Senior Fleet Operations Specialist

Senior Fleet Operations SpecialistThe Senior Fleet Operations Specialist is responsible for the coordination, optimization, and continuous improvement of fleet operations supporting a large, geographically dispersed mobile workforce. This role serves as a key operational partner to Fleet leadership and field operations, helping manage the full vehicle lifecycle from acquisition and upfitting through deployment, maintenance, reassignment, replacement, recovery, and disposition.The Senior Fleet Operations Specialist is expected to operate with a high level of independence and ownership. This position will analyze fleet data, identify operational opportunities, coordinate complex fleet projects, manage vendor relationships, support business growth, and develop solutions that improve vehicle availability, utilization, cost, and employee experience.Primary ResponsibilitiesFleet Strategy & OptimizationAnalyze fleet composition, utilization, age, mileage, maintenance history, and operational requirements.Identify opportunities to reduce unnecessary fleet expense and improve vehicle utilization.Review vehicles in the field to determine opportunities for reassignment, redeployment, deflection, replacement, or retirement.Partner with Fleet leadership to develop short- and long-term fleet strategies.Support fleet planning based on business growth, market expansion, hiring forecasts, and operational demand.Identify opportunities to maximize existing fleet inventory before purchasing additional vehicles.Develop recommendations for fleet size, vehicle type, replacement timing, and deployment strategy.Assist with developing annual fleet budgets and capital requirements.Vehicle Acquisition & Lifecycle ManagementSupport the complete lifecycle of fleet vehicles from acquisition through disposition.Coordinate vehicle orders, allocations, deliveries, transportation, upfits, branding, and deployment.Track vehicle orders and delivery schedules and proactively communicate delays or changes.Develop deployment plans for new vehicles based on business needs and market requirements.Coordinate vehicle replacements while minimizing operational disruption.Manage the recovery of outgoing vehicles and coordinate transportation to designated locations.Assist with remarketing, auction, trade-in, or other disposition processes.Maintain accurate lifecycle records for all fleet assets.Fleet Growth & ExpansionPartner with Operations and field leadership to understand future vehicle requirements.Translate business growth plans into fleet requirements and deployment schedules.Forecast vehicle demand based on new-hire plans, market expansion, and operational changes.Develop staging strategies to position vehicles ahead of anticipated growth.Coordinate with manufacturers, dealers, upfitters, and transportation providers to meet growth timelines.Identify opportunities to utilize existing inventory before ordering additional vehicles.Track fleet growth projects from planning through final deployment.Vendor & Partner ManagementManage day-to-day relationships with dealerships, manufacturers, upfitters, transportation providers, repair facilities, collision centers, and fleet service partners.Solicit and evaluate vendor quotes.Negotiate pricing, timing, and service expectations within established authority.Monitor vendor performance and identify opportunities for improvement.Track open vendor issues through resolution.Develop strong partnerships while maintaining appropriate cost and service expectations.Assist Fleet leadership with vendor evaluations and sourcing decisions.Maintenance, Downtime & ReliabilityMonitor maintenance and repair activity across the fleet.Identify vehicles experiencing excessive downtime or recurring mechanical issues.Analyze maintenance trends and costs to identify opportunities for corrective action.Coordinate complex repairs and vehicle recovery.Work with vendors to improve repair turnaround times.Escalate recurring vehicle issues and recommend potential solutions.Support preventative maintenance compliance and fleet reliability initiatives.Fleet Technology & TelematicsSupport the administration and continued development of fleet technology platforms.Manage implementation and deployment of GPS, telematics, vehicle cameras, and related technology.Analyze telematics information to identify opportunities related to utilization, safety, maintenance, and operational efficiency.Coordinate device installation, troubleshooting, replacement, and recovery.Maintain accurate technology assignments by vehicle, employee, and location.Assist with developing reports and dashboards that provide actionable fleet insights.Field Operations SupportServe as a fleet subject-matter resource for field leaders and employees.Develop clear communication and processes for vehicle deliveries, replacements, transfers, recoveries, and maintenance.Respond to escalated fleet issues and coordinate solutions.Partner with field leadership to understand operational challenges and develop practical fleet solutions.Balance field needs with company policy, budget, and fleet strategy.Travel to field locations when necessary to support fleet initiatives, audits, deployments, or special projects.Fleet Data & Financial ManagementDevelop and maintain fleet reporting and performance dashboards.Analyze fleet operating expenses and identify cost-saving opportunities.Monitor metrics such as:Cost per vehicleCost per mileMaintenance expensesVehicle downtimeUtilizationFuel consumptionVehicle ageMileageReplacement ratesFleet availabilityVendor spendPrepare management reports and presentations for Fleet and Operations leadership.Use data to support fleet investment and replacement decisions.Identify financial risks and opportunities within fleet operations.Process ImprovementIdentify inefficiencies in current fleet processes and develop improved workflows.Create and maintain standard operating procedures for fleet activities.Lead or participate in fleet process-improvement projects.Standardize fleet practices across markets and locations.Develop scalable processes that can support continued company growth.Measure results and communicate improvements to leadership.Special ProjectsLead or support strategic fleet projects such as:New vehicle launchesFleet replacement programsMarket expansionsFleet technology rolloutsVehicle standardizationUpfit programsFleet cost-reduction initiativesVehicle utilization studiesVendor transitionsFleet auditsNew-hire vehicle deployment programsVehicle recovery and remarketing initiativesDecision-Making & OwnershipThe Fleet Operations Specialist II is expected to independently manage assigned fleet programs and make operational recommendations within established company guidelines.The role should proactively identify problems rather than simply react to requests.QualificationsRequired3+ years of experience in fleet, transportation, automotive, logistics, operations, or related field.Demonstrated experience managing multiple projects and competing priorities.Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office.Strong written and verbal communication skills.Ability to work independently and manage projects from beginning to completion.Strong vendor and relationship-management skills.Ability to analyze operational and financial data.Ability to communicate effectively with both corporate leadership and field-level employees.PreferredExperience managing a multi-market or geographically dispersed fleet.Fleet management software experience.Telematics/GPS experience.Experience with vehicle acquisition and replacement programs.Experience with vehicle upfits and specialty/mobile vehicles.Experience with fleet remarketing and vehicle disposition.Experience supporting business growth or market expansion.Experience developing fleet dashboards