Assistant Director of SPED Transporation - (Immediate Opening)

IDEA Public Schools•Weslaco, TX

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Assistant Director of SPED Transportation (ADST) will be responsible for managing the daily business operations, programs, and staff of the SPED Transportation Department. Additionally, the Assistant Director of SPED Transportation’s mission is to ensure operational readiness, effectiveness and efficiency in the Transportation SPED Department at the campus level. The ADST adheres to the policies and procedures set forth by the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT), Louisiana Department of Transportation (LADOT), and the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Specifically, the Assistant Director of SPED Transportation will be responsible for the design and implementation of operational platforms within the SPED Transportation that ensure goals are met while providing excellent service to internal and external customers. Responsibilities include but are not limited to ensuring financial targets are met, promoting safe operations within the SPED Transportation Department, developing processes that meet regulatory standards, training & developing the Transportation team in matters relating to safe and efficient Transportation operations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree or at least 5 years relevant experience
At least two years of experience in working in a Special Education related field
At least five years of progressive experience in employee hiring, screening and development
At least two years of progressive experience in Transportation Operations (Planning, scheduling and dispatching)
Excellent communication skills both oral and written
Strong work ethic with personal drive for success exemplifying “whatever it takes” attitude
Ability to work with schedules and deadlines as required, in a timely manner
Excellent organizational skills
Strong financial analytical skills including cost control
Excellent Microsoft Outlook, Project, Excel, Word and Power Point skills

Nice To Haves

Spanish Bilingual Strongly Preferred
Master of Business Administration or other related advanced degree preferred
Software applications and database systems preferred

Responsibilities

Manage the daily business operations, programs, and staff of the SPED Transportation Department.
Ensure operational readiness, effectiveness and efficiency in the Transportation SPED Department at the campus level.
Adhere to the policies and procedures set forth by the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT), Louisiana Department of Transportation (LADOT), and the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
Design and implement operational platforms within the SPED Transportation that ensure goals are met while providing excellent service to internal and external customers.
Ensure financial targets are met.
Promote safe operations within the SPED Transportation Department.
Develop processes that meet regulatory standards.
Train & develop the Transportation team in matters relating to safe and efficient Transportation operations.
Improve the operational systems, processes and policies in support of the Pickup & Drop Off strategies being used at the campus level to support the Transportation Manager (if available) and the APO.
Work with the HQ Route Manager to develop the most efficient Transportation SPED Routes.
Ensure SPED Transportation Managers are geo-coding all home addresses of our SPED Students with ample time to conduct dry runs prior to FDOS.
Ensure SPED Transportation Managers are certifying 100% of the routes for safety and efficiency.
Coordinate with the Finance and Procurement Manager to develop training on operational efficiencies and best practices for campus Transportation managers throughout the academic year.
Manage processes to ensure organizational goals and objectives are met including full oversight into all operational areas of the Department’s Budget.
Keep Campus site visit template in iAuditor up to date and adjust as needed to capture the best data.
Ensure SRTM’s are consistent in their audits in the regions.
Follow through with corrective items that show up in the audits to ensure compliance.
Provide feedback to campus leaders if audits show gaps in communication.
Collaborate will all regional leaders to ensure all operational opportunities are being captured, improved by audits and transparently documented for accountability.
Assess root cause of financial variance; establish actions to mitigate/recover.
Educate / align regional team on financial and operational performance metrics.
Monitor the Transportation Performance Tracker (monthly) and identify opportunities to decrease expenses and increase reclassified revenue.
Participate in the development and improvement of recruitment tools (screening exercises, interviewing protocol) to screen and hire Transportation Managers and Bus Driver applicants.
Assist in the improvement of the onboarding process for Transportation HQ and Campus Managers; participate in the customization of the experience as needed.
Review departmental job satisfaction survey results and develop strategies for continuous improvement.
Write departmental policies and procedures, with operational context, that align with the Company’s Human Resources and DOT compliance.
Ensure all Campus Transportation Managers adhere to all applicable organizations, local, state and federal rules, regulations and operating procedures.
Enforce safety policies and procedures and make decisions in collaboration with the HR business partner regarding appropriate discipline for infractions.
Assist in creating, maintaining and communicating safety-related policies and procedures, as well as ensuring that they are followed.
Investigate accidents, injuries or illnesses occur in the workplace and enlist assistance from other supervisory personnel or outside consultants if necessary.
Make Strategic Decisions: gather relevant information, consider various options, and make choices that are in line with current responsibilities and the team’s goals.
Manage Work and Teams: manage own work as well as supporting others, focusing on delegation, performance management, and coaching.
Grow Self and Others: actively seek feedback, embrace challenges as learning opportunities, and engage in professional development activities.
Build a Culture of Trust: focus on awareness of own emotional states and biases, practice transparency and honesty, contributing positively to team morale and trust.
Communicate Deliberately: express ideas clearly and listen actively, with developing skills in empathetic listening and responsive speaking, tailoring messages for individual direct reports or peers.
Develop records management processes and policies.
Identify areas to increase efficiency and automation of processes.
Create and maintain automated data processes.
Identify, evaluate and implement external services and tools to support data validation.
Produce and track key performance indicators.
Develop and support reporting processes.
Monitor and audit data quality.
Liaise with internal and external clients to fully understand data content.
Design and carry out surveys and analyses survey data.
Create data dashboards, graphs and visualizations.