Manager of Contract Operations

Job Title: Manager of Contract Operations

Overview:

The Boston Public Schools is the largest school district in Massachusetts with approximately 50,000 students and a $1.3B budget. The Office of Transportation within BPS is one of the largest departments in the district overseeing a $180M annual budget (~12% of total spending). On a daily basis, our 740 buses drive ~19,000 students to 200 schools across the Boston area - not just Boston Public Schools but also local parochial, private, and charter schools.

The core mission of the position is to ensure compliance with the terms of our yellow bus operations and fleet management contract, one of the largest vendor contracts in Boston Public Schools. The Manager will do this primarily through performance management of the contractor grounded in the contract terms, liaising with the contractor, coordinating communication and meeting with the contractor, tracking and reviewing contractor-required reporting, and audits of contract performance. As needed, the Manager will work with finance and other members of the BPS DOT team to support procurement by BPS of any yellow bus operations or maintenance services. This role includes working through the contractor to ensure management of the BPS DOT yellow bus and supporting white fleet vehicles.

Critical to this role is careful management of documentation related to the contract, ensuring contractor compliance with all reporting obligations under the contract, and physical audits of documentation, parts, and facilities for contract compliance throughout the years on an ongoing basis. The Manager will support fleet/real estate management.

This position will directly impact the lives of the 19,000 students who rely on safe buses, running on time, and affordably across the district each day.

Key responsibilities of the position include:

Contract operations management

• Support BPS DOT’s management of the Department’s ~$100M annual contract for the operation and maintenance of its buses, fueling infrastructure, and bus yard facilities.
• Lead coordination of Monthly Performance Reviews and other performance management related meetings and communications with the contractor.
• Ensure collection, production, and organization of all notes and documentation for performance management of the yellow bus contract, including any compliance related topics.
• Audit and verify contract performance using appropriate current technology (or alternative future technologies), including but not limited to narrative reports, spreadsheets, and shared digital systems such as:
• Zum, Lytx, Geotab, Hexagon, Basware, PowerBI, Fueling Infrastructure Portal, RMV Inspection Portal, Freshdesk Tickets for Service Complaints Portal, Insurance Claims Portal;
• Document review, bus-yard-based audits of physical assets, observations and walkthroughs at bus yards, interviews of contractor employees;
• Any additional useful sources of information as identified/appropriate
• Attend and contribute substantively to operations through daily, weekly and monthly meetings to review yellow bus vendor performance.
• Use information gained from performance oversight activities to contribute to development and implementation of strategies, processes, and tools to improve operational performance, including:
• Daily on time performance - every minute a bus is late is lost learning time for those students
• Safety - meeting or exceeding established safety standards
• Customer service to families and schools
• Budget efficiency - any dollar spent on transportation could be invested in student learning
• Other KPIs such as reduction of bus idle time to reduce carbon emissions
• Ensure that the school bus contractor is upholding all commitments as laid out in the contract - including abiding by all federal, state, and local regulations
• Contribute to the preparation of reports and materials for external audiences such as school committee, city council, and other stakeholders as needed
• Track contractor performance against performance incentives and liquidated damages detailed in the yellow bus operator contract
• Oversee the day-to-day administrative work of the yellow bus auto liability insurance program and escalate appropriately matters requiring intervention by senior department staff
  
  

Coordinate procurement in support for bus operations, real estate, and infrastructure

• Should BPS decide to evaluate pursuing a new contract for the operation of BPS buses and bus yards, lead evaluation of different procurement options and procurement process if pursued.
• Support ensuring compliance with any and all grants related to the yellow bus procurement, operations, maintenance, and fueling.
  
  

Qualifications - Required:

• Bachelor’s degree and 3-5 years of experience in operations or contract operations management
• Demonstrated ability to manage matters of significant complexity and importance with minimal supervision
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement procedures and protocols to improve operations, maximize cost efficiencies, and improve student safety
• Strong demonstrated ability to organize and track multiple complex projects, systems, and documents over extended periods of time.
• Strong communication skills including the ability to effectively summarize work and communicate priorities effectively.
• Openness to feedback and willingness to collaborate; demonstrated team player
• Flexible/adaptable working style in a fast-paced operations environment
• Ability to frequently work outside the usual business hours during the early morning or evenings to conduct audits/observations and contract management related work during a variety of operating hours
• Ability to work in-person at the BPS Central Offices as well as on-site at the three BPS bus yards as needed
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and Google Suite (Gmail, Google Sheets/Docs, etc.).
  
  

Qualifications - Preferred:

• Complex contract management experience
• Procurement experience, particularly Chapter 30B procurement
• Familiarity with School District operations (Transportation highly preferred)
• Familiarity with commercial real estate purchases and/or leases
  
  

Terms: Managerial, C52

The Boston Public Schools, in accordance with its nondiscrimination policies, does not discriminate in its programs, facilities, or employment or educational opportunities on the basis of race, color, age, criminal record (inquiries only), disability, homelessness, sex/gender, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, genetics or military status, and does not tolerate any form of retaliation, or bias-based intimidation, threat or harassment that demeans individuals’ dignity or interferes with their ability to learn or work.

Please note that applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.