Sr Director of Autonomous Vehicle Maintenance Programs

Transdev North America, Inc.; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 170,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(K) retirement plans

Paid time off & holidays

Career advancement opportunities

Job summary

Transdev’s TAS division seeks a high-impact Senior Director to design, deploy, and scale maintenance programs for autonomous vehicle and electric fleets. You will lead safety, reliability, and operational efficiency across complex environments, partnering with Engineering, Product, and Field Service to drive continuous improvement.

The role requires 10+ years of fleet maintenance leadership, deep EV/AV knowledge, and a track record of building maintenance organizations from the ground up.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in fleet maintenance or automotive operations with multi-site leadership.
• Proven ability to build and scale maintenance orgs for AV/EV or high-utilization fleets.
• Strong understanding of EV systems, diagnostics, and maintenance requirements.
• Experience with maintenance facilities, safety standards, and regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities

• Develop scalable maintenance strategy and operating model for AV/EV fleets.
• Lead preventive, predictive, and condition-based maintenance programs.
• Own budgets, vendor relationships, and KPIs; drive productivity and cost efficiency.
• Build high-performing maintenance teams and cross-functional partnerships.

Skills

Fleet maintenance leadership

Operational excellence

Six Sigma Black Belt

EV/AV tech knowledge

Budgeting & finance

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Engineering/Operations

Tools

CMMS/EAM platforms

Diagnostics & telematics

AI-enabled maintenance tools

Job description

Sr Director of Autonomous Vehicle Maintenance Programs

Transdev’s TAS division is at the forefront of autonomous mobility operations, partnering with leading AV technology companies to deploy, operate, and scale driverless transportation services.

We are seeking a high-impact Six Sigma Black Belt to lead operational excellence across autonomous vehicle (AV) driving and servicing environments. This role is responsible for designing, optimizing, and scaling processes that ensure safety, efficiency, and reliability in AV fleet operations.

You will work at the intersection of operations, technology, and field execution, driving measurable improvements in a rapidly evolving, high-visibility business.

Position Summary

The Senior Director of Autonomous Vehicle Maintenance Programs is a senior operations leader responsible for establishing, developing, and scaling the maintenance organization and operating infrastructure required to support next-generation mobility systems, including autonomous vehicle (AV) and electric vehicle (EV) fleets.

This individual will lead the development and execution of comprehensive fleet maintenance strategies, ensuring vehicle availability, reliability, safety, and operational efficiency as the business scales. The role encompasses fleet lifecycle management, preventive and predictive maintenance, technical diagnostics, maintenance infrastructure, workforce development, vendor management, and financial performance.

The successful candidate will bring a proven track record of building maintenance organizations and operating capabilities from the ground up, ideally within autonomous mobility, electric vehicles, automotive, or other high-utilization fleet environments. They will combine deep technical knowledge with strong operational and strategic leadership capabilities, leveraging advanced diagnostics, telematics, data analytics, and AI-enabled maintenance technologies to drive continuous improvement and optimize fleet performance.

Working closely with Engineering, Product, Fleet Operations, Field Service, and other business stakeholders, this individual will establish scalable maintenance programs, develop high-performing technical teams, and build the processes, systems, and infrastructure necessary to support the company's long-term growth.

This position reports directly to the Vice President of Operations within Transdev’s TAS division.

The position may be based in Phoenix, Arizona, or elsewhere on the West Coast, where many of the company’s contracts are located.

Business travel may be required for up to 60–70% of the time.

Transdev is proud to offer:

• Competitive compensation package of minimum $170,000 – maximum $200,000

Benefits include:

• Medical, dental & vision health benefits - Blue Cross Blue Shield*
• 401(K) retirement plans
• Paid time off and holidays
• Career advancement opportunities

Key Responsibilities

Maintenance Strategy & Operations

• Develop and implement a scalable maintenance strategy and operating model to support the deployment and growth of autonomous and electric vehicle fleets.
• Establish and optimize maintenance programs, facilities, systems, and processes to maximize fleet availability, reliability, safety, and cost efficiency.

