General Manager, Canada - Smart Start Canada, ULC

Who Is Smart Start & How Are They Changing the World

Smart Start Canada is a leading provider of ignition interlock devices and alcohol-monitoring solutions, serving the B2C offender market across the country. The company is the sole provider in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Quebec and actively competes in Ontario and Yukon.

Smart Start Canada is part of the global Smart Start brand (founded in 1992), which operates in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. Smart Start is a portfolio company of Apollo Impact Mission, the impact investing platform of Apollo Global Management, which focuses on private equity opportunities that generate positive social and environmental impact while delivering strong financial returns.

Smart Start Canada is headquartered in Sherwood Park, AB, with an additional office in Montreal. The company operates a nationwide network of approximately 200 shops, including corporate-owned locations, and employs 60+ team members, most of whom are based near the headquarters, with others spread across the country. Those employees at the HQ include call center sales and service, operational leadership, compliance, etc. Those employees spread across the country (from BC to QC) are primarily involved in installing the devices and managing/expanding the footprint of the installation shop network.

How Will I Make An Impact?

The GM of Canada will report directly to the Head of International & Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), based in Grapevine, Texas. The Head of International/CSO reports to the global CEO Smart Start, Inc.

The GM will support Smart Start Canada’s strategic growth and profitability objectives. They are seeking a strategic, hands-on, and results-driven General Manager to lead all aspects of the Canadian P&L. This leader will play a critical role in driving operational excellence, revenue expansion, and regulatory compliance while fostering a high-performance culture across the organization.

The GM of Canada will serve as a trusted business partner to the executive leadership team and Canadian stakeholders, ensuring alignment with corporate and regional strategic goals. This position will be responsible for maintaining and expanding the sales footprint, strengthening customer relationships, optimizing operational efficiencies, growing the shop network, and building relationships with and ensuring compliance with provincial regulations. This role requires a confident and decisive leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is capable of making data-driven decisions to accelerate growth and improve profitability.

How Do I Know If This Is For Me?

You are motivated to take ownership of the following key responsibilities:

P&L Ownership & Strategic Growth

1. Drive revenue growth, profitability, and cost optimization across all business functions
2. Develop and execute a strategic roadmap to expand market share and enhance competitive positioning in Canada

Sales & Market Expansion

1. Maintain and grow Smart Start Canada's sales footprint by strengthening relationships with key stakeholders, including government agencies, partners, and service providers
2. Identify and capitalize on new business opportunities, including geographic expansion, particularly in competitive markets and shop network growth
3. Lead the RFP process for all provincial bids, ensuring Smart Start Canada remains competitive and well-positioned for contract renewals and new opportunities
4. Building strong relationships with the provincial regulatory authorities from BC to QC

Operational Excellence & Compliance

1. Ensure full compliance with all provincial regulations and industry standards, mitigating risk and maintaining Smart Start’s reputation
2. Optimize operational processes to drive efficiency, improve service delivery, and enhance the customer experience

Strategic Leadership

1. Serve as the key liaison between the Canadian operations and Smart Start’s executive leadership team, ensuring alignment with corporate goals
2. Provide strategic direction and vision to ensure long-term growth and profitability

Reporting and Measurement

1. Provide strategic insights, financial reporting, and business updates to drive informed decision-making at the executive level
2. Track and measure key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor progress and identify areas for improvement

Our Ideal Candidate Looks Like:

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred but not mandatory
• Minimum of 20 years in a senior leadership role within a high-growth company
• Proven experience managing all aspects of a P&L across Canada, ideally with revenue between $20M and $50M
• Demonstrated success in driving significant and sustainable sales growth
• Experience leading a customer service team to create an impeccable customer experience as a differentiator
• Strong experience in governmental affairs, ideally in the transportation sector
• Experience growing a network, ideally in the B2C space
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills
• Strong data-driven analytical and problem-solving abilities
• A collaborative and results-oriented leadership style
• Passion for building and developing high-performing teams
• Fluency in English is mandatory; Canadian French is preferred
• Willingness to travel across Canada to support the team, partners, and monitoring authorities
• Quarterly travel to Dallas (Grapevine), Texas

The Process:

• Step 1: Recruiting conversation with Carly
• Step 2: Interview with the Head of International/CSO and the VP of International Operations
• Step 3: Interview with the CRO and COO
• Step 4: Travel to Grapevine, Texas for 2 days to meet the CEO, CFO, Legal, HR and extended team.
• Step 5: References, standard background check, offer

As your Artemis Canada Senior Recruitment Consultant, I will work closely with you throughout every step of the process.

We understand, accept, and value the differences between people of different backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations, ages, beliefs, and abilities. We are happy to make any accommodations you may need throughout the interview process.  We aim to create an inclusive environment and encourage diverse individuals to apply.

We’d love to hear from you - even if you don’t meet 100% of the requirements! Send a note to Carly@artemiscanada.com if you or someone you know is interested!