Director of Operations

Via•San Francisco, CA

14d•$180,000 - $220,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Via is hiring a Director of Operations to lead part of our West Coast portfolio. This is a significant regional P&L leadership role: you will start out by directly managing markets and a team of Field Operations Managers, then quickly grow to manage a team of General Managers and Operations Managers. You will be responsible for setting and executing regional operating strategy, and ensuring safe, reliable, high-quality service across a large, fast-growing, and increasingly complex book of business. The West region is in high-growth mode—launching new markets, expanding existing contracts, and standing up new service types. We need a seasoned operator who can lead through scale and ambiguity, develop strong frontline leaders, and partner effectively with transit agency stakeholders, commercial teams, and Via central functions.

Requirements

Proven experience in an operational leadership role, ideally with P&L responsibility.
Demonstrated ability to develop and execute business strategies successfully.
Track record leading high-growth or transformation environments—scaling teams, launching new lines of business, or integrating acquisitions/service expansions
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, capable of working with and influencing stakeholders at all levels.
Analytical and problem-solving skills, you don’t accept the status quo and are always looking for creative solutions
Strong comfort working in a fast paced environment, operating in ambiguity, managing multiple tasks simultaneously, and taking on responsibility
Operational fluency across people-intensive, regulated, 24/7 businesses; comfort with labor planning, safety culture, and compliance
10+ years of experience, ideally with a combination of consulting and operating experience
Hold a Bachelor’s Degree with a record of exceptional academic and professional achievement
Willingness to travel extensively across the West Coast (~25%, higher during launch periods)

Responsibilities

Lead, coach, and develop a team set clear expectations, cadence, and accountability
Run a consistent regional operating rhythm
Build leadership depth: hire, promote, and performance-manage regional talent
Foster a culture of safety, compliance, operational excellence, and partner trust across the region
Own regional P&L outcomes in partnership with Finance and market GMs: revenue hours/rides, cost per ride, labor productivity, and margin improvement
Set regional targets and be accountable to KPIs (service reliability, on-time performance, seat availability, safety, driver staffing, vehicle readiness, and customer experience)
Drive root-cause problem solving on underperforming markets; escalate risks early with clear mitigation plans
Partner on annual and quarterly operating plans, staffing models, and scenario planning for growth
Translate regional priorities into actionable market strategies
Lead the region through new service types and operating models
Prioritize resources across markets during launch surges, staffing constraints, and partner-critical periods
Represent Operations in regional strategy discussions with Commercial, Service Design, Product, and Partner Success
Serve as a senior operational counterpart to agency leadership on high-stakes markets
Build trust through transparent performance reporting, proactive communication, and credible remediation when service misses occur
Navigate complex regulatory and contractual environments
Partner with Commercial, Enablement, Service Design, Remix, Safety, Fleet, HR, and Finance to align ops capacity with growth and product roadmap
Influence technology and process adoption to improve regional efficiency and visibility
Contribute to company-wide ops priorities