Operations Development Manager Jobs in Connecticut

Manager in Development (MID) - Danbury, CT Region
Pay: $60,000 - $70,000 annually, based on experience and qualifications
Schedule: Full-time, Monday-Friday | Hours will vary between 6:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. | On-site

Ready to step into a leadership role and make an impact? First Student is looking for a motivated, hands-on problem solver to join our Manager in Development (MID) program based in Danbury, CT.

The Manager in Development program is designed to prepare future First Student leaders through hands-on operational experience, structured development, and direct mentorship from experienced managers.

During the program, you'll gain exposure to the many moving parts that keep a student transportation operation running safely and efficiently. You'll work alongside local and regional leaders while developing the operational, leadership, and people-management skills needed to successfully manage a First Student location.

This is a fully on-site position. Candidates must be based in the Danbury, CT region or be able to reasonably and reliably commute to Danbury. Upon successful completion of the MID program, candidates may be placed into a management opportunity at one of 12 First Student locations within the Danbury, CT region, based on business needs and available opportunities.

• Learn the day-to-day operations of a First Student location from the ground up
• Participate in rotations across multiple departments, including dispatch, road supervision, safety, finance, human resources, and maintenance
• Work side-by-side with experienced managers to learn staffing, scheduling, employee relations, safety, compliance, and customer service
• Gain hands-on experience supporting daily transportation operations
• Assist with driver and staff performance, attendance, scheduling, and operational needs
• Build strong relationships with staff, drivers, and school district partners
• Lead projects, troubleshoot operational challenges, and identify opportunities for process improvement
• Learn First Student policies, procedures, safety standards, and regulatory requirements
• Develop an understanding of location financial performance, budgeting, staffing, and operational metrics
• Support the Location Manager and leadership team with daily operational priorities

• Leadership potential and a strong desire to learn, grow, and advance
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Sound problem-solving and decision-making abilities
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, people-focused environment
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and adapt to changing operational needs
• A hands-on leadership style and willingness to work alongside frontline teams
• Previous operations, transportation, supervisory, or management experience is a plus, but not required
• Ability to work Monday through Friday, with hours varying between 6:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
• Ability to work fully on-site in Danbury and remain flexible for future placement within the Danbury, CT region

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off and holidays
• Life and disability insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Structured leadership development
• Hands-on mentorship from experienced First Student leaders
• Exposure to multiple areas of transportation operations
• Ongoing training and professional development
• Career advancement opportunities throughout First Student
• Positive, team-focused work environment

Start your leadership career on the road with First Student and build the experience needed to take the next step into transportation management.

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.

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.

About us
An industry leader famous for our yellow school buses and service and safety excellence, we’ve provided student transportation services to schools for over 100 years. Continually investing in the services of the future, we’re proud to be part of FirstGroup America – the largest provider of safe, reliable and sustainable surface passenger transportation services in North America.

Industry leader
We safely operate more than one third of all contracted school buses in North America.
Together our 50,000 school buses travel nearly 600 million miles per year — the equivalent of 1,200 round trips to the moon.
We operate in around 550 locations throughout 38 U.S. states and 8 Canadian provinces.

Innovation
We were the first school bus company to utilize global positioning systems (GPS), so at any one time we know where all of our buses are and how fast they’re travelling.
Passionate about safety, we’ve installed Safety Crossing Gates on the front of all of our school buses and use the Child Check-MateTM electronic reminder system to make sure no sleeping children remain inside a bus at the end of each route.

Awards & recognition
We won the Occupational Excellence Achievement Award from the National Safety Council two years in a row.
Dedicated to safety, FirstGroup received the National Safety Council’s (NSC) Green Cross for Safety Medal - the highest award for safety in North America.

Teamwork and trust
It takes a diverse team of skilled professionals to provide a safe, effective and efficient student transportation system. From our school bus drivers and location managers to routers, dispatchers and fleet technician mechanics, the work we do every day makes a big impact on the daily lives of students, parents, local communities and school district partners.

We’re very proud of our elite team of over 55,000 dedicated, caring and diverse professionals. And they are the #1 reason we’re trusted by over 1,400 school districts - more than any other provider. Everybody here plays their part in creating a positive school bus experience.

Our culture
We live and breathe our vision and values. They are embedded in our culture and drive our commitment to our customers and communities. Our culture fosters growth and promotes respect, reliability, responsibility and safety. And we recruit people who share these values and will work together to build strong and trusting partnerships in the communities we serve.

Safety – Although our safety record is twice as safe as the industry average, we continually seek out opportunities to enhance our operational and safety initiatives.
Learning – Through our learning culture that spans over 550 locations, we receive and share insight from our people to enhance our service now and in the future.
Making a difference - By doing our job well, we make a positive impact on many lives – including the millions of students who travel with us every school day.
Careers for all – We’re an Equal Opportunity Employer and an Employer of Choice.
By consistently encouraging and supporting an open dialogue with our people and partners, we’re able to share new ideas and develop new ways to meet the needs of our customers and passengers. At First Student, you’ll feel empowered to serve your community. So join the team and start to make a difference.