Assistant Depot Manager

Cleveland Metropolitan School District; United States; On-site; USD 69,000 - 93,000; Full time

Job summary

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District is seeking an Assistant Depot Manager of Transportation Operations to oversee a complex routing system for 39,000 students. The role reports to the Director of Transportation and requires strong admin and leadership skills.

Responsibilities include supervising bus drivers and staff, ensuring performance metrics are met, coordinating with unions and community partners, and maintaining accurate records. Ohio CDL within one year is required.

Qualifications

• Associates degree required; Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Five (5) years’ experience preferred in Employee Management, public or pupil transportation in an urban setting.
• Knowledge of applicable transportation policies, state and federal laws.

Responsibilities

• Manages approximately 150 transportation staff including Bus Drivers and various other classified staff to deliver high impact transportation services.
• Assures performance measures for the department are met and evaluates team members based on metrics.
• Recommends reassignments and disciplines to ensure the strongest team.
• Monitors bus routes and makes recommendations around changes as appropriate.
• Investigates transportation accidents or incidents.
• Works with the Director to develop the department procedure manual.
• Responsible for daily coverage of routes and backup coverage for uncovered routes.
• Maintain attendance, accident, tardiness, disciplinary and other records on each driver.
• Investigate daily and/or resolve complaints or problems concerning drivers.
• Submit investigations of transportation incidents to the director.
• Prepare detailed incident reports and submit to appropriate personnel.
• Apply progressive discipline procedures for attendance, etc.
• Monitor radio logs for incidents and breakdowns.
• Monitor the daily call-off sheet and submit operations reports.
• Conduct conferences with drivers or groups as needed.
• Manage Medicaid billing reports if needed.
• Provide professional development for bus drivers.
• Hear grievance and disciplinary hearings for Transportation Department.
• Build relationships with community, unions, and CMSD staff.
• Liaise with federal, state and local agencies as necessary.
• Partner with Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority to coordinate school transportation operations.
• Resolve issues around routes, safety, and policies.
• Manage daily inspections and ensure compliance with laws and regulations.
• Prepare Federal, State and Ohio Department of Education reports.
• All duties as assigned.

Skills

Leadership

Administration

Problem solving

Communication

Team management

Customer service

Education

Associates degree

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

ABOUT CLEVELAND METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) is Ohio's third-largest public school system, serving more than 35,000 students. CMSD strives to ensure that every child receives a high-quality education, regardless of the provider. To that end, CMSD lets families choose which District schools their children attend, with options that include STEM, the arts, single-gender education, International Baccalaureate, Montessori, and early college. Our schools have autonomy over human and financial resources in exchange for accountability for performance. The principal has primary responsibility and accountability for establishing their school as a high-quality, high-expectation academic center focusing on personalized instruction, professional support for teachers, and school-wide practices that lead to measurable results. CMSD ensures that students have access to technology and training to prepare them for the future. The District provides a free laptop or tablet for every student and connects every family that needs internet access. Graduating seniors leave commencement with not only a diploma but also a laptop. In our pursuit of a more fair, just, and good system of education, we strive to ensure that all of our learners, both scholars and educators, to be challenged with academically and intellectually complex tasks that are worthy of their efforts and provide them opportunities to demonstrate their best work.

BUILDING BRIGHTER FUTURES

The Cleveland Board of Education adopted the Building Brighter Futures (BBF) initiative on December 9, 2025. Building Brighter Futures is a strategic and data-driven plan shaped by more than a year of community engagement, information analysis, and thoughtful deliberation. The goal of this plan is to strengthen enrollment and ensure scholars attend a newer school building that offers more educational opportunities, including algebra in the eighth grade, more sports and extracurricular activities, and college credits and college and career pathways in high school. BBF is ensuring academic excellence so every CMSD scholar can thrive.

THE OPPORTUNITY:

Location: Administration or As Assigned Reports to: Depot Director, Transportation FLSA Status: Exempt Salary Band: 7 Compensation: $68,891.00 - $93, 003.00 The Assistant Depot Manager of Transportation Operations will manage a complicated transportation routing system for our 39,000 students in the District. This position provides an individual with superior operations and administrative skills the opportunity to serve as a key contributor to the success of the Cleveland Plan. As the Assistant Manager of our Transportation function, the Manager will also serve as a member of the operations team to ensure our students have their baseline needs supported everyday as they come to school. The Assistant Depot Manager, Transportation reports to the Director of Transportation.

