Job Title: General Manager, Fleet Operations (Self-Perform)
Location: Sarasota, FL, with significant travel to company fleet yards, maintenance shops, disaster-response locations, and project sites, including Houston and Minnesota. Travel is expected to exceed 50%.
Reports to: President, Ceres Environmental Services, Inc.
Compensation Range: $175,000 - $210,000.
Other Compensation: Eligible for annual performance bonus
Benefits: Comprehensive package including medical, dental, vision, 401(k) with company match, paid time off, relocation assistance, and travel opportunities
The Ceres Commitment
Ceres Environmental Services is a national leader in crisis management, rapid response, and disaster recovery, committed to rebuilding stronger, safer communities. Since 1976, Ceres has been awarded over $3.2 billion in government-funded contracts by helping people when they need it most.
We specialize in emergency response, environmental services, planning, and consulting, including debris removal, temporary roofing repairs, logistics, debris management, demolition, recycling, forest management, and coastal and marine restoration. As a licensed general contractor, we offer unparalleled expertise to restore stability where it’s needed most.
Driven by Purpose, Powered by People
At Ceres, we believe you’re more than just an employee, you’re part of a team with a purpose and a meaningful mission. Whether in management, field operations, or behind the scenes, every team member plays a vital role in restoring hope, helping communities recover, and rebuilding stronger.
We value initiative, respect diversity, and give our people the freedom to lead. We offer competitive pay, travel opportunities, and a culture built on resilience and teamwork.
If you show up with compassion, share the commitment, react with urgency, and deliver solutions, you’ll fit right in. We don’t just respond to challenges, we rise to them.
What We Are Looking For
The General Manager of Ceres Self-Performance Fleet Operations is the senior operational leader responsible for managing Ceres trucking fleet, field operations, strategy, and growth. This role requires a hands-on leader with deep knowledge of trucking, logistics, equipment utilization, field operations, and disaster recovery, capable of driving operational excellence, strengthening accountability, maximizing fleet utilization, and delivering profitable financial performance.
This position:
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Serves as the field facing operational leader for Ceres self-performing fleet, reporting directly to the President of Ceres Environmental Services.
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Manages drivers, operators, foremen, groundmen, supervisors, and other field support personnel assigned to our self-performance operations.
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Will be considered successful in the first 12 months by increasing fleet utilization, reducing downtime, strengthening cost and performance tracking, growing revenue toward $12M+, and building a culture of accountability and safety.
What You Will Do
Business Leadership & P&L Ownership
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Full financial accountability of Ceres fleet division, including revenue growth, cost structure, margin expansion, and capital allocation (Targets will be set within the first 30 days).
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Develop and execute a multi-year growth strategy. (0-6 months, 6-18 months, 18+ months goals)
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Develop non-typical work that supports year-round utilization of assets and does not rely solely on disaster recovery operations.
Operational Excellence & Fleet Performance
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Lead enterprise-wide strategy to maximize fleet utilization, uptime, and ROI across all owned assets.
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Ability to manage the deployments of trucks, trailers, and heavy equipment simultaneously across multiple projects and geographies, through subordinate leaders.
- Partner with India and Ceres Finance to implement advanced tracking, analytics, and performance metrics for utilization, downtime, fuel, and maintenance costs.
- Partner with equipment/maintenance teams to ensure best-in-class reliability and lifecycle management.
Field Leadership & Execution
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Serve as the senior field-facing executive for all self-performed operations and must be able to work interdepartmentally across Ceres.
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Work alongside HR and recruiting to staff and lead a workforce including drivers, operators, foremen, and supervisors, building a high-accountability, performance-driven culture.
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Ensure seamless integration with operations, project management, and dispatch teams to deliver results in high-pressure environments.
Strategic Collaboration & Growth
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Partner with executive leadership to align fleet capabilities with enterprise growth strategy.
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Support business development efforts by positioning fleet as a competitive differentiator in disaster response and environmental services.
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Represent Ceres externally with clients, municipalities, agencies, and industry partners.
Risk, Compliance & Safety Leadership
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Ensure full compliance with DOT, federal/state regulations, and safety standards.
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Champion a zero-incident safety culture across all fleet operations.
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Protect company assets through risk management and operational controls.
Required Qualifications
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Bachelor’s degree in business, Supply Chain, Logistics, Transportation, or related field; MBA preferred.
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10+ years’ experience in trucking, logistics, disaster recovery, or a closely related industry.
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5+ years in a management, operational leadership role overseeing fleets, logistics, or other asset-intensive operations.
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Proven track record of managing $5M+ in profitable annual revenue with full P&L accountability.
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Knowledge of Microsoft Office software, including strong working knowledge of Excel and other utilization tracking software, cost reporting, budgeting, and operational performance.
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Experience leading multi-site operations and supervising diverse teams, including drivers, foremen, and operational staff.
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Strong financial acumen, including expertise in budgeting, forecasting, and operational reporting, fuel performance, utilization, downtime, and repair costs.
- Demonstrated ability to lead effectively in high-pressure, disaster recovery or emergency response environments.
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Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills across internal teams and external stakeholders.
Preferred Qualifications
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CDL or in-depth knowledge of trucking operations.
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Experience in disaster recovery contracting or government-funded projects.
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Experience managing owned fleet assets, self-performing crews, equipment operators, and multi-site field operations.
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Previous responsibility for 20+ employees
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History of growing revenues and profits
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Advanced degree (MBA or similar).
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Experience scaling operations (in revenue).
What to Expect
This role is fast-paced, hands-on, and mission-driven. The General Manager will spend significant time both in Sarasota headquarters and in the field, traveling frequently (50%+) to project sites across the U.S. The position requires availability for urgent and emergency response, including nights and weekends during disaster recovery events.
You can expect a collaborative, purpose-driven culture, but also high expectations around accountability, compliance, safety, field presence, and operational results. Success means building trust with drivers, foremen, clients, and leadership while ensuring fleet and self-performance operations are efficient, profitable, and sustainable.
Physical Requirements and Environment
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Ability to stand, walk, sit, climb, and balance in varying conditions.
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Willingness to wear PPE (hard hat, protective eyewear, steel-toed boots, etc.).
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Ability to work in challenging environments, including adverse weather, elevated or confined spaces, extreme temperatures, and noisy surroundings.
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Commitment to following strict safety protocols.
Why Join Ceres?
At Ceres, you won’t just have a job, you’ll have a mission. Your work will directly impact the speed and strength of community recovery after disasters.
We offer:
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A collaborative, mission-driven culture.
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Opportunities for professional growth and advancement.
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The opportunity to build and lead a disciplined self-performance operation that directly supports field execution, fleet readiness, and emergency response missions when communities need help the most.
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The chance to make a lasting difference for communities across the U.S.
Ceres Environmental is proud to be an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to age, race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, disability status, or protected veteran status.
E-Verify: We comply with Federal law by verifying employment eligibility.
