Area Safety Manager

First Student, Inc.; City of Albany (NY); On-site; USD 88,000 - 98,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation and benefits

401(k)

Paid holiday/vacation

Job summary

First Student seeks an Area Safety Manager based in Poughkeepsie, NY, overseeing safety for designated locations across Eastern New York. You will drive behavioral change, analyze data, and deploy risk mitigation strategies while ensuring regulatory and policy compliance.

The role partners with Area General Manager and operations to embed safety into daily work. The ASM leads investigations, supports risk management, and coordinates safety training, driver onboarding, and continuous improvement

Qualifications

• 7 years of safety/transportation experience.
• 5 years in fleet transportation management.
• Strong commitment to safety and leadership capabilities.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and related software.
• Ability to interpret data and perform root cause analysis.

Responsibilities

• Lead safety provisions with regional teams within budget and guidance.
• Identify underperforming locations and implement improvement processes.
• Conduct comprehensive incident investigations and share lessons learned.
• Provide safety training for LMs/LSMs and support regional workshops.
• Support claims management and risk analytics with HR and Ops.
• Oversee driver trainer staffing and onboarding coordination.
• Ensure compliance with First Student policies, SOPs and regulations.
• Prepare monthly safety performance reports and analyze trends.

Skills

Leadership

Safety focus

Data analysis

Communication

Training & coaching

Root cause analysis

Team collaboration

Education

2 years of college preferred or equivalent education/experience

OSHA 10-hr certification

State/Provincial Instructor Certification in the Region

Certified Smith System Defensive Driving Instructor

Tools

Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

Timekeeping & payroll systems

FGA Smart technology & Apps

Encrypted drives & shared drives

Job description

First Student is hiring an Area Safety Manager based out of Poughkeepsie, NY covering Eastern, NY state!

Salary $88,000-$98,000

Summary:

The Area Safety Manager (ASM) supports the safety of designated locations for all operational, facility and shop activities within the geographic area. The ASM works directly with the Area General Manager and must be able to lead behavioral and organizational change by influencing and change management. The ASM drives continuous improvement by reviewing data and deploying strategies to mitigate risks. The ASM ensures that division safety initiatives and processes and embedded into the area operations and monitors adherence to strategic and program initiatives. Ensures compliance with federal, state, and local regulations and company policy.

Major Responsibilities:

• Works with the RSD, LSM, LM and the Maintenance Manager, to ensure safety provisions are developed and deployed in accordance to budget and guidance.
• Identifies underperforming locations to established targets, perform analysis and work with location team to develop, recommend, and implement continuous improvement processes.
• Conduct comprehensive incident investigations for all serious events. Assists to develop actions and ensures lessons learned are communicated and implemented.
• Share best practices and innovative approaches for problem solving at locations managed by the position.
• Provide support to RSD and Risk Management on claims management and in litigation. Complete Root Cause Analysis with operations and maintenance as required.
• Work closely with the workers' compensation third-party administrator to proactively manage claims.
• Has direct responsibility to ensure proper driving trainer staffing levels. Work closely with operations and HR to identify trainer needs and effectively administer driver onboarding.
• Assist locations to determine and implement proper remedial actions for safety events and review disciplinary actions with HR and Operations.
• Multiple location oversight to guide locations on compliance with First Student policies and SOPs, as well as applicable laws and regulations, provide visibility of location compliance scores to regional and senior team.
• Prepare monthly reports and safety performance analysis for locations. Identify trends and corrective actions and communicate to AGM and management team.
• Assess location safety performance by utilizing Daily Dispatch, Driver Mobile Manager, and other applicable tools.
• In partnership with LM, will participate in the recruiting process for selection and on-boarding of new LSM’s.
• Provide safety training for new LMs and LSMs; develop LSM competencies and skills and support regional train the trainer workshops.
• Ensure operational efficiencies at a location level by utilizing Focus, Zonar, and the Safety Care database
• Perform location Safety Wellness Checks at least annually at high-risk locations this may require more frequent inspections and safety reviews.
• Assists HR/LM with driver recruitment, retention, and training activities
• Supplements the site safety review process by conducting safety audits. Additionally, the ASM works with the locations and RVPs/AGMs to properly close Site Safety Review actions.
• ASM manages the BeSafe process, including Safety Leadership course delivery, identifying and onboarding BeSafe Coaches and monitor debrief quality.
• Works with RVP, AGM and LM regarding the communication and execution of divisional wide activities and actions.
• Provides technical oversight to the LSM, as needed, while the requests from LM’s will be prioritized and in partnership with the ASM to support the Operations and Safety function.
• Verification of location compliance with PDDP, EDTP, Non- Conforming Vehicles standards and conduct quality assurance by auditing elements of training programs being conducted at a location level. Ensures that all Training Standards are being carried per Company guidelines.
• Support the execution of kickoff/safety meetings by working closely with location staff.
• Provides the appropriate level of startup support.
• Other responsibilities as requested or required.

Qualifications:

• 7 Years of Safety/Transportation Experience
• 5 Years experience in fleet transportation management
• Strong commitment to Safety
• Demonstrate leadership, decision-making and team building skills
• Strong proficiency in 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.
• Advanced skills 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.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to interpret data and perform root cause analysis and assist others
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with others in a team setting
• Demonstrated ability to train, coach and provide leadership
• Collision Investigation training
• State/Provincial Instructor Certification in at least one of the States/Provincial in the Region
• Certified Smith System Defensive Driving Instructor

Minimum Education or Certifications Required

• 2 years of college preferred or equivalent education/experience
• OSHA 10-hr, safety/transportation certifications, etc.

Benefits:

• We offer competitive compensation and benefits 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:

Build skills and knowledge in such areas as safety and security, injury prevention, technology and equipment, and job efficiency.

Diversity & Inclusion:

Because we’re stronger together, we aspire to have a culture where all people are First. We’re committed to providing an inclusive and diverse working environment for everyone every day.

Community Service & Impact:

Go where opportunity meets community. Our customers are at the heart of everything we do. As the face of First in your community, you’ll have a positive impact on others.

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.