Director of Transportation Finance and Warehousing - (Immediate Opening)

Role Mission: The Director of Transportation Finance and Warehousing will be responsible for all the financial and procurement aspects associated with the Transportation department.  In this capacity, the Director of Transportation Finance and Procurement will manage a variety of tasks including but not limited to: budgeting/forecasting, financial modeling, strategic planning, accounts payable, vendor procurement (RFP and RFQ), decision support, and various other special projects associated to the Transportation operations. 

Specifically, the Director of Transportation Finance and Warehousing is responsible for ensuring the department’s financial sustainability of the different entities that coexist within the Transportation Department (School Bus, White, and Warehouse fleets).  Additionally, the Director of Transportation Finance and Warehousing will be responsible for the effective management and implementation of all the special events associated to the department (SLI, Monthly Meetings, Stepbacks, College Signing Day, etc.). 

Compensation:  

• Salaries for people entering this role typically fall between $73,955 and $90,225, commensurate with relevant experience and qualifications and in alignment with internal equity. This role is also eligible for a performance bonus based on organizational performance and goal attainment. 

Other Benefits:  

We offer a comprehensive benefits plan, covering the majority of the employee premium for the base medical plan and subsidizing the majority of costs for a spouse/domestic partner and children. Some of the special benefits we offer at IDEA include:  

• Paid Family Leave: Eligible staff may receive up to 8 weeks of paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child, based on their tenure with the organization and caregiver designation. 
• Tuition Reimbursement: Staff members may apply for up to​ 50% of tuition paid toward a qualifying degree program, up to $5,250 maximum per year subject to manager discretion and budget availability. 
• Employer-Paid Mental/Behavioral Health: 5 face-to-face counseling sessions within a year, unlimited 24/7 telephonic counseling, and other work-life services available at no cost.  

Other benefits include dental and vision plans, disability, life insurance, parenting benefits, generous vacation time, referral bonuses and professional development. IDEA may offer a relocation allowance to defray the cost of moving for this role, if applicable.  

Accountabilities 

Achieves financial excellence in Transportation through direct management of 100% of campuses meet the campus Cost Per Rider or Cost Per Mile goal by June 30. 

• Creates, implements, presents and manages the Transportation budget of over $40 million and staffing model of over 400 employees
• Creates Capital Expenses budget and tools to estimate and forecast future models.
• Collaborate with regional managers to develop Transportation Managers (TMs) understanding of financial best practices and analysis of monthly budget trackers.
• Oversees the evaluation of contracts and vendor selection process to ensure federal, state and local compliance requirements are met
• Build upon BOY execution to develop tools (i.e. Quick Start guides, Playbooks, Checklists, etc.) to drive results in terms of successful finance and procurement replication of processes
• Provides strategic and tactical leadership in the areas of revenue and expense management, budget tracking, commodity entitlement allocation and depletion, and procurement procedures
• Provides staffing models and budget allocations to Transportation Managers to ensure 100% of programmed schools in operation with Transportation staff hired;
• Provides strategic and tactical leadership in the areas of revenue and expense management, budget tracking, allocation and depletion, and procurement procedures

100% of campuses meet or exceed Cost Per Rider and/or Cost Per Mile goal 

• Coordinate with the Transportation Director of Operations to develop trainings on operational efficiencies and best practices for campus Transportation managers throughout the academic year.
• Indirectly manages Transportation teams at each campus to achieve the highest standards in management and operational efficiency.
• Monitor the monthly Transportation Performance Tracker and identify opportunities to decrease expenses and increase reclassified revenue in collaboration with Transportation Managers, District Mechanics, and the APO.
• Develop budget data management tools that provide data visibility for goals. Follows the escalation matrix that is consistent and timely;
• Conduct semi-annual campus audits to ensure alignment to state guidelines and compliance, managing risks associated with financial transactions and contracts.
• Designs effective professional development sessions for transportation managers to entrench and improve efficiency and cost management at each campus.
• Provides strategic and tactical leadership in the areas of cost management
• Partner with Regional Directors of Operations (RDO) and Assistant Principals of Operation (APO) to verify financial operational process are taking place at the campus.

