Program Manager

First Student; Cincinnati (OH); On-site; USD 130,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

First Student in Cincinnati is seeking an experienced Enterprise Program Manager to govern large-scale programs from planning through go-live and benefits realization.

You will lead cross-functional teams, manage partner SOWs, align senior leaders, and drive process improvements while delivering on-time value for complex initiatives.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in program or project management, including 3+ years as the accountable lead on high-value enterprise programs.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent industry experience.
• Led at least one enterprise-system implementation through go-live.
• Managed cross-functional programs including external partners.
• Aligned senior leaders without direct authority and changed executive decisions rather than just reporting to executives.
• Ran testing, cutover, and go/no-go for a legacy-system replacement.
• Proven ability to build and manage relationships with all levels of internal and external stakeholders.
• Significant, demonstrated ability to drive process and performance improvements.

Responsibilities

• Owns end-to-end program governance: integrated plan, stage gates, risks and issues, change control, and the executive steering committee cadence.
• Manages the implementation partner’s milestone-based SOW: scope, phase exit criteria, deliverable acceptance within contract windows, and remediation.
• Directs the partner’s requirements gathering so sessions are scoped, the right business owners attend, and requirements are traceable and signed off before build.
• Secures and keeps time from senior Finance, Operations, and IT leaders serving as process owners; escalates capacity conflicts before they become schedule slips.
• Brings cross-program dependencies (systems, process, and change) into a single critical path.
• Leads cutover readiness: parallel cycles, data conversion, test exit criteria, go/no-go decisions, and hypercare.
• Defines and tracks benefits and KPIs from charter through post-go-live.
• Gives leadership decision-ready recommendations, not just status reports.
• Directs a matrixed team of First Student staff and partner resources.
• Other responsibilities as required or requested.

Skills

Program governance

Stakeholder management

Enterprise program mgmt

SOW management

Requirements gathering

Scheduling coordination

Cross-functional leadership

Risk management

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Job description

Leading transformational enterprise programs within First Student

This role is accountable for program governance, implementation-partner performance, and obtaining alignment from senior leaders to ensure programs remain on schedule and achieve committed value.

Major Responsibilities

• Owns end-to-end program governance: integrated plan, stage gates, risks and issues, change control, and the executive steering committee cadence
• Manages the implementation partner’s milestone-based statement of work (SOW): scope, phase exit criteria, deliverable acceptance within contract windows, and remediation
• Directs the partner’s requirements gathering so sessions are scoped, the right business owners attend, and requirements are traceable and signed off before build
• Secures and keeps time from senior Finance, Operations, and IT leaders serving as process owners; escalates capacity conflicts before they become schedule slips
• Brings cross-program dependencies (systems, process, and change) into a single critical path
• Leads cutover readiness: parallel cycles, data conversion, test exit criteria, go/no-go decisions, and hypercare
• Defines and tracks benefits and KPIs from charter through post-go-live
• Gives leadership decision-ready recommendations, not just status reports
• Directs a matrixed team of First Student staff and partner resources
• Other responsibilities as required or requested

Experience

• Minimum 7 years in program or project management, including 3+ years as the accountable lead on high-value enterprise programs
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent industry experience
• Led at least one enterprise-system implementation through go-live
• Managed cross-functional programs including external partners
• Aligned senior leaders without direct authority and changed executive decisions rather than just reporting to executives
• Ran testing, cutover, and go/no-go for a legacy-system replacement
• Proven ability to build and manage relationships with all levels of internal and external stakeholders
• Significant, demonstrated ability to drive process and performance improvements

Compensation ranges from $130,000 - $150,000 depending on experience.

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.

MISSION

Provide unmatched care and the safest ride to school, so when students arrive, they start and end their day with an exceptional experience and are ready to achieve their full potential.

FOCUS ON SAFETY

Safety is at the heart of everything we do

CARE FOR OUR STUDENTS

Ensure our vehicles are welcoming and trusted places where students feel comfortable and secure

SURPASS CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS

Go the extra mile to deliver an extraordinary experience for our customers and communities

FOSTER TEAMWORK

Work together, act with integrity, respect each other, champion diversity and inclusion

SET THE HIGHEST STANDARDS

Continually seek a better way to do things with innovation, sustainable practices, financial discipline, commercial excellence, and operational excellence