Executive Director, Student Transportation

Providence Public SchoolsProvidence, RI

$134,787 - $151,290 / year

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Overview

Compensation

$134,787-$151,290/year

Job Description

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF STUDENT TRANSPORTATION

About The Role:

Every day, Providence Public Schools transports over 9,000 students, and we’re at a pivotal moment.

This role is an opportunity to lead a full transformation of our transportation system: moving from manual, legacy processes to a modern, data-driven, and performance-focused operation. The goal is simple but critical—improve on-time performance, strengthen accountability, and deliver a more reliable experience for students, families, and schools.

Transportation is core infrastructure for student access. When it works, students arrive ready to learn. When it doesn’t, everything else becomes harder. This leader will be accountable for improving on-time performance, strengthening operational reliability, and ensuring consistent, high-quality service across all transportation routes—directly impacting students’ ability to access school every day.

What You'll Do:

The Executive Director of Transportation, reporting to the Chief Operating Officer serves as the district’s strategic leader, responsible for ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient transportation services for all eligible students.

This role will:

Lead the modernization of the transportation system, transitioning to technology-enabled routing and performance management.
Strengthen vendor accountability and oversee contract performance.
Improve systemwide on-time performance and operational reliability.
Implement transparent data and reporting systems to drive decision-making.
Oversee strategic transportation operations, including routing, data systems, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Supervise the Director of Transportation, who manages day-to-day operations.
Partner with school leaders, district teams, and external providers to ensure high-quality service delivery.

Who We're Looking For:

We’re seeking a systems thinker and operational leader who can both build and lead at scale—someone who can:

Implement systems that improve visibility, communication, and execution.
Drive large-scale operational improvement.
Lead change and performance accountability across a complex organization.

We strongly encourage candidates from outside traditional K–12 backgrounds to apply. Experience in logistics, transportation, or large-scale operations is highly relevant: (examples include: Last-mile delivery (Amazon, UPS, FedEx); Transportation operators (Transdev, DATTCO, MV Transportation; and Regional transit agencies (MBTA, RIPTA).Education/Experience:

Bachelor’s degree required.
Minimum of 7–10 years of leadership experience in transportation operations, logistics management, operational systems management, or a related field.
Experience managing large operational systems, vendor contracts, and complex service delivery operations required.
Experience implementing transportation routing software, logistics platforms, or technology-enabled operational systems strongly preferred.
Experience in student transportation or large-scale public sector service operations preferred.
Willingness to travel and work evenings and weekends

If you’re ready to lead meaningful, system-level change at scale, we want to hear from you!

See full list of Job Responsibilities at: https://tinyurl.com/PPSD-EDStudentTransportation

About Providence Public Schools:

The Providence Public School District (PPSD) serves approximately 22,000 students attending our 37 schools. PPSD employs more than 3,200 professionals who work in and provide support to our schools, which include 21 elementary schools, 7 middle schools, 9 high schools and 2 public district charter schools. Of our employees, approximately 2,000 are educators, and more than 600 others directly support students and families in our schools.Approximately 55% of students come from homes where English is not the primary language spoken. Combined, our students and families speak 55 different languages and hail from 91 countries of origin. In PPSD, the teachers and leaders set high expectations for academic achievement, provide equal access to differentiated instruction, and endeavor to close the achievement and opportunity gap among historically marginalized subgroups within the schools.PPSD is a great place for those who desire an environment that supports their creativity and ingenuity, and respects their credentials and abilities as a teacher.

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FAQs About Executive Director, Student Transportation Jobs at Providence Public Schools

What is the work location for this position at Providence Public Schools?

This job at Providence Public Schools is located in Providence, RI, according to the details provided by the employer. Some roles may also include multiple work locations depending on the requirement.

What pay range can candidates expect for this role at Providence Public Schools?

Candidates can expect a pay range of $134,787 and $151,290 per year.

What employment applies to this position at Providence Public Schools?

The employer has not provided this information. This may be discussed during the hiring process.

What is the process to apply for this position at Providence Public Schools?

You can apply for this role at Providence Public Schools either through Sonara's automated application system, which helps you submit applications 10X faster with minimal effort, or by applying manually using the direct link on the job page.