Technical Performance & Reliability

• Lead fleet maintenance, lifecycle management, and reliability programs, leveraging advanced diagnostics, telematics, predictive analytics, and emerging technologies.
• Ensure appropriate technical standards, maintenance procedures, safety protocols, and regulatory compliance across all maintenance operations.

Organization & Business Management

• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing maintenance organization, including workforce planning, technical capabilities, and organizational development.
• Own maintenance budgets, vendor relationships, supply chain performance, and operational KPIs, driving productivity and continuous improvement.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Execution

• Partner with Engineering, Product, Fleet Operations, and other stakeholders to align maintenance capabilities with vehicle technology, operational requirements, and business objectives.
• Lead strategic initiatives supporting new vehicle roll outs, maintenance readiness, infrastructure development, and geographic expansion.

Experience & Qualifications

Required Experience & Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in fleet maintenance, automotive operations, mobility services, or automotive engineering, including significant leadership responsibility for large-scale or multi-site operations.
• Proven track record of building, launching, or scaling maintenance organizations and operations, ideally within autonomous vehicle (AV), electric vehicle (EV), or high-utilization fleet environments.
• Strong technical understanding of EV systems, autonomous vehicle technologies, vehicle diagnostics, and related maintenance requirements.
• Expertise in preventive, predictive, and condition-based maintenance, fleet reliability, lifecycle management, and vehicle uptime optimization.
• Experience establishing maintenance facilities, operating processes, safety standards, and regulatory compliance frameworks.
• Demonstrated success in vendor management, parts supply chains, budgeting, financial planning, and operational performance management.
• Proven ability to recruit, develop, and lead high-performing technical and operational teams, with strong cross-functional leadership and program management capabilities.

Preferred Experience & Qualifications

• Direct experience with robotaxi, autonomous delivery, EV, or mixed ICE/EV fleet maintenance operations.
• Working knowledge of EV charging infrastructure, vehicle telematics, connected fleet technologies, and AI-enabled maintenance solutions.
• Experience implementing CMMS/EAM platforms, reliability engineering, Lean, or Six Sigma methodologies.
• Experience working with automotive OEMs, suppliers, service networks, or third-party maintenance providers.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field; relevant professional certifications are a plus.

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to work shifts or flexible work schedules as needed.
• The employee is generally subjected to long periods spent sitting, typing, or looking at a computer screen.
• Work environment will be a combination of both indoors and outdoors.

About Transdev

Cities, counties, airports, companies, and universities across the U.S. contract with Transdev to operate their transportation systems, maintain their vehicle and fleets, and deliver on mobility solutions. Transdev U.S. employs a team of 32,000 across 400 locations while maintaining more than 17,000 vehicles.

Part of a global company, Transdev is a leader in mobility with operations in 19 countries, proudly operated by 110,000 team members from around the world. As an operator and global integrator of mobility, we are driven by our purpose. Transdev – the mobility company – empowers the freedom to move every day thank to safe, reliable, and innovative solutions that serve the common good. Find out more at www.TransdevNA.com or watch an overview video at https://youtu.be/ilO5cv0G4mQ

Transdev is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic data, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or other legally protected status.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions upon request.

California applicants: Please Click Here for CA Employee Privacy Policy.

Job Category: Management

Job Type: Full Time

Req ID: 9480

Pay Group: NF2

Cost Center: 824

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions upon request.

Transdev is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic data, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or other legally protected status, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law.

Drug-free workplace

If based in the United States, applicants must be eligible to work in U.S. without restrictions for any employer at any time; be able to pass a drug screen and background check.

California applicants: Please Click Here for CA Employee Privacy Policy.

About Transdev

Cities, counties, airports, companies, and universities across the U.S. contract with Transdev to operate their transportation systems, maintain their vehicle and fleets, and deliver on mobility solutions. Transdev U.S. employs a team of 32,000 across 400 locations while maintaining more than 17,000 vehicles.

Part of a global company, Transdev is a leader in mobility with operations in 19 countries, proudly operated by 110,000 team members from around the world. As an operator and global integrator of mobility, we are driven by our purpose. Transdev – the mobility company – empowers the freedom to move every day thank to safe, reliable, and innovative solutions that serve the common good. Find out more at http://www.TransdevNA.com or watch an overview video.