Operations Manager - Amans Travel in Walsall

• Job Type: Full-time, Permanent
• Join Our Team

Amans Travel is a well-established and growing passenger transport business providing coach holidays, private hire, school transport, National Express services and tourism-related travel across the UK.

We are looking for an experienced, hands-on Operations Manager to lead the day-to-day running of our transport operation.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone with a strong background in the coach, bus or passenger transport industry who enjoys leading people, solving operational challenges and delivering exceptional customer service.

This is a senior operational role with responsibility for service delivery, driver performance, fleet utilisation, compliance and operational profitability.

The successful candidate will take ownership of operational KPIs and continuously improve punctuality, efficiency, customer service and cost control while leading, motivating and developing a sizeable operational team of over 50 employees, including drivers and support staff.

Candidates with a PCV Transport Manager CPC qualification and strong experience within a PSV Operator Licence environment will be at a significant advantage.

If the successful candidate is expected to act as the nominated Transport Manager, this will be confirmed as part of the appointment.

Key Responsibilities

• Operational Leadership
• Take full responsibility for the day-to-day operational management of the business.
• Ensure the safe, efficient and profitable delivery of all transport services.
• Plan and allocate drivers, vehicles and operational resources to meet customer and business requirements.
• Prepare driver rotas, vehicle schedules and resource plans to maximise fleet utilisation.
• Take ownership of the day-to-day delivery and performance of National Express services alongside coach holidays, private hire, school transport, tours and transfers.
• Monitor operational performance, vehicle and driver utilisation, overtime, dead mileage, subcontracting and other operating costs to maximise efficiency and profitability.
• Proactively manage service disruption including breakdowns, accidents, delays, cancellations and emergency situations, arranging replacement vehicles or subcontractors where required.
• Work closely with the Sales Team to ensure commercial commitments can be delivered with available operational resources.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with customers, suppliers, local authorities and external stakeholders.
• People Leadership

Lead, motivate and develop a sizeable operational team, ideally with experience managing 40-50+ employees, creating a positive, inclusive and high-performing working environment.

• Manage driver performance through coaching, mentoring and regular performance reviews.
• Support recruitment, induction, training and ongoing development of operational staff.
• Manage attendance, absence, disciplinary and grievance procedures fairly and professionally.
• Promote employee engagement, teamwork and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Work closely with the Training Team to ensure all employees remain competent, compliant and fully trained.
• Compliance & Safety
• Promote a culture where safety is always the highest priority.
• Ensure full compliance with Operator Licence requirements, drivers' hours regulations, tachograph legislation, Road Traffic Act requirements and all relevant transport legislation.
• Monitor compliance with Health & Safety policies and company procedures.
• Ensure vehicles, drivers and operations consistently meet regulatory and company standards.
• Maintain clear operational accountability for a safe working environment, ensuring risks are identified, acted upon and consistently managed.
• Customer Service & Commercial Performance
• Deliver outstanding customer service by ensuring reliable, punctual and professional operations.
• Handle customer enquiries, complaints and operational issues quickly and professionally.
• Take ownership of operational cost control, including overtime, dead mileage, subcontractor expenditure, productivity and resource utilisation, with a clear focus on improving profitability.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational processes, customer satisfaction and business performance.
• Own and report against agreed operational KPIs, identifying underperformance and implementing timely corrective action.
• Operational Performance & KPIs
• Achieve agreed targets for service punctuality and reliability.
• Minimise lost mileage, service failures and preventable cancellations.
• Control driver overtime, agency/subcontractor expenditure and other operational costs.
• Improve vehicle and driver utilisation while reducing unnecessary dead mileage.
• Monitor driver availability, absence and retention.
• Ensure National Express and other contracted services consistently achieve required contractual KPIs and SLAs.
• Produce regular operational performance reports for the Directors.
• Investigate recurring operational failures and implement corrective actions.
• Work with the commercial team to ensure work is priced and accepted with a clear understanding of operational capacity and cost.

Essential Skills & Experience

Applicants should have

• Proven Operations Management experience within the coach, bus, passenger transport or travel industry.
• Experience managing a sizeable operational team, ideally 40-50+ employees, including drivers and operational staff.
• Experience planning and scheduling PCV drivers and passenger-carrying vehicles.
• Strong knowledge of fleet utilisation, operational planning and transport logistics.
• Excellent leadership, coaching and people management skills.
• Experience managing performance, attendance and employee relations.
• Strong organisational, planning and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong commercial awareness with experience managing operational budgets, controlling costs and improving operational profitability.
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office and transport management systems.
• The ability to remain calm under pressure while managing multiple priorities.

Desirable Qualifications & Experience

• PCV Transport Manager CPC qualification (strongly preferred).
• Experience managing a PSV Operator Licence.
• Knowledge of drivers' hours regulations, tachograph compliance, Road Traffic Act requirements and passenger transport legislation.
• Experience working within National Express or other scheduled/high-frequency contracted services, coach holidays, private hire, school transport or tourism operations.
• Experience using transport management or scheduling software.
• The Ideal Candidate

You will be a confident and approachable leader with a proven track record in passenger transport operations.

You will thrive in a fast-paced environment, balancing customer service and compliance with clear accountability for operational efficiency, service performance, cost control and profitability while developing and supporting your team.

You will be organised, resilient and decisive, with the ability to build strong relationships across all areas of the business and drive continuous improvement.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary of up to £50,000 per annum, depending on experience.
• Free on-site parking.
• Company pension scheme (NEST).
• Professional development and training opportunities.
• Career progression within a growing business.
• Supportive, collaborative and inclusive working environment.
• Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Amans Travel is proud to be an equal opportunities employer.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.

We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates regardless of age, disability, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation.

Apply Today

If you have the experience, leadership skills and passion to lead a busy passenger transport operation, we'd love to hear from you.

Applications from candidates currently working within coach operators, bus companies, National Express operators, private hire coach businesses or other PSV/PCV passenger transport organisations are particularly encouraged.

• Please note that this vacancy may close early if sufficient applications are received, so early applications are encouraged.