Director of CDL & Diesel Mechanic Programs

University of Health and Performance; Gentry (AR); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation package

401(k)

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Paid time off

Professional development support

Access to UHP performance and recovery

Job summary

University of Health and Performance in Northwest Arkansas is launching two transportation trades programs in 2027 and seeks a founding director to build them from day one. You will write the curriculum, stand up the range, fleet, and shop, enroll students across the country, and ensure licensing, registration, and accreditation while hiring the instructor team.

This role combines teaching, leadership, and program administration, with about 25% teaching in the first year growing to 50% as

Qualifications

• Current Class A CDL, a valid DOT medical card, and FMCSA entry-level instructor requirements.
• 5+ years of commercial driving experience or CDL instruction.
• Hands-on experience maintaining, inspecting, or repairing heavy trucks and diesel equipment.
• 2+ years leading people (e.g., driver manager, shop lead, training lead, or military NCO).
• Working knowledge of FMCSA and DOT rules, including hours of service, inspections, and drug/alcohol testing.
• Ability to be approved as an instructor by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.
• Comfort writing procedures, keeping accurate records, and using basic scheduling/reporting software.
• High school diploma or GED

Responsibilities

• Lead the launch of the CDL and Diesel Mechanic programs from planning through the first graduating cohorts.
• Design or adapt curriculum including ELDT theory and behind-the-wheel content for Class A and Class B, and a diesel curriculum aligned to ASE Education Foundation standards.
• Specify trucks, trailers, range, shop bays, tools, and training aids; coordinate with procurement.
• Set cohort calendars, student-to-instructor ratios, and systems for tracking training hours and completions.
• Serve as program director on regulatory applications and ensure compliance with ADHE, FMCSA, and DOT requirements.
• Recruit, hire, train, and supervise instructors; teach CDL classroom and range sessions as credentials allow.
• Collaborate with employers on hiring pipelines, student placement, and funding avenues.
• Manage program budgets, fleet costs, and reporting on enrollment, completions, and safety incidents.

Skills

CDL Knowledge

Leadership

Maintenance & Inspection

Record Keeping

Teaching Eligibility

Safety & Compliance

Communication

Education

High school diploma or GED

Job description

Belong to something. Believe in something. Strive for something.

UHP creates professionals, builds leaders, and reveals purpose. We’re looking for people to join our team who believe this mission is worth showing up for every day.

UHP is a veteran-focused education and leadership development organization based on a scenic 800-acre campus in Northwest Arkansas.

The UHP School of Health & Performance offers program tracks in personal training, health coaching, and culinary nutrition. At the UHP Skilled Trades Institute, students earn the certifications necessary to launch careers in high-demand trades. Leadership development is baked into every program.

We also work with a network of employer and industry partners to open career pathways for our graduates. While we can't guarantee employment, everything we do is designed to give service members and veterans a real path toward meaningful careers.

Veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses are strongly encouraged to apply.

Why UHP

At UHP, you are joining more than a company — you are helping build something designed to create lasting impact.

You Will Have The Opportunity To

• Contribute to a mission larger than yourself

The Opportunity

UHP is adding two transportation trades programs in 2027, a CDL truck driving school and a Diesel Mechanic program, and the Founding Director of CDL & Diesel Mechanic Programs owns both from day one. This is a build role, not a maintain role. You will write the curriculum, stand up the range, fleet, and shop, get the programs licensed, registered, and on track for accreditation, hire the instructor team, and then teach in the programs you built.

The CDL program will enroll students from across the country, run 20-student cohorts, and train toward Class A and Class B licenses under federal Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) rules. The Diesel Mechanic program will run 20-student cohorts on the UHP trades calendar. Both are being built alongside Northwest Arkansas employer partners, including J.B. Hunt and Walmart.

The two programs run together on purpose. Drivers who understand the equipment are safer and more employable, and mechanics who understand how trucks are driven diagnose them better. We want one leader who has worked both sides of the truck and can build a single, connected transportation pathway.

Expect to spend about 25% of your time teaching during the build year, growing toward 50% once both programs are running.

