Autonomous Vehicle Operations Lead

About the role

The Autonomous Vehicle Operations Lead will manage day-to-day activity for autonomous vehicle and robotaxi fleets that support testing initiatives, commercial ride-hailing operations, and new city rollouts across Europe.

In this depot-based leadership role, you will coordinate Safety Operators, Depot Specialists, Senior Technicians, and SDS Specialists to keep vehicles safe, ready, and deployment-capable. The position plays a key part in maintaining fleet availability, delivering on operational targets, and helping autonomous fleets launch and scale successfully.

This opportunity suits professionals with experience in fleet operations, mobility services, automotive operations, logistics, or transportation who are comfortable leading teams in fast-moving, technology-focused settings.

Key responsibilities

• Run the daily operations of autonomous vehicle and robotaxi fleets across one or more depot sites.
• Make sure vehicles are prepared for testing, commercial use, and autonomous ride-hailing service.
• Track fleet use, vehicle availability, charging plans, and operational readiness.
• Manage daily vehicle handovers, dispatches, and returns to improve fleet efficiency.
• Reduce vehicle downtime through careful planning and cross-team coordination.
• Supervise depot activity so operations remain safe, orderly, and efficient.
• Coordinate the efforts of Depot Specialists, Safety Operators, Senior Technicians, and SDS Specialists.
• Confirm that cleanliness, charging, inspection, and maintenance standards are met before vehicles go out.
• Help prepare depots for new city launches and fleet growth initiatives.
• Hire, onboard, train, and oversee operations staff.
• Create shift rotas that support 24/7 operations.
• Carry out performance reviews and coaching conversations.
• Build a workplace culture centered on safety, ownership, and ongoing improvement.
• Ensure team members follow operational procedures and safety requirements.
• Serve as the main operational point of contact for internal and external stakeholders.
• Work with engineering, product, technical, and fleet management teams on daily priorities.
• Prepare reports, KPI dashboards, and performance summaries.
• Escalate risks quickly and help define mitigation actions.
• Support customer visits, audits, and operational reviews.
• Track important metrics such as fleet availability, uptime, dispatch efficiency, depot productivity, and overall quality.
• Spot process improvements that lower downtime and strengthen fleet performance.
• Build and roll out standard operating procedures for autonomous vehicle work.
• Contribute to continuous improvement during scaling and commercial deployment.
• Ensure adherence to company policies, local rules, and operating procedures.
• Promote a strong safety mindset across all operational teams.
• Make sure incidents are investigated, documented, and resolved properly.
• Maintain compliance with health and safety expectations across fleet and depot operations.

Requirements

• At least 5 years of experience in fleet operations, automotive operations, transportation, logistics, mobility services, or a similar environment.
• Prior experience leading operational or technical teams.
• Background in shift-based or round-the-clock operations.
• Strong people leadership and team management abilities.
• Excellent organisation and planning skills.
• Comfort with KPI tracking and operational performance monitoring.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Fluency in English.
• Preferred: exposure to autonomous vehicles, robotaxi fleets, ADAS programmes, or automotive testing.
• Preferred: experience with EV fleet operations.
• Preferred: previous involvement in opening new operational sites or depots.
• Preferred: familiarity with fleet management systems and operational reporting tools.
• Preferred: additional European languages, depending on project location.
• The role is best suited to someone who can coordinate people, vehicles, depots, and processes while maintaining high standards of safety, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
• Candidates should be comfortable working in dynamic environments and solving operational challenges as autonomous fleets expand into new cities and markets.

What we offer

• Chance to lead large-scale autonomous vehicle and robotaxi fleet operations across Europe.
• Exposure to advanced self-driving technologies and commercial autonomous ride-hailing services.
• A leadership position supporting new city launches, depot setup, and fleet expansion.
• Close collaboration with engineering, product, and operations teams shaping the future of autonomous transport.
• Long-term growth opportunities in fleet management, autonomous mobility, and robotaxi operations.
• International projects connected to leading autonomous vehicle programmes.
• Comprehensive onboarding and continued professional development.

Additional information

The hiring process may involve artificial intelligence tools to help review applications, analyse resumes, assess responses, and flag potential inconsistencies or verification signals. These tools support the recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are made by people. For questions about data processing, the company can be contacted directly.