Job Description

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Area General Manager is a senior, executive-level leadership role responsible for driving operational excellence, market growth, and organizational performance across multiple locations within DATTCO’s School Bus Division. This leader owns the full business within their region—balancing safety, service delivery, financial performance, and strategic expansion.

Operating with a high degree of autonomy, the Area General Manager serves as the face of DATTCO in the markets they lead—building strong customer partnerships, developing local leadership talent, and identifying opportunities to grow and strengthen the business.

This role is part of a team of Area General Managers collectively responsible for the performance of the School Bus Division. Success requires strong collaboration, alignment, and shared accountability across peers to drive consistent results, elevate standards, and execute divisional priorities.

This position is designed for a leader who thinks like an owner: someone who can scale operations, lead through complexity, and actively contribute to the company’s long-term growth strategy.

WHAT YOU’LL OWN

Operational Leadership & Service Excellence

• Lead multi-site transportation operations with full accountability for safety, reliability, and service delivery.
• Establish and reinforce high standards for execution, ensuring consistent, high-quality performance across all locations.
• Drive operational improvements that increase efficiency, scalability, and service consistency.
• Act as the senior escalation point for complex operational challenges.

Safety & Compliance Leadership

• Champion a culture where safety is the foundation of every decision and behavior.
• Ensure full compliance with all regulatory requirements and company safety standards.
• Partner with safety leadership to continuously improve outcomes, reduce incidents, and strengthen accountability.
• Lead a proactive, prevention-driven safety culture across all teams.

People Leadership & Organizational Development

• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing bench of managers and operational leaders.
• Coach leaders to elevate performance, accountability, and decision-making.
• Create a culture of ownership, continuous improvement, and leadership development.
• Partner with HR and recruiting to ensure strong talent pipelines and workforce stability.

Business Development & Market Leadership

• Own regional growth by identifying, pursuing, and securing new business opportunities across assigned markets.
• Build and maintain senior-level relationships with school districts, municipalities, and contracted partners.
• Partner with executive leadership on market expansion strategy, including new territories, contracts, and service offerings.
• Lead or support contract negotiations, renewals, and RFP responses to drive revenue growth and long-term partnerships.
• Continuously assess market dynamics, competitor positioning, and customer needs to inform strategic decisions.
• Position DATTCO as the provider of choice through service excellence, reputation, and relationship strength.

Divisional Leadership & Cross-Regional Collaboration

• Partner closely with peer Area General Managers to drive consistent performance, share best practices, and elevate execution across the School Bus Division.
• Contribute to division-wide strategy, ensuring alignment between regional operations and broader organizational priorities.
• Foster a collaborative, team-first leadership approach that prioritizes overall division success over individual region performance.
• Identify opportunities to standardize processes, improve efficiency, and scale successful initiatives across locations.
• Actively participate in leadership discussions to shape the future direction, growth, and operational excellence of the School Bus Division.

Customer & Community Partnership

• Serve as the executive relationship owner for key customers.
• Ensure a high-touch, proactive approach to customer communication and satisfaction.
• Strengthen DATTCO’s brand and presence within the communities served.
• Resolve complex customer issues with professionalism and urgency.

Financial & Business Performance

• Own full P&L performance for assigned locations, including budgeting, forecasting, and cost control.
• Drive profitability through operational discipline, efficiency improvements, and revenue growth.
• Use data and performance metrics to inform decisions and identify opportunities.
• Balance short-term financial performance with long-term investment in people and operations.

Workforce Strategy & Staffing Optimization

• Oversee workforce planning, recruitment, scheduling, and retention strategies.
• Anticipate labor needs based on operational and seasonal demand.
• Improve hiring outcomes and retention through partnership with internal teams.
• Ensure staffing models support both efficiency and employee engagement.

Culture & Organizational Alignment

• Act as a cultural leader who reinforces DATTCO’s values, expectations, and standards.
• Drive alignment between corporate strategy and field execution.
• Foster an environment of accountability, engagement, and pride in performance.
• Serve as a key connector between field operations and executive leadership.

WHAT YOU BRING

• 10–15+ years of progressive leadership experience in transportation, logistics, or complex service operations.
• Proven success leading multi-site operations with full accountability for safety, service, financial performance, and growth.
• Demonstrated experience in business development, customer relationship management, and revenue expansion.
• Strong executive presence with the ability to influence customers, partners, and internal stakeholders.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with executive-level peers, driving alignment and results across a shared division.
• Experience working in unionized environments preferred.
• Highly analytical with a data-driven approach to decision-making.
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to lead in a fast-paced, high-accountability environment with competing priorities.
• Strong business acumen with an ownership mindset.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and operational systems.

WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS

This role is central to DATTCO’s ability to scale, compete, and lead in the markets we serve. The Area General Manager directly impacts operational performance, customer retention, revenue growth, and the development of future leaders within the organization.

It is an opportunity to run a business within a business—combining operational leadership with strategic growth and market influence.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other protected class.

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