100% of Transportation supplies and materials are placed and received before Beginning of Year 

• Negotiate with current vendors on an annual basis for best pricing that decreases district cost
• Identify potential vendors that can provide product or service as we expand to new regions
• Coordinate with the Maintenance team to remove or modify vendor contracts to decrease operating cost and increase vendor value propositions
• Develop a comprehensive procurement plan that outlines the timelines, resources, and processes required to procure transportation items.
• Conduct an inventory of existing transportation assets and assess the needs for the upcoming year. This includes identifying which items need to be replaced, repaired, or newly acquired.
• Ensure that all procurement activities comply with relevant laws, regulations, and IDEA Public School policies. This includes adhering to procurement procedures, contract management, and ethical standards.
• Track the progress of these orders to ensure that they are delivered as scheduled.
• Keep relevant stakeholders informed about the status of procurement activities. Prepare and present reports on procurement progress and challenges.

85% retention of Transportation staff 

• Establishes hiring practices to attract top performers for every role in Transportation, including screening exercises, interview protocols and vetting mechanisms
• Review departmental job satisfaction survey results and develop strategies for continuous improvement
• Participate in the onboarding experience for Transportation HQ and Transportation Managers so they understand our tenets, mechanisms and resources that will help set them up for success in their role(s);
• Develops and executes differentiated professional development focused first and foremost on Transportation staff, to build technical capacity, and leadership and management acumen
• Write departmental policies and procedures, with operational context, that align with IDEA’s Human Resources and DOT compliance

98% of requisitions are processed within 2 business days of service request 

• Coordinate with Campus Transportation Managers to enter timely requisitions to minimize RFCs
• Cascade changes pertaining to the Business Office while ensuring the compliance of the Transportation Department
• Coordinate with the Transportation Director of Operations and Regional Transportation Managers to develop and execute trainings with a focus on the effective usage and execution of Tyler Munis
• Develop strategy for adhering to compliance guidelines as we expand to out of state markets
• Ensure the proper reconciliation of the P-cards assigned to the department.
• Ensure that payment process is efficient and accurate to ensure vendor payments are met timely to pay vendors.

Live values of IDEA 

• Believes and is committed to our mission: that all students are capable of getting to and through college
• Is driven by outcomes and results, and wants to be held accountable for them
• Has a propensity for action, willing to make mistakes by doing in order to learn and improve quickly
• Thrives in an entrepreneurial, high-growth environment; is comfortable with ambiguity and change
• Seeks and responds well to feedback, which is shared often and freely across all levels of the organization
• Works through silos and forges strong cross-departmental relationships in order to achieve outcomes
• Embodies IDEA’s core values 

Qualifications: 

• Education: Bachelor’s degree required
• Master of Business Administration or other related advanced degree preferred
• Experience: At least three years of experience in a finance and/or data analyst related field
• At least five years of progressive experience in employee hiring, screening and development
• At least five years of progressive experience in Transportation Operations (Planning, scheduling and dispatching) preferred

Knowledge and Skills: 

• Excellent communication skills both oral and written (Spanish Bilingual Strongly Preferred)
• 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
• 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

We look for Team and Family who embody the following values and characteristics:    

• Believes and is committed to our mission and being an agent of change: that all students are capable of getting to and through college   
• Has demonstrated effective outcomes and results, and wants to be held accountable for them  
• Has a propensity for action, willing to make mistakes by doing in order to learn and improve quickly  
• Works with urgency and purpose to drive student outcomes  
• Thrives in an entrepreneurial, high-growth environment; is comfortable with ambiguity and change  
• Seeks and responds well to feedback, which is shared often and freely across all levels of the organization  
• Works through silos and forges strong cross-departmental relationships in order to achieve outcomes  
• We believe in education as a profession and hold ourselves to high level of conduct, professionalism and behaviors as models for our colleagues and students  

About IDEA Public Schools    

At IDEA Public Schools, we believe each and every child can go to college. Since 2000, IDEA Public Schools has grown from a small school with 150 students to a multi-state network of tuition-free, Pre-K-12 public charter schools.      

IDEA Public Schools boasts national rankings on The Washington Post and U.S. News & World Report’s top high schools lists. IDEA serves over 80,000 college-bound students in 143 schools across Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Ohio, and is on-track to maintain its legacy of sending 100% of its graduates to college.       

When you choose to work at IDEA, you are part of our IDEA Team and Family. You will work alongside team members who set and reach ambitious goals every day, are excited to continue to grow with IDEA, and work relentlessly to make college for all a reality.   

At IDEA the Staff Culture and Belonging Team uses our Core Values to promote human connection and a culture of integrity, respect, and belonging for all Team and Family members.  Learn more about our Commitment to Core Values here: https://ideapublicschools.org/our-story/#core-values   

To Apply   

Please submit your application online through Jobvite. It’s in your best interest to apply as soon as possible.   

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