Senior Location Manager

First For A Reason

At First Student, we are a family of 60,000+ employees who take pride in safely transporting more than 5 million students and passengers to and from their destinations each day! Our family of brands include Transco, Total Transportation, Maggies Paratransit, and GVC II. Our employees are at the forefront of safety and innovation; they create and implement the most advanced training and technology the transportation industry has to offer.

Provides operational oversight, day-to-day management, customer interface, and required reporting and compliance mandates (both internal and external) for multiple locations and/or multiple contracts. Represents company management with school officials concerning issues of passenger management, route scheduling, billing, charter activities, driver issues, safety, fleet maintenance and general logistics matters. Directly supervises exempt and non-exempt staff and manages financial performance. Position has full supervisory responsibility for recruitment, hiring, retention, performance development, performance management, teammate relations, salary adjustments, and termination of direct reports. Responsible for on-line learning courses and completion of courses individually and for the location. Will coach and develop location employees to support company initiatives and location/region goals. Identifies issues related to resources needs (driver shortage) for the locations needs and customer requirements. Responsible for stimulating local commercial and/or charter growth. Manages the development, preparation and analysis of location budget and financial controls.

Major Responsibilities

• Ensures the safe and timely transportation of passengers to and from their destinations. Manages operational expenses to optimize all cost per bus. Manage all contractual services to include administrative functions, information systems, parts purchasing, and inventory control. Ensures purchases (including parts) follow company processes and policies.
• Lead the Location in managing the day-to-day activities to support operations, safety, maintenance, dispatch, fleet and facility management, payroll, routing/scheduling, AR/AP and other interrelated functions. Foster and maintain positive relationships within and outside of the Location, including senior management and customer contacts. Provide prioritization of work assignments and management of functional team resources and their activities as needed or required.
• Leads and oversees all aspects of customer contract compliance and management with a concentrated focus on retaining the customer. Includes adherence to all staff, driver, and vehicles requirements, as well as KPI, billing and budget management. Also, covers delivery of all contract-specific technologies and other requirements. Ensures delivery of training and other needs as per company, location, state and customer requirements.
• Builds and maintains positive relationships with employees, local school officials, parents and the community. Resolves concerns with employees, local school officials, parents, and the community. Implements fair and consistent recognition and/or corrective discipline.
• Communicates with customer by telephone, electronically or in regular face-to-face meetings. Responds promptly to customer inquiries, identifies and escalates priority issues, obtains and evaluates all relevant information to resolve inquiries and complaints. Follow-ups with customers as required. Develops action plans to ensure customer retention. Provides and promotes effective communication with customer and escalates issues if needed to AGM and/or Senior Management.
• Ensure services are provided within budget and action plans developed and implemented to improve operational efficiencies. Manages location budget through but not limited to: development, preparing and analyzing of the budget and forecast. Ensures any budget variances are identified and can be addressed. Provides accurate timely operational and financial reporting as requested by AGM and/or finance.
• Leads by example. Builds and maintains a strong positive Location team through effective recruiting, on-boarding, training, coaching, team building and succession planning. Prepare and participate in the preparation of staff development plans for each functional employee who is a member of the Location team. Assess the skills and skill levels necessary to achieve Location objectives. Ensures all on-line learning courses required have been completed by location staff including their own individual completion.
• Maximizes all charter revenue and supports AGM on identifying or biding on local commercial growth opportunities
• Manages and monitors location compliance with federal, state, local, contractual, and company policies and procedures.
• Ensures FS safety practices and applicable regulations are obeyed by all employees. Manages injury and collision claims.
• Ensure location compliance to all security policies and procedures. In the event of a security issue, involves appropriate leadership from AGM, Sr. Director of Security and Human Resources.
• Maintains company assets (vehicles, facilities, inventories, tools and equipment). Ensures facilities and buses are maintained to FS safety and applicable regulatory standards, including environmental standards, i.e., idling time.
• Sets accurate scheduled hours for routes. Minimizes route drive times and mileage while adhering to contractual and regulatory mandates.
• Assesses resource needs, problems, and trends and plans accordingly. Tracks and addresses labor variances, efficiently uses stand-by drivers, minimizes driver labor schedule. Partners with Corporate Recruiting for strategies on driver shortages as needed.
• Administers and executes the terms and conditions of the local and national collective bargaining agreements (as applicable). Ensures compliance with all aspects of the CBA. Investigates and defends union grievances, including meeting with union officials as required. Prepares for and participates in union negotiations, in coordination with Regional leadership and Corporate Labor Relations. Maintains a proactive and productive relationship with local union officials (as applicable).
• Drives employee engagement and recognition within the location. Champion and is visible at location sponsored events for the community or for location employees.
• Promotes new company initiatives and assist AGM in supporting changes and being the local champion at the location. May act as a mentor for lower level Location Managers.
• Other responsibilities as required or requested

Minimum Education or Certifications Required

• 4-year degree or equivalent experience
• High School Diploma or equivalent

Minimum Experience or Skills Required

• 5+ years management experience, transportation preferred
• Strong commitment to safety
• Proficient computer literacy essential with Microsoft Office products including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Experience with other software such as timekeeping and payroll systems is preferred.
• Literacy in technology used to manage the operation to include but not limited to FGA approved Smart technology, Apps, encrypted drives, shared drives and other Smart technology.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Strong organizational, analytical and time management skills
• Ability to interpret data and perform root cause analysis and assist others
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with others in a team setting
• Demonstrated ability to train, coach and provide leadership

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• Must be able to move about the office and between floors; utilize standard office equipment; access filing system/cabinets; and communicate effectively and efficiently in person or by telephone.
• Office/school bus yard
• Possible on-the-road