Director of Fleet Operations

Job Description Job Description M.J. Sheridan of Texas, Inc. is seeking an experienced and highly organized Director of Fleet Operations to lead the company's fleet, maintenance shop, and equipment management functions. This position is responsible for the performance, availability, safety, maintenance, utilization, and lifecycle management of a fleet consisting of 200+ vehicles, trailers, heavy equipment, and specialized construction assets. The Director of Fleet Operations is expected to operate Fleet as a measurable business function—not simply a repair department. The role will focus on improving equipment utilization, reducing downtime, strengthening preventative maintenance, improving DOT and fleet compliance, and using reliable data to support purchasing, rental, replacement, and disposal decisions. The position works closely with Construction, Operations, Logistics, Safety, Finance, and Business Systems & Analytics to ensure MJS has the right equipment available, in safe and reliable condition, when and where it is needed. Experience in the pipeline, utility, gas distribution, construction, heavy civil, or heavy equipment industry is strongly preferred. Bilingual English/Spanish communication skills are a plus. Essential Duties & Responsibilities Fleet Operations & Asset Management Oversee a fleet of 200+ vehicles, trailers, heavy equipment, and specialized construction assets. Ensure equipment required by field operations is safe, reliable, properly equipped, and available when needed. Maintain accurate records of company-owned, leased, and rented assets, including assignments, mileage, engine hours, utilization, fuel, maintenance history, downtime, and operating cost. Establish reliable methods for measuring fleet utilization and identify underutilized, overutilized, or unnecessary assets. Work with Operations and Construction to coordinate equipment availability, assignments, substitutions, and future needs. Recommend transfers, rentals, purchases, replacements, or disposals based on operational requirements and actual fleet data. Maintain clear communication with leadership regarding equipment availability, outages, and significant fleet issues. Shop, Maintenance & Reliability Lead daily operations of the fleet maintenance shop and supervise the Shop Foreman, Shop Clerk, mechanics, yard personnel, and other fleet support staff. Establish shop priorities and workflow based on equipment availability, field needs, repair urgency, and preventative maintenance requirements. Develop and maintain preventative maintenance schedules based on mileage, engine hours, manufacturer recommendations, operating conditions, and regulatory requirements. Monitor shop productivity, repair turnaround time, repeat repairs, equipment downtime, and overdue maintenance. Identify recurring mechanical issues and determine when equipment should be repaired, overhauled, replaced, or retired. Ensure vehicles and equipment are properly inspected and safe before returning to service. Maintain appropriate parts, tires, fluids, and maintenance inventory and establish controls over purchasing and inventory. Evaluate the current shop structure and recommend changes to staffing, responsibilities, workflow, or procedures when appropriate. Purchasing, Rentals & Fleet Lifecycle Develop a formal fleet replacement strategy and maintain a rolling three- to five-year equipment replacement forecast. Evaluate equipment age, condition, mileage, engine hours, utilization, reliability, maintenance history, resale value, and operating cost when making lifecycle decisions. Determine when it is most economical to purchase, lease, rent, repair, replace, or retire equipment. Monitor rental usage and identify equipment that may be more economical to own. Coordinate acquisition, delivery, upfitting, registration, and placement into service of new fleet assets. Manage routine replacement purchases and normal crew equipment needs within established authority, while presenting major or strategic capital purchases to executive leadership for approval. Negotiate with dealers, repair facilities, rental companies, parts suppliers, tire vendors, and other fleet-related vendors. Fleet Cost, Fuel & Performance Management Manage Fleet operating expenses, including maintenance, parts, tires, outside repairs, rentals, fuel, and other fleet-related costs. Monitor maintenance cost by asset and equipment class. Use MJS's existing Equipment Recovery Cost (ERC) and hourly equipment costing data to evaluate asset performance. Develop and monitor cost-per-mile and cost-per-operating-hour metrics where appropriate. Assume responsibility for fuel management, including fuel usage, fuel cards, onsite fueling, excessive idling, abnormal consumption, and potential misuse. Identify opportunities to reduce unnecessary fleet costs without compromising reliability or field productivity. DOT, Regulatory & Fleet Safety Maintain a strong working knowledge of applicable Federal and State DOT and FMCSA fleet requirements. Ensure required inspections, preventative maintenance, registrations, permits, vehicle records, and fleet documentation remain current. Maintain knowledge of GVWR, GCWR, vehicle and trailer combinations, weight classifications, and commercial vehicle requirements. Establish controls to identify and correct vehicle defects before equipment is returned to service. Work closely with Safety regarding CDL requirements, driver compliance, accidents, and broader FMCSA obligations. Depending on experience and qualifications, assume primary responsibility for fleet-related DOT compliance while coordinating with Safety. Participate in accident or damage investigations when