Regional Operations Manager, Detainee Transport Operations

POSITION INFORMATION: BASIC DETAILS

Location: Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, Tyler, Corpus Christi, Houston (Remote w/Travel)

Full-Time/Part-Time: Full-time

FLSA Status: Exempt/Salaried

Travel Requirement: Yes – 75%

Teleworking: Yes

Pay: $95,000 to $105,000

*Final offer determination is based on a combination of factors, including candidate educational background, years of relevant experience, and specific labor category (LCAT) mapping requirements.

POSITION SUMMARY INFORMATION: DUTIES AND REQUIREMENTS

Position Summary: The Regional Operations Manager will oversee day-to-day regional transportation operations supporting a government-contract detainee transportation program throughout Texas, with limited operations extending into New Mexico and Oklahoma. This position is responsible for ensuring operational readiness, staffing, safety, security, compliance, and consistent service delivery across assigned locations while maintaining alignment with program objectives and government contract requirements. The Regional Operations Manager will provide direct operational leadership to supervisors and field personnel, monitor performance across assigned locations, and serve as a key liaison between field operations, Program Management, government representatives, and other functional departments. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience managing geographically dispersed operations and leading transportation, detention, security, corrections, law enforcement, or government-contract personnel.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide day-to-day operational leadership for assigned geographic region and transportation locations.
• Oversee the execution of detainee transportation operations across multiple facilities, routes, and operational locations.
• Ensure assigned operations consistently meet government contract requirements, company policies, safety standards, and established operating procedures.
• Provide leadership and direction to transportation officers, supervisors, and other assigned support personnel.
• Monitor staffing levels across assigned locations and proactively address vacancies, absenteeism, turnover, scheduling issues, and other workforce challenges.
• Develop and maintain staffing and operational plans to ensure sufficient personnel are available to meet mission requirements.
• Monitor daily transportation schedules, assignments, routes, vehicle availability, and operational changes.
• Ensure detainee movements are conducted safely, securely, efficiently, and in accordance with established transportation and detention protocols.
• Ensure employees follow required detainee custody, accountability, search, restraint, transfer, documentation, communication, and security procedures.
• Conduct regular site visits to assigned operational locations to evaluate performance, employee readiness, safety, security, and compliance.
• Establish consistent operating standards across all assigned locations and ensure supervisors are enforcing those standards.
• Monitor operational performance metrics and identify trends, deficiencies, and opportunities for improvement.
• Review staffing, transportation, incident, attendance, safety, and other operational data to support management decisions.
• Investigate operational issues, employee concerns, security incidents, vehicle incidents, complaints, and other events occurring within assigned regions.
• Ensure incidents are properly documented, reported, investigated, and escalated in accordance with company and government requirements.
• Develop and implement corrective action plans when operational, safety, security, staffing, or compliance deficiencies are identified.
• Conduct or support operational inspections, quality-control reviews, audits, and compliance assessments.
• Maintain strong working relationships with government Contracting Officer Representatives (CORs), facility leadership, law enforcement partners, and other government stakeholders.
• Serve as a primary field-level liaison between government representatives and the company's Program Management team.
• Respond to government concerns and operational requests and ensure appropriate follow-up and resolution.
• Coordinate with the Fleet Manager to ensure sufficient safe, compliant, and mission-ready vehicles are available within assigned regions.
• Coordinate with the Training Manager to ensure employees maintain required training, certifications, qualifications, and recurring training requirements.
• Coordinate with Human Resources and administrative personnel regarding staffing, employee relations, onboarding, documentation, attendance, and other workforce matters.
• Monitor employee performance and ensure supervisors are appropriately addressing performance, attendance, conduct, and policy issues.
• Support recruitment and onboarding efforts by identifying staffing needs and assisting with regional hiring initiatives.
• Ensure newly assigned employees successfully complete required onboarding, training, credentialing, and qualification requirements before performing operational duties.
• Monitor employee attendance and scheduling to minimize operational disruptions and maintain adequate coverage.
• Support emergency and contingency operations, including vehicle breakdowns, accidents, staffing shortages, security incidents, medical emergencies, and other unforeseen events.
• Ensure regional operations maintain appropriate contingency plans and resources to respond to operational disruptions.
• Prepare and submit regional operational reports, staffing updates, incident summaries, performance metrics, and other required documentation.
• Conduct regular meetings with regional supervisors and field leadership to communicate priorities, address challenges, and track action items.
• Communicate program changes, policy updates, government requirements, and operational directives to field personnel.
• Ensure changes to government contract requirements and operating procedures are effectively implemented throughout assigned regions.
• Monitor compliance with applicable federal, state, and local requirements related to detainee transportation, vehicle operations, employee qualifications, safety, and security.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, employee performance, transportation capacity, safety, and customer service.
• Assist Program Management with contract start-up, transition, expansion, staffing increases, and implementation of new operational requirements.
• Travel extensively throughout assigned areas of Texas and periodically to New Mexico and Oklahoma to support field operations.
• Maintain availability to respond to significant operational issues and emergencies outside of normal business hours when required.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities necessary to ensure successful execution of assigned regional operations.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum of 5 years of progressive operations management experience within transportation, detention, corrections, law enforcement, security, logistics, or government contracting.
• Demonstrated experience managing multiple locations, facilities, teams, or geographically dispersed operations.
• Experience directly supervising managers, supervisors, or other operational personnel.
• Strong knowledge of detainee transportation operations, detention security procedures, and secure transportation protocols.
• Preferred Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Criminal Justice, Transportation, Logistics, Public Administration, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• Familiarity with applicable federal, state, and local regulations governing detainee transportation, detention operations, transportation safety, and security.
• Demonstrated experience managing staffing, scheduling, workforce performance, and operational coverage across multiple locations.
• Experience working with government contracts and government customers preferred.
• Experience working with Contracting Officer Representatives (CORs), government officials, facility administrators, or other government stakeholders preferred.
• Demonstrated understanding of operational risk management, safety, security, incident response, and emergency procedures.
• Experience conducting operational inspections, quality-control reviews, audits, or compliance assessments.
• Demonstrated ability to investigate operational incidents and implement effective corrective actions.
• Experience monitoring operational performance metrics and using data to improve service delivery.
• Strong understanding of employee performance management, attendance management, coaching, and progressive corrective action.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple locations, priorities, and operational issues simultaneously.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with government representatives, senior management, supervisors, and field personnel.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills with the ability to make sound decisions in time-sensitive operational environments.
• Ability to work independently while maintaining strong coordination with Program Management, Fleet, Training, Human Resources, and Administrative teams.
• Ability and willingness to travel extensively throughout Texas, with periodic travel to New Mexico and Oklahoma.
• Ability to work flexible hours and respond to operational emergencies outside of normal business hours when required.
• Must successfully complete all required government background investigations, suitability requirements, and contract-mandated screening.
• Must possess a valid driver's license and meet all applicable company and government requirements.

Work Environment:

Employees may be exposed to extreme cold or hot weather conditions, fumes, or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, and loud noise.

Physical Requirements:

Employees may be required to remain in a stationary position, stand, push, pull, climb, kneel, crawl, balance, squat, bend, and reach. Employees may be also required to use gear to move items around, including, but not limited to, carts and dollies. Employees may also be occasionally required to lift and/or move up to 49 pounds.

GardaWorld Federal Services is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.