Operations Manager - SESTA

Ritchies Transport Holdings Limited; Henderson-Massey; On-site; NZD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Leadership role

Supportive management team

Opportunity to influence service-deliv

Stable nationwide business

Job summary

Ritchies Transport Holdings Limited in Auckland seeks an experienced Operations Manager to lead the SESTA operation, delivering safe, reliable transport for students with additional needs. Reporting to Area Manager, you’ll oversee daily service delivery, supervisor leadership, driver rostering, and relationships with schools and Ministry stakeholders.

You will balance people leadership with operational excellence, health and safety, budget management and continuous service improvement, in a

Qualifications

• Proven people leadership experience.
• Strong operational planning and organisational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Excellent communication and relationship management skills.
• Sound judgement under pressure.
• Experience managing performance, compliance and health & safety.
• Confidence using Microsoft 365 and operational systems.
• Commitment to outstanding service for customers and communities.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily transport operations and service delivery.
• Lead Operations Supervisors and develop the team.
• Manage driver rostering and workforce planning.
• Ensure student safety and wellbeing.
• Handle incident management and problem solving.
• Maintain stakeholder communication and relationships with schools, caregivers and authorities.
• Oversee health, safety, compliance and contract performance.
• Manage budget and drive operational efficiency initiatives.

Skills

People leadership

Operational planning

Communication

Stakeholder management

Health & safety

Microsoft 365

Budget management

Roster & scheduling

Tools

MS 365

Job description

Lead a service that helps Auckland students get to school safely every day

At Ritchies Transport, we are looking for an experienced Operations Manager to lead our Auckland SESTA (Specialised School Transport Assistance) operation.

This is more than a transport role. You'll lead a team that delivers safe, reliable transport services for students with additional needs, ensuring they can access education with dignity, care and consistency. The work is meaningful, fast-paced and highly rewarding.

About the role

Reporting to the Area Manager, you'll be responsible for the day-to-day management of our Auckland SESTA operation, leading supervisors, supporting drivers, managing service delivery and building strong relationships with schools, caregivers and Ministry stakeholders.

You will oversee:

• Daily transport operations and service delivery
• Leadership and development of Operations Supervisors
• Driver coverage, rostering and workforce planning
• Student safety and wellbeing
• Incident management and operational problem solving
• Stakeholder communication and relationship management
• Health, safety, compliance and contract performance
• Budget management and operational efficiency initiatives

No two days will be the same. You will be balancing people leadership, operational excellence and customer service while ensuring every student journey is delivered safely and successfully.

What we're looking for

We are keen to hear from people who have experience leading busy operational environments such as transport, logistics, service delivery, healthcare, facilities, warehousing or similar sectors.

You'll bring:

• Proven people leadership experience
• Strong operational planning and organisational skills
• The ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
• Excellent communication and relationship management skills
• Sound judgement under pressure
• Experience managing performance, compliance and health & safety
• Confidence using Microsoft 365 and operational systems
• A genuine commitment to providing outstanding service for customers and communities

Bonus points if you have:

• Experience in school transport, SESTA, disability services or community transport
• Knowledge of Auckland's transport network and road systems

Why join Ritchies?

At Ritchies, we're proud to connect communities across New Zealand. Our people make that happen every day.

We offer:

• A leadership role with genuine community impact
• A supportive and experienced management team
• Opportunities to influence and improve service delivery
• A stable and well-established nationwide business
• The chance to make a real difference in the lives of students and their whānau

Ready to make an impact?

If you're an experienced operational leader who thrives on building high-performing teams, solving problems and delivering exceptional service, we'd love to hear from you.