Services Project Manager

FIRST MANAGEMENT SERVICES LLC; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 80,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

First Student is seeking a seasoned program leader who can organize, prioritize, and advance major initiatives across Services, Operations, Product, and Technology. You will translate guidance into structured project plans with owners, milestones, and timelines, while maintaining a centralized view of priorities and risks.

You will drive accountability, lead cross-functional initiatives, and prepare executive materials.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, operations, project management, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Seven or more years of progressive experience in program management, business operations, strategy, or a similar leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex, cross-functional programs from planning through execution.
• Experience working directly with directors, vice presidents, or other senior leaders.
• Strong executive communication, presentation, organization, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to independently prioritize work, resolve ambiguity, and move initiatives forward with limited oversight.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft 365 tools; experience with Planner, Loop, PowerPoint, Excel, Teams, and Power BI is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Partner directly with the Services Senior Director to organize, prioritize, and advance departmental and company initiatives.
• Translate ideas and leadership direction into structured project plans with defined objectives, owners, milestones, dependencies, and timelines.
• Maintain a centralized view of active initiatives, priorities, risks, decisions, and outstanding action items.
• Drive accountability by proactively following up with initiative owners and escalating risks or delays when appropriate.
• Coordinate cross-functional initiatives involving Services, Operations, Product, Technology, Safety, Finance, and other business partners.
• Prepare meeting agendas, executive summaries, KPI presentations, status reports, and other leadership materials.
• Lead initiative meetings, document decisions, assign follow-up actions, and ensure commitments are completed.
• Identify competing priorities, capacity concerns, and dependencies that may impact delivery.
• Provide clear recommendations and potential solutions—not simply report problems.
• Develop repeatable processes, templates, and governance structures that improve how initiatives are managed across the department.
• Monitor business outcomes and help ensure completed initiatives deliver their intended operational or customer impact.
• Anticipate upcoming needs and help leadership remain focused on strategic priorities rather than day-to-day administrative follow-up.
• Represent the Services Senior Director in designated meetings and workstreams when appropriate.

Skills

Executive communication

Stakeholder management

Strategic leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Project prioritization

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business, operations, project management, or related field

Tools

Planner

Loop

PowerPoint

Excel

Teams

Power BI

Job description

Major Responsibilities

• Partner directly with the Services Senior Director to organize, prioritize, and advance departmental and company initiatives.


• Translate ideas and leadership direction into structured project plans with defined objectives, owners, milestones, dependencies, and timelines.


• Maintain a centralized view of active initiatives, priorities, risks, decisions, and outstanding action items.


• Drive accountability by proactively following up with initiative owners and escalating risks or delays when appropriate.


• Coordinate cross-functional initiatives involving Services, Operations, Product, Technology, Safety, Finance, and other business partners.


• Prepare meeting agendas, executive summaries, KPI presentations, status reports, and other leadership materials.


• Lead initiative meetings, document decisions, assign follow-up actions, and ensure commitments are completed.


• Identify competing priorities, capacity concerns, and dependencies that may impact delivery.


• Provide clear recommendations and potential solutions—not simply report problems.


• Develop repeatable processes, templates, and governance structures that improve how initiatives are managed across the department.


• Monitor business outcomes and help ensure completed initiatives deliver their intended operational or customer impact.


• Anticipate upcoming needs and help leadership remain focused on strategic priorities rather than day-to-day administrative follow-up.


• Represent the Services Senior Director in designated meetings and workstreams when appropriate.

Minimum Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in business, operations, project management, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.


• Seven or more years of progressive experience in program management, business operations, strategy, or a similar leadership role.


• Demonstrated experience leading complex, cross-functional programs from planning through execution.


• Experience working directly with directors, vice presidents, or other senior leaders.


• Strong executive communication, presentation, organization, and stakeholder-management skills.


• Ability to independently prioritize work, resolve ambiguity, and move initiatives forward with limited oversight.


• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft 365 tools; experience with Planner, Loop, PowerPoint, Excel, Teams, and Power BI is preferred.

Compensation

Compensation ranges from $80,000 - $95,000 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