Big Bus Tours is the world’s largest operator of open-top sightseeing tours, fueling the spirit of adventure in 23 world-famous cities across four continents. Beginning its journey 28 years’ ago, with a fleet of only three buses, Big Bus Tours has swiftly expanded to a global fleet of over 400 hundred open-top buses, turning 5 million tourists into explorers, every year. Big Bus Tours operates in London, Dubai, Hong Kong, New York, Las Vegas, Chicago, Abu Dhabi, Budapest, Istanbul, Miami, Muscat, Rome, Paris, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Darwin, Sydney, Vienna, Washington DC, Dublin, Singapore, Los Angeles and Berlin with a sightseeing concept designed to provide a flexible approach to city discovery. Each open-top bus tour provides a hop-on, hop-off facility at a variety of interesting locations, with complimentary additions to enhance the visitor sightseeing experience. In February 2015, private equity firm Exponent purchased Big Bus Tours, with a shared vision to make Big Bus Tours the number 1 thing to do in each world-famous city. In 2016, Merlin Entertainments PLC became a shareholder, offering a natural synergy with Big Bus Tours and Merlin attractions and experiences around the world. With entertaining guides and commentary and knowledge of the latest events in each city, the Big Bus City Crew leaves every passenger with a story to tell.

Overall Purpose

The operations manager position manages local scheduling and real-time operations that facilitate the maximization of resources (human and automated) to achieve customer satisfaction, productivity, schedule adherence and economic goals.

Warmly Welcoming…

• Have a genuine and receptive approach to team work.
• Engage with Operation Teams in a welcoming and respectful manner.
• Complete interactions with other departments and management with the highest level of patience and self-assurance.
• Deliver exceptional customer experiences through leadership of the tour guides and bus operator’s products and services.

Memorable Storytellers…

• For many of our customers, this is their first time exploring the city. The appearance and performance of our Operation Teams contribute to the overall guest experience and that begins with you!
• We turn tourists into explorers and our Ops Team members are in many cases the first part of the Big Bus Story for our customers. First impressions are important so we expect our team to be properly groomed, always look professional stand out above the competition.

Always Entertaining…

• We are always entertaining, delivering information with flair. A natural communicator with a positive attitude is a must. We want people who engage with their team members and management in an effectual way.

Dedicated…

• We are a BIG operation and in order to be successful we need professionals who will be dedicated to this role, how? Be here on time, in uniform, well groomed.
• We want to be the No 1 thing to do in every world famous city and we need dedicated and driven professionals to work towards this vision.
• Learn the key motivation and initiatives of Big Bus in order to achieve goals daily.
• Create a safe and welcoming environment where the operation is your top priority and handled with the highest level of integrity and trust.

Never Satisfied…

• We want Managers who are achievement driven and never satisfied: who are constantly looking for ways to improve their craft, knowledge, skills and leadership.
• We want proactive, self-starters who are naturally driven to outperform themselves, the competition and maybe even their colleagues in friendly competition.
• We want problem solvers who can anticipate issues and take action.

Key Areas of Accountability and Responsibility:

• Lead, define, and deliver the Big Bus Los Angeles operational strategy and proactively set the operational strategy and direction, taking into account market dynamics and competitive forces, and to lead and motivate the operations team.
• Oversee the smooth running and delivery of all elements of the Operations function within Los Angeles.
• Ensure full adherence to all legal and regulatory standards, licensing, health and safety responsibilities, and overall risk management.
• Ensure driver training is perform as per policy, managed and reviewed.
• Deliver exceptional customer experiences through leadership of the tour guide products and services.
• Build & deliver the plan to allocate CSR resources needed to deliver Revenue and Passenger numbers.
• Be the On-street expert and input to above project to drive improvement in our on-street operation.

Insurance

• All claims are properly filed/followed up on.

Recruiting/Scheduling

• Work with HR for hiring/Job Fairs
• Ensure we have 2 week schedules for all operational departments
• New Hire paperwork for drivers (DOT paperwork)
• Train and review dispatch performance, record keeping, market share

GreenRoad/Secure Fleet

• Ensure we are coaching Drivers and keeping our score under our pre-determined
• Make sure all drivers are login in to the Secure fleet system on the bus
• Post weekly report on driver safety broken down in different areas (speeding/stopping/cell phone use/eating) etc.
• Ensure all drivers have their greenroad fobs
• Be the liaison to ensure all equipment is functioning properly
• Observation of CSR performance and drive correction from leaders.

Training

• Work closely with HR to ensure on boarding and training content is delivered
• Performance manage & Coaching Operation leaders.
• Work with the Lead Driver, Lead Tour Guide & Lead CSR to ensure staff training is effective, thorough and efficient
• Ensure staff are up to Big Bus Standards
• Observation of CSR performance and drive correction from leaders.

City Events/Reroutes

• Be aware of events and reroutes that will affect operation.

Compliance

• Registration/Inspection of vehicles
• Ensure driver DOT files are update by doing regular audits
• Understanding of OSHA is preferred

Knowledge/Skills/Competencies:

• Knowledge of how Hop on Hop off tours
• Know how to read charts and dig deeper
• Natural Leadership Skills
• Understanding sales business environment and account management.
• Basic computer literacy
• Microsoft Suite – Excel, Word, Outlook
• Good, clear communicator.
• Commercial leadership.
• Leadership – Motivates enables and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate styles. Has a clear vision of what is required and acts as a positive role model.
• Communication – Ability to express ideas or facts in a clear and persuasive manner. Convince others to own expressed viewpoint.
• Planning and Organizing – Ability to establish efficiently an appropriate course of action for self/others to accomplish a goal.
• Technical Knowledge – Possesses an in-depth knowledge of the area and can effectively apply that knowledge to solve a range of problems.
• Analytical – Effectiveness in identifying problems, seeking pertinent data, recognizing important information and identifying possible causes of problems.
• Results Orientated – Consistently delivers required business results; sets and achieves achievable, but aggressive, goals; consistently complies with quality and service standards and meets deadlines; maintains focus on company goals.
• Customer Focus – Exceeding customer expectations by displaying a total commitment to identifying and providing solutions of the highest possible standards aimed at addressing customer needs.
• Commercial Awareness – Able to understand the key business issues that affect the profitability and growth of an enterprise and takes appropriate action to maximize success.

Qualifications:

• Tourism experience a plus, general understanding of tour operation
• Must hold valid driver’s license

Working Hours and Conditions:

• Weekdays/weekends/nights
• The person will spend time each day in all weather conditions outside. The successful candidate is required to be comfortable with the conditions.