Director of Safety & Compliance

The Director, Safety & Compliance provides strategic leadership and Operating Company oversight of the Krise safety, compliance, and risk management functions across the state of Pennsylvania. This position is a salaried, exempt role and is responsible for developing and executing the Company's comprehensive safety, compliance, and incident management programs.

The Director Safety & Compliance is accountable for establishing and advancing best-in-class safety strategies, policies, and systems that proactively eliminate or minimize risk to employees, operations, and customers. This role partners closely with Operating Company executive and operations leaders, and other functional area heads to ensure alignment between safety initiatives and business objectives, while driving a consistent, high-performing safety culture across all locations.

This role serves as the organization's senior subject matter expert and along with other Operating Company peers and Corporate staff shapes long-term strategy, influences organizational behavior, and drives continuous improvement in safety performance, employee engagement, and regulatory compliance outcomes.

The Director provides leadership, direction, and development to Operating Company safety leaders, terminal managers, safety and training supervisors, and other staff. This role requires proactive and effective communication with executive leadership, including the Company President, as well as cross-functional stakeholders, ensuring transparency, accountability, and alignment.

A successful Director, Safety & Compliance is a highly visible, hands-on leader who drives Operating Company continuous improvement through data capture and analytics, field engagement, and strong leadership presence. This individual champions a culture of accountability and ownership, fosters innovation in safety practices, and ensures the organization remains responsive to evolving regulatory and operational demands. The Director operates collaboratively across the organization, identifying and scaling best practices while maintaining a relentless focus on employee safety, student passenger protection, and customer satisfaction.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership to develop, implement, and continuously improve Operating Company safety, compliance, and incident management programs. Establish long-term goals, key performance indicators, and oversight structures to measure and drive performance.
• Ensure all safety and compliance policies and procedures meet or exceed legal, regulatory, and industry standards. Oversee Operating Company policy governance, including regular review, updates, and communication to leadership and employees.
• Lead the design and execution of comprehensive safety training and education programs, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and organizational priorities. Drive consistency and effectiveness across all locations.
• Establish and oversee enterprise hiring standards and criteria related to safety and regulatory compliance. Provide executive-level oversight of candidate risk evaluation processes and ensure alignment with workforce strategy and compliance requirements.
• Oversee and ensure Operating Company regulatory compliance programs for DOT, FMCSA, PUC, OSHA and other school district, local, state and federal governmental bodies are in place and regularly audited. Develop reporting frameworks that provide visibility into compliance performance, risks, and corrective actions.
• Provide executive oversight of the Krise Transportation drug and alcohol testing programs, ensuring regulatory compliance, operational consistency, and continuous improvement through data analysis and program evaluation.
• Lead the development and implementation of advanced incident management systems and processes, including reporting, investigation, root cause analysis, and corrective action. Utilize data and analytics to identify trends, mitigate risks, and improve outcomes.
• Execute Operating Company claims management processes and procedures in partnership with Corporate staff, third-party administrators, insurance carriers, and brokers. Provide local engagement and oversight of high-risk or high-value claims, to ensure timely resolution and minimizing financial and operational impact.
• Provide strategic leadership for employee safety committees, ensuring effectiveness, engagement, and alignment with organizational priorities. Establish mechanisms to capture, evaluate, and implement employee-driven safety improvements.
• Lead and develop a team of regional and local safety professionals, including Safety Coordinators, ensuring strong execution of programs and alignment with corporate strategy. Drive talent development, succession planning, and performance management.
• Develop and execute a comprehensive internal safety and compliance communication strategy. Partner with Corporate staff to deliver clear, consistent, and impactful messaging across all levels of the organization.
• Oversee the development and enforcement of facility safety and security standards, including inspections, audits, and continuous improvement initiatives across all locations.
• Ensure executive visibility and engagement in safety initiatives by participating in key operational and safety meetings across locations.
• Serve as the Company's primary representative with governmental and regulatory agencies on all safety and compliance matters. Provide leadership during audits, investigations, and regulatory interactions.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Occupational safety, Environmental Health & Safety (EHS), Risk Management or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 5-10 years+ of progressive safety experience, with at least 3-5 years in a leadership role.
• Experience in transportation or a similar industries with multi-site, distributed operations and large fleets is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience developing and leading enterprise safety strategies leveraging technology, data analytics, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Proven ability to conduct incident investigations.
• Experience with fleet safety programs and driver safety training.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Knowledge of OSHA, DOT, FMCSA, and state transportation safety regulations and industry best practices. Knowledge of Pennsylvania-specific school bus or passenger transportation regulations is preferred.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, MS365, and SharePoint. Strong ability to leverage technology platforms including telematics, video systems, and safety analytics tools.
• Highly analytical with the ability to translate complex data into actionable insights, strategic recommendations, and executive-level reporting.
• Exceptional emotional intelligence with the ability to influence, lead, and communicate effectively across all levels of the organization and with external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional collaboration with third-party vendors, brokers, and insurance/workers' compensation carriers to drive effective claims resolution.
• Strong executive communication and presentation skills, with the ability to engage leadership, employees, school districts, and regulatory bodies.
• Ability to interpret and apply technical safety, maintenance, and operational documentation.
• Ability to travel extensively, including overnight, to support statewide operations.
• Strong problem-solving capabilities with a proactive, solutions-oriented mindset.
• Maintains the highest level of professionalism and integrity.
• Highly motivated leader with proven ability to build, lead, and inspire high-performing teams.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• This position requires regular travel to company facilities across the state of Pennsylvania, including overnight travel. Occasional out-of-state travel may be required.
• Work environments include office settings, industrial/shop environments, and outdoor conditions in varying weather.
• The role requires extended periods of sitting and standing.