Key Responsibilities

Build the Programs

• Lead the launch of the CDL and Diesel Mechanic programs from planning through the first graduating cohorts
• Design or adapt curriculum: federal Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) theory and behind-the-wheel content for Class A and Class B, and a diesel curriculum aligned to ASE Education Foundation standards
• Specify the trucks, trailers, range, shop bays, tools, and training aids each program needs, and work with procurement to get them in place
• Set cohort calendars, student-to-instructor ratios, and systems for tracking training hours and completions

Licensing, Compliance, and Safety

• Serve as program director on the Arkansas Division of Higher Education (ADHE) private career school application for the CDL program
• Keep UHP compliant as an FMCSA Training Provider Registry provider, including timely reporting of student completions
• Own DOT compliance for the training fleet: USDOT registration, drug and alcohol testing, driver qualification files, inspections, and maintenance records
• Work toward Arkansas third-party CDL skills testing and ASE Education Foundation accreditation for the diesel program
• Build a strong safety culture on the range, on the road, and in the shop

Lead and Teach

• Recruit, hire, train, and supervise the CDL lead instructor, behind-the-wheel instructors, and diesel instructors, and confirm each meets federal, state, and accreditation requirements
• Observe classes, coach instructors, and keep instruction consistent across cohorts
• Teach CDL classroom and range sessions, behind-the-wheel coaching, and diesel shop instruction as your credentials allow, and step in when an instructor is out

Employers, Funding, and Reporting

• Work with J.B. Hunt, Walmart, and other carriers and fleets on hiring pipelines, curriculum input, and student placement
• Support students from enrollment through licensing and job placement, including students returning to other states for their license
• Help secure veteran (GI Bill) and WIOA funding approval
• Manage program budgets, fleet costs, and supply spending, and report on enrollment, completions, CDL pass rates, job placement, and safety incidents

Required

Qualifications & Experience

• Current Class A CDL, a valid DOT medical card, and a driving record that meets FMCSA entry-level driver training instructor requirements
• 5+ years of commercial driving experience, or a combination of commercial driving and CDL instruction
• Hands-on experience maintaining, inspecting, or repairing heavy trucks and diesel equipment
• 2+ years leading people, such as a driver manager, shop lead, training lead, or military NCO
• Working knowledge of FMCSA and DOT rules, including hours of service, vehicle inspection, and drug and alcohol testing
• Ability to be approved as an instructor by the Arkansas Division of Higher Education
• Comfort writing procedures, keeping accurate records, and using basic software for scheduling and reporting
• High school diploma or GED

Strongly Preferred (Build Experience)

• Experience starting or growing a training program, terminal, or shop
• Experience with ELDT, the FMCSA Training Provider Registry, or third-party CDL skills testing

Preferred

• Over-the-road or regional driving experience with a strong safety record and experience mentoring new drivers
• Time working as a diesel mechanic, diesel technician, or heavy truck technician; ASE Medium/Heavy Truck certifications are a plus
• Prior experience as a CDL instructor, driver trainer, shop trainer, or military instructor; a genuine interest in teaching adults matters most
• Military veterans are strongly encouraged to apply; experience as a motor transport operator (Army 88M), wheeled vehicle mechanic (Army 91B), or NCO maps directly to this role
• Hazmat, tanker, or doubles/triples endorsements
• Associate degree or higher in a technical field, education, or business

What Success Looks Like In Year One

• The CDL program is licensed by ADHE, listed on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry, and has graduated its first cohorts
• The Diesel Mechanic program is running on the trades calendar with its shop, tools, and curriculum in place
• A qualified instructor team is hired and approved for both programs
• Employer partners are hiring graduates, and pass, completion, and placement rates are tracked and reported
• The training fleet and shop run with zero serious safety incidents

Cultural Fit

• Genuine passion for veteran transition and human development.
• Comfort operating outside traditional corporate, academic, or military structures.
• Willingness to build something new rather than maintain something established.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-moving, mission-driven, high-accountability environment.
• Respect for the coaching profession and elite performance culture; service-oriented leadership mindset.
• Commitment to a healthy lifestyle and to modeling the human-performance principles our trade students learn as part of the curriculum.

Schedule & Work Environment

Schedule: Flexible, based on program delivery and cohort needs, including some early mornings, evenings, and weekends during cohorts and occasional travel to employer partners.

Work Environment: Based mainly at 25200 Ranch Road, Gentry, AR 72734, with regular travel to Bentonville and the driving range. Work is split between the classroom, the range, public roads, and a diesel shop, in all weather.

Physical Requirements

• Climb in and out of truck cabs, perform pre-trip inspections, work under vehicles, and lift up to 50 pounds
• Keep a valid Class A CDL and DOT medical card, and take part in DOT drug and alcohol testing

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive compensation package
• 401(k)
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development support
• Access to UHP performance and recovery facilities

Equal Employment Opportunity

UHP is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.