The Opportunity;

Lead daily operations. Support your team. Keep Dargaville moving.

At Ritchies, we’ve been connecting communities across Aotearoa for over 85 years. Our people are at the heart of what we do, and we take pride in delivering safe, reliable transport services every day.

We’re now looking for an organised, people-first Operations Manager to lead the day-to-day running of our Dargaville depot. If you love solving problems, supporting teams, and making sure everything runs like clockwork, this is an opportunity to make a genuine impact in your local community.

Why you'll love this role

• Be at the centre of daily operations - every day brings something new
• Lead a dedicated team of drivers, cleaners and yard staff
• Work closely with supportive managers, workshops and head office teams
• Help shape service delivery for passengers and customers across the region
• Grow your leadership capability in a respected, stable Kiwi company

What you'll be doing

Championing Safety

Safety is non-negotiable at Ritchies. You’ll proactively manage Health, Safety & Wellbeing across the depot, support staff after incidents, investigate where needed, and ensure every shift starts and ends with the right safety practices in place.

Leading Your People

You’ll play a hands-on leadership role, checking in with drivers and cleaners, supporting performance, managing recruitment and induction with HR, and planning development with your team. You’ll help them feel informed, safe, valued and supported every day.

Running the Daily Operation

From dispatching buses to managing rosters, responding to issues in real time, overseeing yard operations and resolving customer queries—you’ll keep everything moving. You’ll also ensure compliance, maintain documentation accuracy, and step in to lead recovery efforts when incidents occur.

Driving Efficiency & Continuous Improvement

You’ll analyse operational performance, investigate data trends, keep records up to date, and look for ways to lift efficiency and service quality. Partnering with the workshop, customers and internal teams, you’ll help ensure the depot meets KPI expectations and delivers excellent service.

Collaborating for Great Outcomes

You’ll work closely with your Area Manager, operations peers, shared services teams, contractors and customers, contributing to depot goals and helping implement improvements that make life easier for staff and passengers alike.

What you'll bring

Essential

• Strong leadership and communication skills

• Ability to stay calm and organised in fast-moving situations

• Good problem-solving and decision-making ability

• Strong planning and prioritisation skills

• Ability to analyse data and identify trends

• High attention to detail

• Good competency with technology and systems

Who you'll work with

You’ll be connected with a range of people: drivers, cleaners, yard workers, workshop teams, HR, IT, payroll, contractors, customers and passengers, everyone who helps keep Dargaville’s transport network running smoothly.

Ready to step into a role where your leadership really matters?

If you’re motivated, organised, and enjoy supporting people while keeping operations running safely and efficiently, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply today and help keep Dargaville moving with Ritchies.