Region Training Manager

First for a reason:

At First Student, we are a family of 60,000+ employees who take pride in safely transporting more than 5 million students and passengers to and from their destinations each day! Our family of brands include Transco, Total Transportation, Maggies Paratransit, and GVC II. Our employees are at the forefront of safety and innovation; they create and implement the most advanced training and technology the transportation industry has to offer.

About the Position

The Region Training Manager is responsible for overseeing and executing the training programs across an entire region, ensuring alignment with company policies and best practices. This role leads a team of Area Training Managers and serves as a critical partner to operations and safety teams. The Region Training Manager is tasked with ensuring resource staffing and planning, maintaining training excellence, overseeing trainer performance and schedules, managing training hours and budget, and driving candidate retention and training program success.

Coverage Area: AK, AZ, CA, CO, ID, MN, MT, ND, NM, NV, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY
Annual Salary Range: $100,000 – $120,000 based on experience and qualifications

Responsibilities:

• Leadership and Oversight of Regional Training Programs:
  • Oversee the execution of company training programs, ensuring consistency, compliance, and adherence to best practices across the region.
  • Act as a key partner to operations and safety teams to align training initiatives with broader company goals and safety standards.
  • Lead and manage all Area Training Managers, providing guidance and ensuring consistent execution of training policies and procedures.
     
• Trainer Management and Scheduling:
  • Confirm trainer staffing levels meet or exceed minimum requirements at each location, assisting with the selection, training, and onboarding of new trainer staff.
  • Oversee trainer schedules to optimize coverage and balance workload, ensuring efficient use of trainer resources.
  • Manage trainer hours to remain within budget, tracking time and cost efficiency while maintaining training quality.
  • Validate that trainers are meeting compliance standards, including maintaining current certifications and participating in scheduled evaluations.
     
• Training Program Execution and Excellence:
  • Ensure all training activities align with the company’s Processes and operating procedures.
  • Support the development and implementation of local and region-specific training content as needed.
  • Monitor training delivery quality, coach trainers, and provide constructive feedback for continuous improvement.
     
• Candidate Engagement and Retention:
  • Collaborate with Area Training Managers and other teams to track the candidate lifecycle from onboarding to training completion, ensuring high retention rates.
  • Support the management of the candidate pipeline at each location by reviewing TrainerHub data and conducting spot-checks of training records.
  • Assist in resolving training challenges and onboarding practices to improve the overall candidate experience.
     
• Resource and Budget Planning:
  • Develop and oversee training budgets, managing expenses related to trainer staffing, scheduling, and resource allocation.
  • Ensure training resources are efficiently distributed and utilized to meet operational needs.
     
• Compliance and Reporting:
  • Ensure training programs comply with federal, state, and local regulations as well as company policy.
  • Maintain and review training schedules and trainer evaluations to ensure all performance improvement plans are in place and up to date.
  • Perform annual Training Program Reviews at each location in the region, identifying opportunities for improvement and creating actionable goals.
     
• Collaborative Partner Leadership:
  • Build strong working relationships with operations, safety teams, and other regional leaders to support seamless training integration and performance.
  • Act as a liaison between training teams and senior leadership to report on training performance, metrics, and achievements.
     
• Continuous Improvement and Innovation:
  • Identify best practices and innovative training solutions to improve training delivery and outcomes.
  • Engage in ongoing professional development to stay informed of industry trends and changes in training technology and methodologies.
     
• Documentation and Reporting:
  • Prepare comprehensive reports on training metrics, candidate progress, and trainer performance.
  • Maintain accurate documentation for training processes, trainer evaluations, and compliance records.
     
• Additional Duties:
  • Perform other responsibilities as needed to support the team, region, and company’s strategic goals.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent. Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 4 to 6 years previous management experience.
• 4 to 6 years transportation, safety or related experience
• 2 to 4 years training experience
• Knowledge of federal and state rules and regulations regarding safety and environmental issues
• Computer literate with working knowledge of Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Ability to effectively prioritize tasks and manage time effectively
• Good verbal, written and relational communication skills, with ability to appropriately interact with employees of all levels including drivers, customers, senior management, client representatives, union officials and general public
• Fluent in English
• Demonstrate regular and consistent attendance and punctuality
• Possess working vehicle to travel with in service area as needed

First for a Reason
Benefits
We offer competitive compensation and benefits (which vary based on role, location, and business), including physical and mental health initiatives, medical/dental/vision, 401(k), and paid holiday/vacation.

Professional Advancement
Start here. Go far. We believe in promoting from within which means tremendous opportunities for you, thanks to our strong presence across North America. In addition, our 3 to 5 month Manager-In-Development program prepares future leaders at First Student.

Extensive Training
Build skills and knowledge in such areas as safety and security, injury prevention, technology and equipment, and job efficiency.

Diversity & Inclusion
Because we’re stronger together, we aspire to have a culture where all people are First. We’re committed to providing an inclusive and diverse working environment for everyone every day.

Community Service & Impact
Go where opportunity meets community. Our customers are at the heart of everything we do. As the face of First in your community, you’ll have a positive impact on others.
Apply today and get your career on the road with First Student!

In the state of Washington, all technician and driving positions, including but not limited to van drivers and any other position requiring employees to drive a company-owned vehicle, are considered safety-sensitive and are therefore subject to drug and alcohol testing, including cannabis.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status. First is also committed to providing a drug-free workplace. First will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Los Angeles Fair Chance Ordinance, and any other fair chance law. Philadelphia’s Fair Criminal Record Screening Standards Ordinance Poster is at this link or upon request https://www.phila.gov/media/20210423160847/Fair-Chance-Hiring-law-poster.pdf.