Director of DOT Safety, Transportation Services in at LAZ Parking
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Job Description
Director of DOT Safety
Compensation:$115,000$150,000 Reports To:Senior Director of Safety FLSA Status:Exempt Travel:Approximately 25%, based on business needs
The Spirit of the Position
The Director of DOT Safety provides leadership and direction for LAZs Transportation Safety function, supporting transportation operations across the United States. Reporting to the Senior Director of Safety, this position leads and develops the Regional Transportation Safety team and partners closely with Operations, Transportation Compliance & Programs, Fleet, HR, Legal, Risk Management, and other business leaders.
The Director is responsible for translating transportation safety strategy, regulatory requirements, company standards, and identified risks into consistent field execution. This role drives transportation safety performance through strong leadership, operational partnership, data-driven decision-making, field engagement, and accountability.
Success requires a leader who can develop people, influence operations, identify and address risk, and drive consistent execution across a large, decentralized organization.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership & Team Development
- Lead, coach, mentor, and develop Regional and Location Transportation Safety Managers supporting transportation operations across the U.S.
- Establish clear priorities, performance expectations, and accountability for the Transportation Safety team.
- Manage team performance, workload, field activity, professional development, and consistency of execution.
- Build a high-performing team that serves as credible, knowledgeable, and solutions-oriented partners to Operations.
- Partner with the Senior Director of Safety on staffing, succession planning, organizational priorities, and continued development of the Transportation Safety function.
Transportation Safety & Risk Reduction
- Lead field execution of LAZs transportation safety strategy, programs, standards, and initiatives.
- Partner with Operations leadership to identify transportation risks, reduce collisions and incidents, and implement sustainable corrective actions.
- Provide leadership and support following significant transportation incidents, emerging risks, or adverse safety trends.
- Ensure identified safety and compliance deficiencies receive appropriate field follow-through, corrective action, and verification.
- Translate lessons learned from incidents, field observations, and emerging trends into practical risk-reduction strategies.
DOT Compliance & Operational Readiness
- Ensure Transportation Safety field activities support applicable federal, state, and local transportation regulatory requirements and company standards.
- Maintain strong working knowledge of DOT/FMCSA regulations and their application within transportation operations.
- Partner with Transportation Compliance & Programs to translate regulatory requirements, technical standards, and compliance guidance into effective field execution.
- Drive operational readiness and field follow-through related to driver qualification, Hours of Service, vehicle inspections, regulated training, Drug & Alcohol requirements, and other applicable transportation requirements.
- Ensure significant or systemic compliance deficiencies are appropriately escalated and addressed through the Transportation Safety team and Operations.
Safety Audits & Field Assurance
- Lead the Transportation Safety teams field audit, assessment, and site-review process, establishing expectations for quality, consistency, documentation, and follow-through.
- Ensure findings are clearly communicated and corrective actions are appropriately tracked and resolved with Operations.
- Analyze recurring findings to identify systemic safety risks and opportunities for improvement.
- Partner with Transportation Compliance & Programs on regulatory standards, technical compliance requirements, and targeted compliance reviews.
- Use audits and assessments as tools to strengthen operational performance and reduce risk.
Driver Safety, Training & Performance
- Monitor transportation safety performance using collision data, telematics, field observations, audit results, and other relevant indicators.
- Lead operational adoption and effective use of transportation safety technology and telematics to improve driver performance and reduce risk.
- Identify field training and coaching needs based on safety performance, incidents, audits, regulatory requirements, and observed behaviors.
- Partner with Transportation Compliance & Programs on development of standardized transportation safety and compliance training and lead its field implementation and reinforcement.
- Establish appropriate Transportation Safety KPIs, evaluate performance trends, and use data to prioritize resources and interventions.
Operational & Cross-Functional Partnership
- Serve as the primary Transportation Safety leadership partner for regional and operational leaders.
- Build strong relationships across Operations and partner with leaders to integrate transportation safety expectations into day-to-day operations.
- Collaborate with Transportation Compliance & Programs, Fleet, HR, Legal, Risk Management, Claims, Training, and other stakeholders on transportation safety priorities.
- Balance regulatory and safety requirements with operational realities while maintaining appropriate safety and compliance standards.
- Provide actionable transportation safety reporting and recommendations to the Senior Director of Safety and operational leadership, escalating significant or systemic risks as appropriate.
Required Skills & Qualifications
Experience & Knowledge
- 710+ years of progressive experience in DOT safety, transportation safety, transportation compliance, fleet safety, risk management, or related transportation operations.
- Demonstrated leadership experience managing and developing safety professionals in a multi-location or geographically dispersed organization.
- Strong working knowledge of DOT/FMCSA regulations and transportation safety requirements.
- Experience with transportation safety audits, collision prevention, driver safety, telematics, compliance monitoring, and corrective-action processes.
- Demonstrated ability to partner effectively with operational leaders and influence performance without relying solely on direct authority.
- Experience using safety and operational data to identify risk and drive measurable improvement.
Leadership & Competencies
- Strong leadership, coaching, and talent-development capabilities.
- Demonstrated ability to build credibility and productive relationships across operational and support functions.
- Strong organizational judgment and ability to navigate a large, decentralized organization.
- Ability to balance accountability with partnership and influence.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, decision-making, and communication skills.
- Ability to communicate effectively with frontline employees, managers, regional leaders, and executives.
- Strong planning, prioritization, and follow-through with the ability to lead through change and drive consistency across multiple markets.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and the ability to effectively use safety-management, telematics, and data-analysis systems.
Preferred Certifications
- Certified Director of Safety (CDS) North American Transportation Management Institute (NATMI)
- Certified Safety Professional (CSP) Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP)
- OSHA 30-Hour General Industry Certification
- Smith System or comparable defensive-driving certification
Education
Bachelors degree in Transportation, Safety, Business Administration, or a related field preferred; equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience will be considered.
Travel
Must be willing and able to travel approximately 35% based on business and operational needs.
Physical Demands
Ability to lift, push, and pull at least 10 pounds. The physical demands described are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties and functions of the position.
FLSA Status
Exempt
LAZ Parking is an equal-opportunity employer. In all employment practices, including hiring, LAZ is committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all persons without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
This Employer participates in E-Verify.