Lead the operation. Drive performance. Make an impact.
West Coast Bus Charters is one of Western Australia's leading passenger transport providers, operating a modern fleet of approximately
100 buses and coaches across four depots
.
From contracted school services and private charters through to corporate transport, major events and large-scale movements, our operation is busy, diverse and continuing to grow.
We are now looking for an experienced
Senior Operations Manager
to take ownership of our day-to-day operation and lead the next stage of operational improvement across the business.
Based at our
Malaga head office
and reporting directly to the Director, this is a genuine senior leadership position with responsibility across
people, fleet, service delivery, compliance, cost control and operational performance
.
This is not a role for someone who wants to manage from the sidelines.
We are looking for a practical, commercially minded leader who enjoys being close to the operation, developing people, solving problems and making sure the business is prepared not only for today, but for what is coming next.
The Opportunity
You will lead our Operations and Scheduling function and play a key role in ensuring hundreds of daily transport movements are delivered safely, reliably and efficiently.
Your responsibilities will include:
Leading, supporting and developing the Operations and Scheduling team
Overseeing forward scheduling of contracted services, charters and booked work
Ensuring the effective allocation of drivers, vehicles and operational resources
Planning ahead for high-demand periods and identifying resource gaps before they impact service delivery
Managing operational disruptions, escalations and service recovery
Working closely with the Workshop Manager on fleet availability, servicing and planned downtime
Partnering with Sales & Growth to ensure new and existing work can be delivered efficiently and profitably
Utilising our
CMS scheduling and fleet management system
to optimise resources and maintain accurate operational information
Maintaining appropriate driver and operational staffing levels
Managing planned leave, absenteeism and workforce availability
Supporting recruitment, onboarding, training and performance management
Building a strong, accountable and engaged operational culture
Managing service complaints, incidents, investigations and corrective actions
Maintaining strong relationships with schools, clients, subcontractors and government stakeholders
Overseeing relevant SBS/PTA reporting,



compliance and audit requirements
Maintaining high safety and compliance standards across the operation
Overseeing depot standards, facilities and operational equipment
Ensuring fleet presentation and cleaning standards are maintained
Monitoring driver hours, overtime and labour utilisation
Reviewing subcontractor usage and associated costs
Monitoring key operating costs including wages and fuel
Identifying opportunities to improve productivity, fleet utilisation and operational efficiency
Supporting management with pricing, margins and operational profitability
Continually improving operational systems, processes and procedures.
What Success Looks Like
You will know what is happening across the operation and have your team looking ahead rather than continually reacting.
You will understand:
What needs to happen today
Whether tomorrow is fully resourced
Where the pressure points are next week
What vehicles are available and what is coming off the road
Where driver hours or overtime can be better managed
Whether upcoming work is appropriately staffed
Which issues require action before they become customer problems.
You will create clear accountability across
people, vehicles, costs and service delivery
, while building a culture where communication, planning and follow-through are expected.
About You
You are an experienced operational leader who is comfortable making decisions, holding people accountable and taking responsibility for outcomes.
You will ideally bring:
Minimum
3+ years' experience
in a senior operations management role
Experience within passenger transport, charter, logistics, fleet or another high-volume service environment
Strong leadership and people management experience
Experience managing a sizeable frontline workforce
Strong scheduling, rostering and resource-planning capability
Commercial awareness and a good understanding of labour and operating costs
Demonstrated ability to improve workforce and fleet utilisation
Strong customer and stakeholder management skills
Experience managing incidents, complaints and performance matters




Strong problem-solving skills and sound judgement under pressure
The ability to balance immediate operational demands with forward planning
Strong computer literacy, including Microsoft Office and operational management systems
A proactive, organised and accountable approach to leadership.
Passenger transport experience will be highly regarded; however, we are also keen to hear from strong operational leaders within
logistics, fleet management, mining services, aviation ground operations, distribution and similar high-volume environments
.
A current
HR licence and Passenger Transport Driver authorisation
would be advantageous, together with a Working with Children Check and First Aid/CPR certification, or a willingness to obtain these.
The successful candidate should also be willing and capable of assisting with driving duties where genuinely required to support the operation.
Due to the nature of passenger transport, some after-hours and weekend availability will also be required for significant operational matters.
Why West Coast Bus Charters?
This is an opportunity to take on a genuine leadership role in a substantial and growing transport operation.
You will have:
Direct access to and support from the Director
Genuine ownership of the day-to-day operation
Responsibility across a fleet of approximately 100 buses and coaches
The opportunity to lead and develop a large operational workforce
The ability to influence systems, processes and how the business operates
A role where strong performance and ideas can make a visible difference
A competitive senior management salary package
Chance for ongoing professional and career development.
We are looking for someone who doesn't simply identify operational problems —
they take ownership of solving them.
If you are a strong people leader, commercially minded operator and enjoy the challenge of running a fast-moving transport business, we would like to hear from you.
West Coast Bus Charters is dedicated to providing top-quality bus charter and school run services across Western Australia. Our unwavering commitment to safety, dependability, and customer satisfaction has made us a trusted name in transportation.
West Coast Bus Charters is dedicated to providing top-quality bus charter and school run services across Western Australia. Our unwavering commitment to safety, dependability, and customer satisfaction has made us a trusted name in transportation.
What can I earn as an Operations Manager
#J-*****-Ljbffr

📌 Senior Operations Manager (Perth)
🏢 West Coast Bus Charters
📍 Perth