mechanical condition, equipment failure, or maintenance history may be relevant. Fleet Technology & Reporting Own the accuracy and usefulness of fleet data across all fleet systems. Utilize Fleetio or another fleet management platform to maintain maintenance, inspection, assignment, utilization, and asset records. Utilize Motive GPS and telematics data to improve utilization tracking, mileage and engine-hour accuracy, idle-time management, equipment visibility, and maintenance planning. Work with Business Systems & Analytics to improve fleet reporting, integrations, dashboards, and automated workflows. Fleet will own operational requirements and data quality, while Business Systems & Analytics supports systems, integrations, and automation. Reduce reliance on manual records and disconnected processes where practical. Leadership & Team Development Lead, train, develop, and hold accountable all Fleet and maintenance personnel. Establish clear roles, performance expectations, procedures, and accountability standards. Evaluate the department structure and recommend staffing or organizational changes as needed. Promote strong communication between Fleet, Construction, Operations, Logistics, Safety, Finance, and Business Systems. Build a service-oriented Fleet department focused on equipment availability, safety, reliability, efficiency, and field productivity. Communicate problems early and provide recommended solutions rather than simply escalating issues. Key Performance Indicators The Director of Fleet Operations will monitor and improve performance in areas including: Fleet utilization Equipment availability and downtime Preventative maintenance compliance Shop productivity and repair turnaround time Maintenance and repair cost Cost per mile and cost per operating hour Rental versus ownership cost Fuel consumption and idle time DOT and inspection compliance Asset lifecycle and replacement planning Vendor performance Parts and inventory accuracy Required Qualifications Minimum of 5 years of progressive fleet, heavy-equipment, maintenance, or related operational experience. Minimum of 3 years of supervisory or leadership experience. Experience managing a large and complex commercial fleet; experience with fleets approaching or exceeding 150–200 assets strongly preferred. Experience managing or overseeing a fleet maintenance shop. Strong practical understanding of vehicle and heavy-equipment maintenance. Strong knowledge of preventative maintenance, fleet utilization, and equipment lifecycle management. Working knowledge of DOT fleet regulations, GVWR, GCWR, commercial vehicle requirements, and truck/trailer combinations. Experience making purchasing, rental, repair, replacement, and retirement decisions. Strong analytical, financial, organizational, and leadership skills. Experience with fleet management software, telematics, Microsoft Excel, and operational reporting. Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced construction environment. Preferred Qualifications Experience in pipeline, gas distribution, utility, construction, paving, heavy civil, or heavy equipment operations. Experience managing heavy-duty trucks, trailers, excavators, loaders, and specialized construction assets. Experience with Fleetio or similar fleet software. Experience with Motive or similar GPS/telematics systems. Experience with fuel management, parts inventory, and multi-year fleet replacement planning. Bilingual English/Spanish communication skills. ASE, CAFM, or other relevant fleet certifications are a plus. A bachelor's degree is beneficial but not required. Relevant experience, leadership ability, mechanical knowledge, and a proven record of successfully managing fleet operations will be given significant consideration. Measures of Success Success in this position means MJS develops a fleet operation that is increasingly reliable, measurable, proactive, compliant, and cost-effective. The successful Director will establish accurate fleet-utilization data, reduce preventable downtime, improve preventative maintenance and shop accountability, strengthen DOT compliance, improve visibility into fleet cost and condition, and ensure construction crews have dependable access to the equipment required to perform their work. Benefits M.J. Sheridan of Texas, Inc. offers a competitive benefits package, including: Competitive salary based on experience Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance Paid Time Off and Paid Holidays 401(k) Retirement Plan Monthly Cell Phone Allowance Professional development and training opportunities Opportunity to lead and develop a large-scale fleet and maintenance operation M.J. Sheridan of Texas, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. \nCompany Description M. J. Sheridan of Texas, Inc. (MJS) serves major gas utility companies with installation of residential and commercial gas lines. The work includes both new and replacement installations. In the state of Texas alone, M. J. Sheridan of Texas installed over 20,000 natural gas service lines in 2018 and in the last 10 years, 300,000 + Houston homes received gas installations by MJS. As of November 2018, MJS is installing CenterPoint Energy's service lines in Houston. Company Description M. J. Sheridan of Texas, Inc. (MJS) serves major gas utility companies with installation of residential and commercial gas lines. The work includes both new and replacement installations.\r\n\r\nIn the state of Texas alone, M. J. Sheridan of Texas installed over 20,000 natural gas service lines in 2018 and in the last 10 years, 300,000 + Houston homes received gas installations by MJS. As of November 2018, MJS is installing CenterPoint Energy's service lines in Houston.