenance requirements, identify facility and infrastructure deficiencies, prioritize work requests, and follow repairs through to completion.
• Maintain operational readiness of site facilities, utilities, tools, vehicles, and equipment by tracking inspections, deficiencies, service requirements, repairs, and follow-up actions.
• Maintain heavy-duty equipment and vehicle maintenance records, including inspection status, service schedules, repair requests, maintenance history, and operational readiness documentation.
• Coordinate fuel-track/fuel-truck and site-fuel operational requirements, including records, inspections, safe-work practices, and coordination with site-service teams.
• Support maintenance planning for camp infrastructure, mechanical systems, utilities, equipment, and vehicles while minimizing operational disruption.
• Manage resource allocation, workforce planning, equipment, budgets, procurement, inventory, and operational priorities to maintain efficient site operations.
• Provide field-level leadership during emergencies and critical incidents, ensuring effective response, communication, and coordination.
• Develop and maintain SOPs, site-specific procedures, training programs, audit documentation, inspection records, and compliance records.
• Promote a strong safety culture through hazard identification, JHA participation, incident reporting, corrective actions, inspections, and continuous improvement.
• Conduct operational and quality audits across housekeeping, culinary, maintenance, camp services, and site-support functions; track corrective actions to closure.
• Maintain strong client and stakeholder relationships, resolve operational concerns, and communicate out-of-scope requests and required approvals.

Operations Manager / Camp Manager - Cameco - Key Lake, SK

(2022-12 - 2026-04)

ACLP / Key Lake

• Led day-to-day remote camp operations supporting up to 1,500 guests across food services, accommodations, housekeeping, janitorial, maintenance, administration, and site support.
• Directed multidisciplinary teams including Lodge Managers, Executive Chefs, Maintenance Managers, Janitorial Managers, Housekeeping Managers, Fire/Rescue Captains, Nurse Practitioners, and administrative staff.
• Managed potable water and wastewater systems, ensuring operational reliability, inspections, documentation, regulatory compliance, and timely maintenance.
• Identified infrastructure and facility maintenance requirements and executed approved projects in accordance with master plans and operational priorities.
• Oversee daily maintenance, inspections, repairs, and facility requirements across remote lodge operations.
• Managed site tools and vehicles, including maintenance tracking, repair coordination, utilization, inspection follow-up, and operational readiness.
• Coordinated site-services requirements involving facilities, utilities, equipment, vehicles, maintenance contractors, and departmental leaders.
• Maintained maintenance and operational records for equipment, vehicles, inspections, work requests, repairs, and service schedules.
• Supported fuel and site-utility operations by coordinating requirements, records, inspections, and safe operating practices.
• Developed and maintained SOPs, work processes, training programs, QA/QC programs, operational reports, and compliance documentation.
• Monitored contractual KPIs, service-level requirements, operational performance, safety, quality, and client deliverables.
• Built, developed, and retained high-performing teams; supported unionized workforces and maintained positive employee relations.
• Provided emergency leadership, hazard identification, corrective-action follow-up, and continuous-improvement support.

Executive Chef / Duty Manager - CNOOC International - Wood Buffalo, AB

(2020-07 - 2022-12)

Long Lake Lodge

• Managed daily food-service operations at a high-volume remote lodge supporting approximately 1,500 guests per meal.
• Directed 30–35 food-service employees and coordinated recruitment, onboarding, training, scheduling, performance management, and daily workforce coverage.
• Managed procurement through Sysco and GFS, receiving, verification, inventory, supplier relationships, food costs, labor costs, and operational reporting.
• Maintained production, food-safety, temperature, inventory, purchasing, labor, and compliance records.
• Coordinated catering events, special functions, client requirements, and emergency operational needs while maintaining safety and service standards.

Multi-Unit Support Service Manager – Food Service / Housekeeping / Laundry - Alberta Health Services - Lac La Biche HCC / Boyle HCC, AB

(2015-12 - 2020-07)

• Provided frontline leadership and daily supervision for Food Services, Housekeeping, and Laundry operations.
• Managed staffing, scheduling, payroll documentation, training, performance management, quality standards, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement.
• Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams and management to maintain safe, efficient, customer-focused service delivery.

Food Production Manager / Quality Control Manager - Air Canada Flight Catering - Edmonton, AB

(2012-05 - 2015-07)

• Managed airline catering operations supporting up to 24 airline clients, including production, flight orders, menu requirements, service specifications, and strict deadlines.
• Managed labor costs, food costs, staffing, operational expenses, facility audits, food-safety monitoring, and quality-control programs.
• Coordinated production, transportation, dispatch, client requirements, and operational documentation for high-volume airline catering.

Corporate Executive Chef - Integrated Life Care - McLennan, AB

(2008-01 - 2012-06)

Assisted Living Centre

• Managed daily kitchen and food-service operations, staffing, procurement, production, specialized diets, food-safety records, HACCP practices, inventory, and compliance.
• Worked with dietitians, suppliers, care staff, and management to meet resident nutritional requirements and service standards.

Executive Chef - Aramark Canada - Lacombe, AB

(2008-01 - 2010-03)

Canadian University College

• Managed food-service and kitchen operations serving approximately 300 guests per meal across three daily meal periods.
• Managed purchasing, food and labor costs, inventory, staffing, production, catering, food-safety records, and computerized operational systems.

Head Chef / Kitchen Manager - Dino's Restaurant - Ponoka, AB

(2006-02 - 2010-03)

• Managed kitchen operations, purchasing, receiving, inventory, production, food safety, staff supervision, customer service, and routine kitchen-equipment maintenance coordination.

Head Chef / Kitchen Manager - Cross Road's Family Restaurant - Ponoka, AB

(2004-01 - 2006-02)

• Managed daily food-service operations, ordering, receiving, inventory, staffing, food costs, cash handling, safety, and operational records.

Restaurant Manager - Boston Pizza - Ponoka, AB

(2003-01 - 2006-02)

• Managed front- and back-of-house operations, staffing, customer service, inventory, cash/VLT procedures, safety, training, and daily operational reporting.

Chef / Kitchen Manager - Royal Hotel - Ponoka, AB

(2002-01 - 2003-01)

• Managed kitchen operations, purchasing, inventory, food production, staffing, food costs, cash handling, safety, and daily operational records.

Kitchen Manager - Tony Roma's - Calgary, AB

(2000-06 - 2002-01)

Shawnessy / Barlow Trail / Douglas Trail

• Managed kitchen operations across multiple locations, including production, staffing, food costs, inventory, safety, quality, training, and equipment checks.

Executive Chef - King's Court – 4 Star Hotel - Kent, UK – England

(1998-05 - 2000-02)

• Managed kitchen operations, budgets, food and labor costs, purchasing, staffing, quality standards, equipment operation, maintenance reporting, and operational records.

Executive Chef - Compass Group UK - Kent, UK – England

(1996-01 - 1998-05)

William Harvey General Hospital

• Managed kitchen operations, staffing, procurement, production, food and labor costs, quality, safety, equipment care, and operational documentation.

Chef de Partie - Ceylon Airline Catering Service - Colombo, Sri Lanka

(1994-02 - 1996-12)

• Prepared fine-dining Business Class and First Class meals, coordinated special diets and airline orders, supported production scheduling, inventory, food safety, and strict flight deadlines.

Diploma of Vocational Studies - Food and Beverages, International Culinary Art - London International School

Red Seal Journeyperson - Culinary - Red Deer College (2010 - 2012)

Culinary & Hotel Management Diploma - London International Culinary School (1994 - 1997)