District 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.

District Manager

Position Summary:
The District Manager provides operational oversight, leadership, and compliance management for multiple locations within a designated area. This role serves as the primary liaison between the company and school officials, ensuring safe and efficient transportation services. Responsibilities include managing financial performance, staff supervision, compliance adherence, customer relations, and operational efficiency.

Key Responsibilities:

• Oversee daily operations, ensuring safe, timely, and cost-effective transportation of passengers.

• Manage financial performance, including budgeting, forecasting, cost control, and revenue growth.

• Lead and support local teams across multiple locations, overseeing operations, safety, maintenance, dispatch, payroll, and facility management.

• Serve as the key contact for school officials, addressing concerns related to routing, passenger management, driver performance, and fleet maintenance.

• Ensure contract compliance, including staffing, vehicle requirements, KPIs, billing, and training mandates.

• Develop and implement operational improvements to drive standardization and efficiency.

• Recruit, hire, train, and develop employees while fostering a positive and engaged workplace culture.

• Lead customer engagement efforts, responding to inquiries, resolving issues, and ensuring contract retention.

• Drive employee and community engagement through recognition programs and local initiatives.

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, local, and company policies, including safety and labor regulations.

• Support business development efforts, including charter revenue growth and potential contract expansions.

• Lead crisis management efforts and security protocols when necessary.

• Administer and ensure adherence to collective bargaining agreements where applicable.

• Travel up to 60% to support locations within the assigned district.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.

• Minimum 7 years in passenger transportation, student transportation, or a related service industry, with progressive leadership experience.

• Strong leadership, decision-making, and team-building skills.

• Financial acumen with experience in budgeting, P&L management, and forecasting.

• Excellent communication and relationship-building abilities.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and industry-related software.

• Ability to analyze data, identify trends, and implement effective solutions.

• Strong commitment to safety, compliance, and operational excellence.

Physical Requirements & Work Environment:

• Ability to navigate office settings and travel between locations as needed.

• Must be able to use standard office equipment and communicate effectively.

• Travel up to 60% to support district operations.

Disclaimer:
This job description outlines the primary duties and responsibilities but does not restrict management’s right to assign or reassign tasks as needed.

Benefits
We offer competitive compensation and benefits (which vary based on role, location, and business), including physical and mental health initiatives, medical/dental/vision, 401(k), and paid holiday/vacation.
Professional Advancement
Start here. Go far. We believe in promoting from within which means tremendous opportunities for you, thanks to our strong presence across North America. In addition, our 3 to 5 month Manager-In-Development program prepares future leaders at First Student.
Extensive Training
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