ABOUT 4MATIV TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
4MATIV Technologies manages multi-modal mobility for school systems nationwide with technology to expand options and enhance service. We envision a future where all children have access to the learning opportunities that maximize their potential, and we are reimagining transportation to accelerate student outcomes.
We partner with schools to improve service, safety, and holistic sustainability, ensuring all students have access to the right ride. Currently, we manage transportation for over 50 school districts across cities including Houston, Indianapolis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, and Phoenix, simplifying operations and expanding services for families. Every school day, 4MATIV manages outsourced vendors and operates a contact center supporting more than 22,000 student trips across over 1,000 routes for schools across the country.
Our team is committed to:
- Working shoulder-to-shoulder with our clients as a mission-aligned and trusted partner
- Building user-centered products to create lasting impact for districts and students
- Valuing diversity of perspectives and experiences
- Care for every detail and outcome
- Highest standards of service and safety
- Constant learning and improvement
POSITION OVERVIEW
4MATIV is continuing to expand its vendor network to support increasing service demand across key markets. As we grow, there is a need for strong, localized oversight to ensure vendors are meeting expectations for safety, service quality, and accountability.
The Vendor Field Response Manager will play a critical role in supporting vendor performance through direct, in-field oversight. This role is responsible for responding to vendor-related incidents, proactively addressing issues at school sites and bus stops, conducting on-site audits, and validating that vendors are operating in alignment with 4MATIV’s standards in real time.
This position requires a consistent field presence, balanced with day-to-day operational oversight. The individual in this role is expected to be actively engaged both on-site at vendor locations, schools, and along routes and behind the scenes, managing incident follow-up, reviewing reports and footage, and coordinating with internal teams and vendor partners. Success in this role depends on visibility in the field and the ability to navigate dynamic, time-sensitive situations, while also staying organized and responsive in a fast-moving operational environment.
The ideal candidate is action-oriented, detail-driven, and comfortable managing real-time challenges as they arise. This individual will be responsible for identifying risks as they emerge, and reinforcing expectations directly with vendor partners, while contributing insights that inform broader vendor performance management efforts.
The Vendor Management function operates as an integrated system, with distinct but complementary roles across vendor sourcing, compliance, field response, and strategic oversight.
This role works in close partnership with Vendor Management team members, as well as Accounts, Finance, and Operations, to ensure vendors are effectively sourced, onboarded, monitored, and held accountable. Together, these functions support safe, reliable service delivery while maintaining clear ownership across vendor strategy, execution support, and financial alignment.
LOCATION
- Minneapolis / St. Paul Metro Area
- Hybrid: Primarily remote with regular on-site responsibilities at school locations and bus yards
RESPONSIBILITIES
Vendor Oversight & Accountability
- Serve as the primary point of contact for vendor-related performance and service concerns
- Monitor vendor adherence to service expectations
- Reinforce accountability for missed stops, delays, and service failures through structured follow-up
Incident Response & Vendor Escalation
- Lead vendor-side response to incidents, ensuring appropriate investigation and resolution
- Coordinate with internal teams to gather details on incidents and achieve resolution
- Escalate high-risk or repeat issues to VP, Vendor Strategy & Services
- Thoroughly document incidents to support compliance requirements, stakeholder updates, and potential contractual enforcement actions
Field Audits & Compliance Validation
- Conduct in-field audits focused on vendor readiness, driver compliance, and vehicle standards
- Validate that vendors are operating in alignment with contractual and regulatory expectations
- Surface risks and compliance gaps for escalation and resolution
Performance Monitoring
- Identify recurring vendor performance issues and patterns
- Provide frontline insights to inform performance management decisions
- Support enforcement of corrective actions defined by leadership
Cross-Functional Coordination
- Partner with Operations to align on service issues and resolution paths
- Collaborate with Compliance & Performance Manager to ensure consistency in standards and enforcement
Education & Experience
- Bachelor's degree preferred; high school diploma or equivalent required
- 3–5+ years of experience in transportation, logistics, field operations, or similar environment
- Required: experience working with vendors, drivers, or service providers in a fast-paced environment
- Preferred: direct field-based experience responding to real-time issues or incidents
- Preferred: experience conducting inspections, audits, or on-site validations
Technical Skills:
- Ability to document incidents clearly and accurately in real time
- Familiarity with GPS tracking systems or operational tools (preferred)
- Proficiency in Google Workspace or similar tools
- Ability to interpret service expectations and identify gaps in execution
- Strong situational awareness and decision-making in dynamic environments
Core Competencies
- Mission Alignment – Motivated by improving outcomes for schools and families and contributing to a meaningful, service-oriented mission
- Ownership & Results Orientation – Takes full ownership of accounts and follows through on issues end-to-end, prioritizing effectively to drive outcomes
- Service Mindset – Maintains professionalism, care, and accountability in all interactions, including challenging situations
- Operational Rigor – Strong attention to detail and ability to manage complex systems, data, and processes
- Strategic Thinking – Anticipates needs, prioritizes what matters most, and drives thoughtful decisions around service design, routing, and account performance
- Interpersonal & Relationship Management Skills – Builds trust with a wide range of stakeholders and leads conversations with clarity and confidence
- Communication – Clear, direct, and responsive across internal teams and school partners
- Adaptability – Comfortable operating in a fast-moving, ambiguous environment
- Collaboration – Works effectively across teams to drive outcomes
Salary Range: $50,000 – $80,000, per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Vision insurance
