Summary:
This role sits at the intersection of strategy and execution, requiring strong operational leadership, cross-functional coordination, and the ability to adapt to rapid change and deliver reliably in a complex, time-constrained environment.
This position is based in Los Angeles, CA and will require regular travel within Southern California.
Key Responsibilities:
- Own end-to-end operational execution of Highland’s LA28 transportation program
- Serve as a senior liaison for Highland to LA28/USOPP organizing committees, districts, utilities, and subcontractors, ensuring alignment on transportation planning, risk mitigation and contingency planning, and ongoing operations
- Design and implement the operational model for service delivery, including routing, dispatch, and staffing
- Coordinate sourcing, readiness, and day-to-day operations of ~500 electric buses in partnership with local fleet customers and a network of Southern California school transportation providers
- Oversee the Games‑time operating mode and manage real-time service coordination, which may include: fleet readiness, charging and energy planning, driver recruitment and scheduling, maintenance staffing, spare buses, reporting, and incident response
- Ensure delivery against timelines, service standards, and contractual commitments
- Partner with commercial leadership to drive sales momentum across Southern California with districts, cities, and other partners
- Lead cross‑functional internal project management and governance for the Highland LA28 program, including transportation games budget ownership
- Partner cross-functionally with internal teams (e.g., Fleet Operations, Procurement, Finance, Sales, and Marketing) to ensure readiness and alignment
- Define performance expectations, service standards, and accountability mechanisms
- As requested, support the oversight of other external transportation partners Highland uses to deliver ongoing contractual commitments for non-LA28 customers
Qualifications:
- Proven experience leading complex, large-scale operational programs with real-time service delivery components for major events
- Strong operator with the ability to translate strategy into execution and manage multiple moving parts simultaneously
- Excellent stakeholder management skills, including executive‑level interaction with organizing committees, governmental entities, school districts, municipalities, and subcontractors.
- Experience managing external vendors, partners, or subcontractors in a structured, accountable way
- Comfortable operating in high-stakes, time-bound environments with significant visibility
- Excellent cross-functional collaborator and communicator, including with senior stakeholders
- Demonstrated ability to build teams and operational systems from the ground up
- Extensive experience with transportation, logistics, or similar operations
- Familiarity with dispatch systems, routing, or field service operations
- Experience working with public sector or large institutional partners
- Competitive base salary and performance-based bonus program
- A supportive, highly collaborative, team-oriented environment
- Ability to work with bright, innovative, and forward-thinking colleagues
- Health, Vision, and Dental coverage for employees & their dependents
- Generous Paid Time Off
- 401(k) program and company match