Operations Manager - Kelowna

Transdev Canada; Kelowna; On-site; CAD 88,000 - 108,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary 88k-108k

Comprehensive benefits package

North America career advancement

Positive social impact

Job summary

Transdev Canada in Kelowna is seeking an Operations Manager to lead a high‑performing transit operation with a strong focus on safety, reliability, and people leadership. You’ll balance day‑to‑day oversight with proactive safety culture development to protect employees, passengers and the communities we serve.

This hands‑on role requires coaching supervisors, coordinating dispatch and scheduling, and driving continuous improvement across maintenance, safety, HR and operations.

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years of leadership in transportation or operations.
• Experience leading safety initiatives and a safety culture.
• Incident investigations and corrective actions are a plus.
• Experience in a unionized setting is preferred.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and employee development skills.
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making in fast-paced ops.
• Experience with dispatch, scheduling, fleet operations or transit is preferred.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Valid Class 5 driver’s licence; Class 2 (air brakes) is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily transit operations and supervise frontline staff.
• Promote safety practices and ensure compliance with policies and client expectations.
• Coach supervisors and employees on safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee dispatch, service monitoring, and operational coordination.
• Hire, onboard, coach, and develop employees; manage performance conversations.
• Collaborate with Maintenance, Safety, HR and other departments to drive excellence.
• Lead investigations for incidents and implement corrective actions.
• Support scheduling, routing, and staffing to keep service operating efficiently.
• Support labour relations activities in a unionized environment.

Skills

Leadership experience

Safety culture leadership

Incident investigation

Unionized environment

Dispatch & scheduling

Communication skills

Stakeholder management

Job description

Transdev Canada is hiring an Operations Manager for our Kelowna location

At Transdev, our values Care, Share, Dare, Deliver guide everything we do, and as an Operations Manager, you’ll bring them to life every day through your leadership, decisions, and commitment to safe, reliable service.
In Kelowna, you’ll lead a high-performing transit operation with a strong focus on safety performance operational excellence, and people leadership. This role is ideal for a leader who enjoys balancing day-to-day operations with building a proactive safety culture that protects employees, passengers, and the communities we serve.

We’re looking for a hands‑on Operations Manager to lead daily transit operations, support frontline leaders, champion safety initiatives, and ensure reliable service delivery. If you thrive in a fast‑paced environment and enjoy developing people while continuously improving operations, we’d love to hear from you.

What you’ll do

• Lead by example in building and maintaining a proactive safety‑first culture across theoperation.
• Promote safe work practices and ensure compliance with company policies, legislative requirements, and client expectations.
• Coach supervisors and employees on safe behaviours, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Manage employee injury claims and return to work programs by liaising with Worksafe BC and internal stakeholders
• Provide oversight of the safety training program ensuring content, facilitation, and competency validations meet compliance, internal and client requirements.
• Participate in the site’s Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee as a management representative
• Lead operational response during incidents and emergencies, ensuring appropriate investigation, reporting, and corrective actions are completed.
• Monitor safety performance, identify trends, and implement initiatives that reduce risk and improve operational performance.
• Keep daily transit operations moving by overseeing dispatch, service monitoring, and operational coordination.
• Help ensure service runs on time and operators are set up for success each day.
• Jump in to support dispatch or scheduling when needed—no task is too big or too small.
• Lead and develop a team of Transit Supervisors and frontline employees.
• Play a key role in hiring, onboarding, coaching, and developing employees.
• Conduct performance management, coaching, and employee development conversations.
• Handle employee relations matters fairly, consistently, and professionally.
• Support scheduling, routing, and staffing to keep service operating efficiently.
• Monitor operational performance, investigate incidents, resolve customer concerns, and implement corrective actions.
• Ensure operational investigations are completed thoroughly and lessons learned are shared across the operation.
• Collaborate closely with Maintenance, Safety, HR, and other departments to drive operational excellence.
• Deliver operational and safety training while reinforcing company standards and expectations.
• Step into leadership responsibilities as required, including supporting the General Manager.
• Contribute ideas and continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen operational performance, safety, and customer service.
• Support labour relations activities within a unionized environment.

Your Profile

• 3–5+ years of leadership experience in transportation, operations, or a related industry.
• Demonstrated experience leading safety initiatives and promoting a strong safety culture.
• Experience conducting incident investigations and implementing corrective actions is an asset.
• Experience in a unionized environment is preferred.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and employee development skills.
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making abilities in fast-paced operational environments.
• Experience with dispatch, scheduling, fleet operations, or public transit is preferred.
• Strong communication, organizational, and stakeholder management skills.
• Valid Class 5 driver’s licence required, Class 2 licence (with air brakes) would be considered an asset.

The perks

• A competitive annual salary between $88,000.00 and $108,000.00
• A comprehensive compensation & benefits package that includes annual bonus, paid vacation, extended health benefits, RRSP & insurance.
• Career advancement opportunities due to a strong presence across North America.
• The ability to have a positive social impact and to serve your local community.

Location and schedule

• Kelowna, BC.
• Monday–Friday, 40 hours per week. Shifts may vary between day time and evening coverage, due to the nature of transit operations, weekends and on‑call support may be required.

Join an international Group strongly rooted in the communities

Transdev is an international leader in mobility at the service of communities. We design and operate public transport networks - buses, coaches, trams, trains, shared bikes, ferries, and more - to empower freedom to move everyday thanks to safe, reliable and innovative solutions that serve the common good.

Because we are people serving people, our 100,000 employees have a positive impact on people and society. It is by taking care of them that we empower people to move forward.

In March 2023,Transdev Canadaexpanded its reach in western Canada by acquiringFirst Transit. By joining forces, Transdev Canada is now the largest multi-modal privately owned transportation company in Canada.