First Student Logo

First Student

Location Manager

Posted 2 Days Ago
Be an Early Applicant
In-Office
Normal, IL
95K-95K Annually
Senior level
In-Office
Normal, IL
95K-95K Annually
Senior level
Manages daily transportation location operations, including passenger safety, route scheduling, dispatch, fleet and facility maintenance, customer and school relationships, staffing, labor relations, compliance, budgeting, billing, and financial performance. Supervises employees, leads recruiting and development, resolves customer and community concerns, manages contract requirements, supports charter growth, and ensures regulatory and company policy compliance.
The summary above was generated by AI

Provides operational oversight, day-to-day management, customer interface, and required reporting and compliance mandates (both internal and external) for a specific location. 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, on-boarding, 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 resource needs (driver shortage) for the locations needs and customer requirements. Responsible for stimulating local commercial and/or charter growth. Responsible for development, preparation and analyzing of location budget and financial controls.


Schedule: Monday through Friday, 6:00am to 5:00pm


Pay: Up to $95k/yr, based on experience (plus bonus potential of 20% of annual salary based on location success metrics)


Benefits: Full health, dental, vision, 401k, plus PTO 31 days after start date

 

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.
    • Leads 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.
    • Maximizes all charter revenue and supports AGM on identifying or biding on local commercial growth opportunities
    • Leads by example. Builds and maintains a strong 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.
    • 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. Partners with Compensation related to understanding local market for wages.
    • 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 mentor for Location Manager I at other locations.
    • 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

    • 3 years management experience with 1 year managing a small location or equivalent experience with management responsibility
    • 5 Years Operations Experience
    • Committed to Safety Lifestyle
    • 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
    • Solid oral and written communications. Strong presentation skills.
    • Strong interpersonal skills in dealing with customers, parents, and community.
    • Solid financial and budgetary skills with ability to interpret and analyze P&L, budgets and forecasts.
    • Strong business background in financial, strategic, and organizational analysis.
    • 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

    • Incumbent 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.

Disclaimer
Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. This job description reflects management’s assignment of essential functions, it does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned.

Language Requirement
This role requires English proficiency. Federal, state, and local requirements, including U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations, require training, safety communications, company policies, employment documents, and other job-related communications be conducted in English.


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.


In the state of Washington, all technician and driving positions, including but not limited to van drivers and any other position requiring employees to drive a company-owned vehicle, are considered safety-sensitive and are therefore subject to drug and alcohol testing, including cannabis.


All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status. First is also committed to providing a drug-free workplace. First will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Los Angeles Fair Chance Ordinance, and any other fair chance law. Philadelphia’s Fair Criminal Record Screening Standards Ordinance Poster is at this link or upon request https://www.phila.gov/media/20210423160847/Fair-Chance-Hiring-law-poster.pdf.

First Student Chicago, Illinois, USA Office

Chicago, United States

First Student Crest Hill, Illinois, USA Office

Crest Hill, United States

First Student DeKalb, Illinois, USA Office

DeKalb, United States

First Student Elk Grove Village, Illinois, USA Office

Elk Grove Village, United States

First Student Glen Ellyn, Illinois, USA Office

Glen Ellyn, United States

First Student Naperville, Illinois, USA Office

Naperville, United States

First Student Northbrook, Illinois, USA Office

Northbrook, United States

First Student Schaumburg, Illinois, USA Office

Schaumburg, United States

First Student Wheeling, Illinois, USA Office

Wheeling, United States

Similar Jobs

2 Days Ago
In-Office
Mid level
Mid level
Agriculture
Owns all operations at a seed production location, including employee hiring and supervision, safety, customer satisfaction, quality management, production efficiency, budgeting, staffing, capital planning, and process improvement. The manager communicates business strategy, maintains ISO quality standards, develops employees, and ensures seed production meets customer and quality requirements.
Top Skills: Iso Quality Management System
9 Days Ago
In-Office
2 Locations
103K-176K Annually
Senior level
103K-176K Annually
Senior level
Legal Tech • Other • Professional Services • Real Estate • Business Intelligence • Consulting • Financial Services
Leads financial planning, forecasting, monthly performance analysis, variance analysis, KPI development, margin improvement, and investment evaluation for the Tax business. Partners with senior leaders on hiring, pricing, cost management, and strategic decisions. Maintains financial models and planning systems, improves reporting processes, and supervises data analysts.
Top Skills: Adaptive PlanningExcel
10 Days Ago
In-Office
75K-75K Annually
Mid level
75K-75K Annually
Mid level
Edtech • Transportation
Oversees daily transportation-location operations, including staff supervision, budgets, financial reporting, safety compliance, injury and collision claims, facility and bus maintenance, route scheduling, purchasing, regulatory adherence, and employee engagement. The manager optimizes routes, drive times, mileage, and operational expenses while ensuring dependable service and customer satisfaction.

What you need to know about the Chicago Tech Scene

With vibrant neighborhoods, great food and more affordable housing than either coast, Chicago might be the most liveable major tech hub. It is the birthplace of modern commodities and futures trading, a national hub for logistics and commerce, and home to the American Medical Association and the American Bar Association. This diverse blend of industry influences has helped Chicago emerge as a major player in verticals like fintech, biotechnology, legal tech, e-commerce and logistics technology. It’s also a major hiring center for tech companies on both coasts.

Key Facts About Chicago Tech

  • Number of Tech Workers: 245,800; 5.2% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
  • Major Tech Employers: McDonald’s, John Deere, Boeing, Morningstar
  • Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, biotechnology, fintech, software, logistics technology
  • Funding Landscape: $2.5 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
  • Notable Investors: Pritzker Group Venture Capital, Arch Venture Partners, MATH Venture Partners, Jump Capital, Hyde Park Venture Partners
  • Research Centers and Universities: Northwestern University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Institute of Technology, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

Sign up now Access later

Create Free Account

Please log in or sign up to report this job.

Create Free Account