Area Safety Manager

First Student Shared Services; Toronto; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the transportation sector seeks an Area Safety Manager to ensure safety across multiple locations. The successful candidate will have extensive experience in safety management and a strong command of safety regulations and leadership strategies. Join a diverse team dedicated to creating a safer transportation environment for students.

Qualifications

• Minimum 7 years in safety or transportation roles.
• Strong commitment to safety and incident investigation skills.
• Provincial Instructor Certification in at least one province.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with safety and operations teams to develop safety provisions.
• Conduct incident investigations and implement improvement processes.
• Oversee compliance with policies, SOPs, and regulations.

Skills

Incident investigation

Data interpretation

Leadership

Communication

Teamwork

Education

Two years of college education or equivalent experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

Safety management technologies

Job description

At First Student, we are a family of over 60,000 employees dedicated to safely transporting more than 5 million students and passengers daily. Our brands include Transco, Total Transportation, Maggies Paratransit, and GVC II. Our employees lead in safety and innovation, utilizing advanced training and technology in the transportation industry.

The Area Safety Manager (ASM) is crucial in ensuring safety across designated locations within the Greater Toronto Area. Reporting to the Area General Manager, the ASM promotes behavioral and organizational change through effective influence and change management strategies. By analyzing data and implementing risk mitigation strategies, the ASM fosters continuous safety improvements, ensures compliance with federal and provincial regulations, and aligns safety initiatives with operational goals.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with safety and operations teams to develop and deploy safety provisions within budget.
• Identify underperforming locations, analyze performance, and implement improvement processes.
• Conduct incident investigations, communicate lessons learned, and develop corrective actions.
• Share best practices and innovative problem-solving approaches.
• Support claims management and litigation processes, including root cause analysis.
• Manage driver trainer staffing and onboarding in coordination with HR and operations.
• Assist in safety event remedial actions and disciplinary reviews.
• Oversee multiple locations to ensure compliance with policies, SOPs, and regulations, providing compliance score visibility.
• Prepare safety performance reports, identify trends, and recommend corrective actions.
• Assess safety performance using various management tools.
• Participate in recruiting and onboarding of Location Safety Managers (LSMs).
• Provide safety training and develop LSM competencies.
• Conduct safety audits and safety wellness checks, especially at high-risk locations.
• Assist HR and locations with driver recruitment, retention, and training activities.
• Manage the BeSafe safety leadership program and monitor debrief quality.
• Coordinate divisional safety activities and ensure communication with leadership.
• Provide technical oversight to LSMs and support operational safety functions.
• Ensure compliance with training and vehicle standards through audits and quality assurance.
• Support safety meetings and provide startup assistance.
• Perform other safety-related responsibilities as needed.

Minimum Education or Certifications

• Two years of college education or equivalent experience preferred.

Minimum Experience or Skills

• At least 7 years in safety or transportation roles.
• Knowledge of MTO rules, OHSA, and safety KPIs.
• Strong commitment to safety and incident investigation skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and safety management technologies.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to interpret data, perform root cause analysis, and train others.
• Teamwork in a fast-paced environment.
• Union experience is an asset.
• Leadership and coaching abilities.
• Provincial Instructor Certification in at least one province.
• Certified Smith System Defensive Driving Instructor.

First Student operates over 460 locations across the US and Canada, providing safe and reliable transportation for millions of students daily. We employ over 48,000 people and maintain more than 43,000 buses.

Apply today to join our team!

We value diversity and encourage applications from women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous peoples, and visible minorities. We are an equal opportunity employer committed to inclusivity and providing accommodations during the hiring process.