Senior Manager

Your new company This is a national transport provider offering regional and intercity bus services, as well as school transport across the country. It operates under a larger public transport group and plays a key role in connecting rural and urban communities. The organisation manages a large fleet and workforce, ensuring accessibility and mobility for a wide range of passengers. Your new role Our client is seeking a dynamic and forward-thinking Senior Manager for school transport. This role holds overall responsibility for managing School Transport Services across the Southern Region, including Waterford and Cork. The successful candidate will ensure the safe, timely, and efficient delivery of school bus services in line with the School Transport Schemes policy.This position is crucial in ensuring that all policies and procedures related to school transport are effectively implemented and adhered to. The ideal candidate will have proven management experience, particularly within the transport sector and in leading teams. They should also possess comprehensive knowledge of legislation related to road passenger transport and the School Transport Scheme.Key responsibilities include coordinating with the Department of Education & Youth (DEY) and the Chief Schools Officer to implement recommendations from the “School Transport 2030” review. The Senior Manager will plan, schedule, and monitor resources to optimise bus and driver utilisation, ensuring all school buses pass required roadworthiness tests in collaboration with the Regional Engineer. The role involves recruiting school bus drivers, maintaining high standards, and applying HR policies consistently. You will oversee ongoing training, vetting, and record-keeping for drivers and contractors, manage contractor relationships, verify documentation, and ensure vehicle safety and roadworthiness in liaison with the Engineering Department. You will conduct ongoing reviews of the School Transport Network, ensuring compliance with scheme rules, delivering value for money for the Department of Education & Youth, and ensuring timely submission of reports to Central Schools/CSO and DOE. You will oversee regional school transport offices and staff, supporting and training Office Managers in Cork and Waterford, managing disciplinary matters, and ensuring GPS compliance. Swiftly addressing any school bus misconduct in accordance with Child Protection Policy is essential. The role also requires ensuring compliance with GDPR policies and legislation, training staff accordingly, and responding promptly to customer queries received through Salesforce. Engaging with stakeholders to promote a safe and efficient service. You will maintain oversight and controls in line with audit requirements, assist CIE Internal Audit teams in Cork and Waterford as needed, and support the digital transformation of school transport operations through the implementation of new IT systems.What you'll need to succeed We are seeking a candidate with previous management experience, particularly within the transport industry and people management. The ideal applicant will have knowledge of legislation related to road passenger transport and the School Transport Scheme. Proficiency in working with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and ideally Power BI is important, along with the ability to monitor expenditure across all categories. Familiarity with the company's IT systems, such as legacy systems, SAP, and Business Warehouse and an understanding of staff agreements and conditions. The role involves route planning and vehicle scheduling, staff supervision and direction, and knowledge of the procurement process for school transport contractors. Additionally, familiarity with the Trapeze school transport system would be advantageous.