Director of Fleet & Maintenance
CS Recruiting, a Hirewell companyJob Title: Director of Fleet & Maintenance
Job Type: Full-time; On-site with travel across terminals and shop locations
Role Overview:
• The Director of Fleet & Maintenance is a senior executive responsible for fleet uptime, lifecycle economics, and maintenance leadership at a Corporate level – representing leadership across all subsidiary companies operating company‑owned tractors, trailers (in
...
cluding specialty equipment), and internal repair facilities.
• This role owns the system, not individual repairs. Success is measured by uptime, cost discipline, leadership effectiveness, and consistency across locations.
Core Outcomes (What this Person is Accountable For)
• Improved and predictable equipment uptime across all terminals
• Sustainable reduction in cost per mile / cost per revenue hour
• Clear, enforced repair / replace / retire decision framework
• Consistent maintenance, PM, DVIR, and warranty execution across shops
• Development (or removal) of maintenance leadership that cannot meet expectations
• Reliable fleet data that executives trust for capital and operating decisions
Key Responsibilities:
Fleet & Maintenance Leadership
• Lead and hold accountable all fleet and maintenance leadership roles
• Evaluate leadership capability and build missing roles (service writing, warranty, foremen, analysts)
• Establish clear expectations, goals, and consequences for performance
Fleet Economics & Asset Strategy
• Own lifecycle strategy for tractors, trailers, and specialty equipment
• Standardize repair vs. replace vs. retire decisions
• Partner with finance on capital planning and maintenance forecasting
Uptime, PM & Warranty Execution
• Enforce PM, DVIR, and breakdown prioritization standards
• Build a disciplined, auditable warranty recovery program
• Reduce reliance on emergency external repairs through planning and shop effectiveness
Systems, Metrics & Accountability
• Define and enforce fleet KPIs: uptime, downtime, PM compliance, shop throughput, cost metrics
• Ensure shop and fleet software is accurate, used consistently, and trusted
• Establish cadence of review with Ops, Safety, and Finance
Change Leadership
• Drive standardization across historically independent shops
• Make difficult people decisions when needed
• Lead change calmly, directly, and without ego
Experience:
• Executive-level fleet maintenance or heavy equipment leadership experience required
• Multi-shop or regional maintenance leadership background strongly preferred
• Strong understanding of maintenance operations, fleet economics, and lifecycle costing
• Experience leading operational change and enforcing accountability across decentralized environments
• Background within trucking, transportation, heavy equipment, construction, waste, or industrial fleet operations preferred
• Financially fluent with maintenance P&L oversight and cost management experience
Location: Syracuse, NY Area (will pay for relocation)
Compensation Details: This position offers a competitive base salary + performance-based bonus tied to uptime, PM compliance, warranty recovery, and fleet performance metrics.
90‑Day Scorecard
Days 1–30: Diagnose & Understand
Primary Focus: Learn before fixing
Expected Deliverables:
• Visit all major shops and fleet leadership locations
• Written assessment of:
• Leadership capability (who can grow vs. who cannot)
• Process gaps and inconsistencies
• Data reliability and blind spots
• Clear identification of missing or overloaded roles
Success Looks Like:
• You receive a written, candid Fleet State‑of‑the‑Union memo
• Problems are named clearly, not softened
Days 31–60: Design the System
Primary Focus: Structure and alignment
Expected Deliverables:
• Proposed fleet & maintenance org design
• Defined KPI framework (uptime, PM, cost, throughput)
• Repair / replace / retire decision model
• 6–12 month execution roadmap
Success Looks Like:
• Leadership alignment on priorities
• Clear accountability model exists for every shop
Days 61–90: Begi