Director of Operations - Corporate

About this role

Knowledge and Experience:

• Operational management experience in transportation or a comparable industry (multi-site preferred)

• Experience supporting multiple locations or managing multi-state operations

• Proven ability to work with diverse teams and drive alignment across varying site cultures

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Transportation, or related field (or equivalent industry experience)

• Experience working with performance indicators, operational KPIs, and continuous improvement frameworks

• Ability to discuss P&L performance in both financial and operational terms

• Exposure to contract management and client-facing environments

• Understanding of public transportation operations, regulatory expectations, and industry norms

Skills:

• Ability to lead and gain buy-in from GMs, frontline leaders, corporate support teams, and clients/partners

• Ability to work across the business and collaborate with leaders of multiple disciplines, including HR / Labor, Finance, Legal, IT, Operations, Maintenance, Safety, Business Development, etc.

• Strong written communication, organization, and follow-through skills

• Ability to meet tight deadlines and manage multiple projects simultaneously

• High mobility and willingness to travel to assigned properties as required

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite

• Ability to evaluate staffing plans, operational frameworks, and resource needs

• Strong analytical capability to assess operational issues, identify root causes, and recommend corrective actions

• Strong risk awareness and ability to manage operational, financial, and performance-related risks

Key Accountabilities:
Operational Oversight Support

• Directly oversee contracted transit properties as assigned, ensuring delivery of safe, reliable, and compliant service.

• Provide operational support to Regional VPs of Operations, acting as an extension of regional leadership.

• Support properties in developing annual budgets and monitoring financial performance.

• Assist GMs in achieving labor productivity, cost control, and revenue optimization goals.

• Support client engagement / stakeholder relationships

• Support adherence to financial processes including payroll accuracy, receivables, payables, and month-end reporting.

• Monitor contractual compliance and assist in preparing for client reviews and audits.

Performance Management & Action Plan Execution

• Partner with the KNA Performance team, Operations leadership, clients/partners, and GMs to implement action plans resulting from analyses, site visits, and contract reviews.

• Work with GMs and site leaders to ensure corrective actions are clearly understood and executed.

• Support client/partner communications for contract management-related action plans

• Track, monitor, and report on progress of all performance improvement actions.

• Prepare structured, timely status reports for both Operations and Performance leadership.

• Escalate risks, delays, or systemic issues that impede progress.

Leadership Support & Special Projects

• Champion deployment of operational tools and best practices.

• Promote positive culture, accountability, and employee engagement.

• Encourage continuous improvement and progressive problem‑solving across sites.

• Help strengthen client relationships through communication, issue resolution, and operational transparency.

• Contribute to regional business development efforts by identifying improvements, innovations, or revenue opportunities.

• Support mobilization and demobilization of contracts using structured project management principles.

• Lead assigned special projects—including operational interventions, process improvements, financial controls, safety culture enhancements, or cross-functional initiatives.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:
The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodation may be requested to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
All roles may entail, to varying extents, the following physical demands:

• Long periods (potentially exceeding 8 hours per day) of walking, standing, sitting, bending, pushing, pulling, climbing, lifting, balancing, stooping, twisting, squatting, handling materials, repetitive hand-wrist motions, and traversing uneven surfaces;

• Exposure to both extreme heat and cold;

• Exposure to loud noises, fumes, and airborne particles;

In addition to the above demands inherent in every role, the following roles may entail unique physical demands, including:

• Operators/Drivers may work inside or outside vehicles and may operate vehicles for over 8 hours per day.

• Operations Supervisors and Managers may split their work between an office setting looking at a computer screen/electronic device and active transit field locations driving in a vehicle.

• Maintenance Employees may be exposed to toxic or caustic chemicals in a ventilated maintenance shop and may work with personal computers, laptops, electronic hand-held devices, complex electrical schematics, diagnostic software and testing devices, and other heavy machinery.

• Office Staff may work indoors in air-conditioned or well-ventilated facilities, including offices and cubicle spaces equipped with a telephone and computer and may entail typing or looking at a computer screen.

Additional Statements:

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Drug screening: Pursuant to Department of Transportation regulations, employment for safety-sensitive positions will be contingent upon passing a pre-employment drug screen and a physical examination. Keolis maintains a drug-free workplace. Employment will also be contingent upon completion of a background check consistent with applicable federal, state, and/or local laws.

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Safety commitment: Safety is a way of life at Keolis. By placing safety first, we ensure the wellbeing of our…