About the roleThe Sr. Manager, Market Operations is the market end-to-end operational leader responsible for building, operating, and scaling Gatik's market presence in an assigned region. Reporting directly to the Director, Market Operations, you serve as the primary site lead with overall accountability for local fleet performance, depot and yard logistics, fueling infrastructure / practices, safety compliance, customer SLA delivery, driver management, and third-party vendor operations.
This is a multi-faceted hybrid role bridging hands-on operational leadership with strategic regional growth. You will lead a multidisciplinary site leadership team, managing live commercial autonomous freight routes while operating in a dynamic, tech-forward R&D environment. As Gatik expands its autonomous network across North America, you will refine, test, and execute the local operating playbook-ensuring fleet reliability and uptime, efficiency, uncompromising safety, adherence and scalable market growth without a linear increase in overhead.
This role is onsite 5 days a week at our Phoenix, AZ office!
What you'll do- Depot, Freight & Yard Logistics: Oversee daily facility operations, layout optimization, yard traffic, and infrastructure safety. Direct inbound/outbound staging, route alignment, and schedules to meet customer SLAs. Manage fueling routines, schedules, and protocols while continuously optimizing vehicle turnaround times to minimize yard dwell time and maximize active route hours.
- Fleet Maintenance & R&D Integration: Partner with the local Fleet Manager to oversee medium- and heavy-duty vehicle maintenance, major repairs, lifecycle management, and vendor relationships. Collaborate closely with AV Engineering, Hardware, and Product teams on field testing, sensor calibrations, software/hardware upgrades, and diagnostic troubleshooting. Act as the primary bridge between local technicians and central engineering to expedite return-to-service cycles.
- Driver Workforce & Shift Leadership: Lead the recruitment, onboarding, scheduling, and performance management of safety drivers, field operators, and yard technicians. Drive shift excellence through clear handover protocols, labor/overtime management, and high accountability across all shifts. Ensure ongoing driver recertification on new AV software releases, emergency protocols, and local route hazards.
- Safety, Compliance & Risk Management: Champion a safety-first culture by enforcing strict adherence to Gatik's Safety Management System (SMS) and PPE policies. Ensure total compliance with DOT, FMCSA, IFTA, vehicle registrations, DVIRs, HOS, and local fuel storage/permitting regulations. Direct immediate incident response, vehicle recovery operations, root-cause investigations, and regulatory reporting in coordination with Safety and Compliance leadership.
- Market Expansion & Scalable Growth: Execute Gatik's Market Launch Playbook to set up new depots, customer hubs, and expansion routes using Leader Standard Work (LSW). Support commercial growth by evaluating route feasibility and building strong relationships with local municipal authorities, landlords, and regional partners. Continuously identify operational bottlenecks to drive efficiency and scale route volume sustainably without proportional headcount or cost growth.
What we're looking for- 6-10+ years of operational leadership in freight logistics, depot operations, commercial fleet management, autonomous transportation, or high-velocity logistics hubs.
- Proven track record directly managing multi-disciplinary teams (fleet, safety, customer service, field technicians, shift supervisors).
- Deep expertise in middle-mile/last-mile freight flows, yard management systems, dock staging, and fleet fueling infrastructure.
- Solid mechanical understanding of commercial vehicle systems (brakes, powertrains, electrical systems, PM) with comfort operating in an R&D/technology environment.
- Hands-on experience negotiating vendor SLAs, managing regional maintenance providers, and holding suppliers accountable.
- Hands-on operational grit with a willingness to resolve real-time field disruptions on-site at local depots.
- Strong business acumen with the ability to link daily depot execution to commercial growth, vendor costs, and market profitability.
- Data-driven mindset skilled at using KPIs and diagnostic metrics to identify root causes and implement lasting fixes.
- Excellent communication and leadership presence to represent Gatik to enterprise clients, municipal officials, and local workforces.
Salary Range - $150,000-200,000
