Director of Operations

City of Lincoln; Burlington (WA); On-site; USD 150,571 - 202,654; Full time

Job summary

Skagit Transit seeks a Director of Operations to provide strategic leadership for all transit operations, ensuring safe, reliable and compliant service delivery across fixed route, paratransit, microtransit, dispatch, eligibility, and contracts.

The role reports to the CEO, collaborates with the executive team and labor representatives, and drives performance measures, policies, and operational improvements company-wide.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field as listed.
• Seven years of experience in public transportation operations including fixed route and demand response.
• Five years of senior-level management experience leading supervisors, managers, and multi-disciplinary teams.
• Experience with labor relations, collective bargaining, contract administration, employee discipline, and workforce management.
• Experience budgeting, managing performance programs, and regulatory compliance.
• Valid Washington State driver's license or ability to obtain within the agency timeframe.
• Commercial Driver's License with passenger endorsement or ability to obtain within timeframe.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Skagit Transit's designated Public Records Officer.
• Participate in executive leadership team to set strategic goals and priorities.
• Advise CEO on operations, workforce planning, safety, security, risk, and service improvement.
• Develop and implement short- and long-range operational strategies.
• Lead special projects and agency priorities from the CEO.
• Set performance expectations and accountability across departments.
• Foster safety, accountability, professionalism, and continuous improvement.
• Direct and oversee fixed route, paratransit, microtransit, dispatch, eligibility, and contracted services.
• Monitor performance metrics, ridership trends, and service quality.
• Collaborate with planning on route performance and service changes.
• Provide executive direction on expansion, reductions, and redesigns.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Budget management

Labor relations

Regulatory compliance

Executive collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Transportation Management, Safety Management, Emergency Management, or related field

Job description

• Location 600 County Shop Lane,Burlington, WA, 98233-9772,United States
• Base Pay $150,571.2 - $202,654.4 / Year
• Employee Type FT Exempt
• Required Degree 2 Year Degree

Description

The Director of Operations serves as a member of the Executive Leadership Team and provides strategic leadership, direction, and oversight for all public transportation operations and operational support functions. The position is responsible for the safe, reliable, customer-focused, compliant, and fiscally responsible delivery of transit services, including fixed route, paratransit, microtransit, dispatch, eligibility, and contracted transportation services. The Director oversees operational safety, training, security, emergency management, labor relations, and service delivery functions while ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. The position collaborates closely with the Chief Executive Officer, executive leadership team, labor representatives, initiatives that support the agency's mission and long-term vision. The Director develops and implements operational strategies, performance measures, policies, and operational improvement initiatives that promote excellence, employee engagement, operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement throughout the organization.

Requirements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree Public Administration, Business Administration, Transportation Management, Safety Management, Emergency Management, or a related field.
• Seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in public transportation operations, including responsibility for fixed route and demand response services.
• Five (5) years of senior-level management experience leading supervisors, managers, and multi-disciplinary teams.
• Experience overseeing operational functions within a public transit organization.
• Experience with labor relations, collective bargaining, contract administration, employee discipline, and workforce management.
• Experience managing budgets, operational performance programs, strategic initiatives, and organizational change efforts.
• Experience working with federal, state, and local transportation regulations and regulatory agencies.
• Valid Washington State driver's license, or ability to obtain within the timeframe established by the agency.
Commercial Driver's License with passenger endorsement or ability to obtain within the timeframe established by the agency.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degree in public administration, Business Administration, Transportation, Safety Management, Emergency Management, or a related field.
• Experience overseeing microtransit, contracted transportation services, security programs, safety programs, and emergency management functions.
• Transit Safety and Security Program certification.
• Safety Management System training or certification.
• Incident Command System and National Incident Management System training.

Summary

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Serve as Skagit Transit's designated Public Records Officer, responsible for agency-wide Public Records Act
• Serve as a member of the Executive Leadership Team and participate in the development and implementation of agency [1] wide strategic goals, policies, initiatives, and organizational priorities.
• Advise the Chief Executive Officer on operational matters, service delivery issues, workforce planning, safety performance, security concerns, risk management, and service improvement opportunities.
• Develop and implement short- and long-range operational strategies that support organizational goals, service reliability, financial sustainability, customer satisfaction, and regulatory compliance.
• Lead special projects, initiatives, and agency priorities assigned by the Chief Executive Officer.
• Establish performance expectations, key performance indicators, and accountability measures for operational departments and programs.
• Champion a culture of safety, accountability, professionalism, innovation, customer service, and continuous improvement.
• Direct and oversee all operational functions, including fixed route, paratransit, microtransit, dispatch, eligibility, contracted transportation services, operations supervisors, and operations management staff.
• Ensure operational effectiveness through the development, implementation, and monitoring of policies, procedures, performance standards, and operational controls.
• Monitor operational performance metrics, service productivity, reliability, ridership trends, customer feedback, and service quality indicators.
• Collaborate with Planning staff regarding service evaluations, route performance, service modifications, and implementation of service improvements.
• Provide executive direction regarding operational impacts of service expansion, service reductions, service redesigns