Director, Fleet Operations

GENERAL DESCRIPTION / PURPOSE:

The Director, Fleet Operations is responsible for all aspects of operating and maintaining the company-owned fleet of contract service equipment. This position provides leadership and support to the Operations team and develops organizational habits that ensure the company operates all track maintenance services in a safe, reliable and cost-effective manner, while balancing total cost of ownership decisions with required financial results.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Leadership

• Responsible for leading and developing a team of field-based managers of people, in the North America business unit.
• Lead through the team and in partnership with other centers of excellence to establish standards and practices which promote culture of working safely and efficiently for our customers
• Develop future leaders within the organization by coaching and mentoring within the total Field Operations business unit
• Deliver strong leadership presence by leading the delivery of internal talent, leadership and training programs.
• Builds a strong culture focused on safety, employee engagement, and manager accountability within a high demand working environment.
• Motivate and inspire excellence through effective written and verbal communications with the executive team, operations leadership team, customers, and all field-based crew.
• Champions execution of corporate and operational strategies
• Responsible for building and maintaining highly effective cross functional relationships within the organization.
• Manage, build, implement, and maintain sustainable leaders standard work, SOP's, and accountability mechanisms across the division.
• Holds Ops leadership accountable for safety, quality, finance, and operational performance through disciplined review and performance management.

Safety and Operational Excellence

• Responsible for the overall safety of the operation.
• Has a proven ability to lead a culture of safety by working closely with internal departments to champion strategies that drive safe working conditions and programs within the operations.
• Responsible for leading and overseeing the operational activities of multiple product lines (machines) within the fleet that operate 24/7/365 throughout North America.
• Leverages leaders standard work and accountability to drive operational excellence
• Develop and/or monitor appropriate leading and lagging metrics to measure the effectiveness of processes and identify areas for corrective action and/or continuous improvements.
• Build plan, direct, develop, and implement the strategic direction of the organization's operational department, operational efficiencies and cost-effective systems that will maximize the company's performance in meeting customer expectations and the organization's financial goals.
• Provides expertise and guidance on operations projects, processes, and systems, that may include collaboration with global counterparts.

Business and Financial Management

• Manage the development of controls, and detailed analysis to monitor Operations performance including division P&L's, forecasting, and capital improvements.
• Manage the planning, development, and preparation of departmental budgets and forecasts throughout the annual financial planning process.
• Maintain the relationship with supply chain that develops, coordinates, and manages external relationships with subcontractors, vendors, and suppliers that optimize operational and financial efficiencies to maintain an awareness of the market and changing customer expectations that drive profitability, increase returns on investment, and mitigate risk.
• Develop and maintain relationships with key contacts on customer railroads to facilitate a healthy environment of continuous improvement and problem-solving.
• Interpret directives from customers and the executive team to create and implement new operating rules, policies, procedures and instructions.
• Works cross functionally, with peers and direct reports, to execute our core strategies and management operating system across the North American operation to achieve or exceed performance metrics.