Responsibilities

• Manages approximately 150 transportation staff including Bus Drivers and various other classified staff to consistently deliver high impact transportation services so that our schools are positioned to achieve student growth
• Assures that the performance measures for the department are met and evaluates team members based on the metrics as well as ability to perform all functions of their roles
• Recommends reassignments and disciplines to ensure the strongest team is providing our transportation services
• Monitors bus routes and makes recommendations around changes as appropriate
• Investigates any transportation accidents or incidents
• Works with the Director to further develop the department procedure manual
• Be responsible for the daily coverage of routes and provide backup coverage for uncovered routes due to illness, timing conflicts, etc.
• Maintain in a timely manner attendance, accident, tardiness, disciplinary and other records on each driver assigned
• Investigate daily and / or resolve complaints or problems concerning his / her drivers as directed
• Submit to the director any investigations of transportation accidents and incidents according to established guidelines and procedures
• Prepare detailed and concise accident and incident reports and submit to appropriate personnel
• Apply progressive discipline procedures for attendance, tardiness, absences, accidents, etc.
• Monitor radio logs for incidents, accidents, breakdowns, etc.
• Monitor the daily call-off sheet and submit operations reports daily
• Conduct conferences with individual drivers or groups as needed
• Manage Medicaid billing reports if needed
• Provides professional development for bus drivers
• Hears grievance and disciplinary hearings for the Transportation Department
• Understands and cultivates relationships with the community including, principals, the three unions representing transportation employees, business, families, and Cleveland Metropolitan School District staff
• Serves as liaison to federal, state and local government agencies as necessary
• Partners with the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority to coordinate school transportation operations
• Resolves issues quickly around bus routes, department operations, student safety, policies and procedures
• Manages daily inspections and oversees daily activities to comply with applicable local ordinances and State laws, rules and regulations as required by the Ohio Department of Education and the Ohio Highway Patrol
• Prepares Federal, State and Ohio Department of Education required reports
• All duties as assigned

Qualifications

• A strong commitment to the students in CMSD and a personal sense of accountability around the ultimate success of the Cleveland Plan
• Excellent administration skills
• Strong ability to solve problems quickly and remain flexible
• Exceptional communication skills, both oral and written, as well as relationship, negotiation, and influencing skills
• Ability to manage and support a large, diverse team of people
• Strong customer service ethic
• Ability to handle problems and stressful situations tactfully and apply proactive problem solving skills
• Ability to work independently and maximize opportunities within aligned upon boundaries
• Demonstrated can-do attitude around significant challenge
• Knowledge of and ability to understand and interpret applicable policies, state and federal laws relating to Transportation codes, regulations and guidelines
• Associates degree required, Bachelor’s degree preferred in Business Management, public or pupil transportation and public relations
• Five (5) years’ experience preferred in Employee Management, public or pupil transportation in an urban setting
• Public Regulatory experience required
• Must be able to acquire an Ohio Commercial Driver’s License within one year of employment
• Experience as a supervisor in a school district transportation department preferred
• Experience and proficiency with Microsoft Office (e.g. Excel, Word, and PowerPoint)
• General Knowledge of computer usage with the ability to send and reply to emails
• Ability to learn how to use routing computer systems, video equipment systems, and other systems to obtain student transportation information as needed
• Maintains regular and consistent attendance and punctuality
• Must be flexible with shift schedules based on the needs/demands of the Operations
• Ability to maintain accurate logs of daily events, bus assignments, and route coverage, etc
• Working Conditions/Physical Demands Expected moving, walking and standing consistent with an office environment and occasionally lifting up to 15 pounds
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk and sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms
• The employee is frequently required to talk and/or hear.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to a normal office environment
• Local travel may be required for training/meetings

EEO Statement

We believe that equity and inclusion at CMSD is an essential call to action, a catalyst to ensure value and appreciation among all our employees, so we may be fair and welcoming now and in the future. CMSD provides equal opportunities for employment, retention and advancement of all personnel by administering all terms and conditions of employment regardless of race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, national origin, sex, disability or genetic information, age, citizenship status, military status, sexual orientation or expression, socio-economic status, title, other dimensions of identity, or any other characteristic protected by law. The District’s Policy Prohibiting Discrimination, Discriminatory Harassment, and Sexual Harassment and the District’s Title IX grievance procedures, including information on how to report or file a complaint of discrimination, how to report or file a formal complaint of sexual harassment, and how the District will respond, may be accessed on the District’s Civil Rights Notices webpage, available at ClevelandMetroSchools.org/domain/105. The District’s Title IX Coordinator / Director of Equal Employment Opportunity may be reached at: 1111 Superior Avenue East, Suite 1800 Cleveland, Ohio 44114 (216)-838-0070 [e-mail] CMSD is committed to the recruitment and retention of top-notch employees with the determination and drive to create a positive and effective 21st century learning environment for our students. Our departmental goal is to provide personalized support and service to each employee, school, and department. We also strive to build a foundation of employee excellence through rigorous performance standards, staff development and a diverse and dedicated work force that supports the mission and goals of the district.