Senior Fleet Maintenance Manager
Riggs Tree Service · Okmulgee, OK ·
- Seniority
- Senior
- Category
- Management
Senior Fleet Maintenance Manager – Utility Vegetation Management
Riggs Tree Service, LLC
This is not a traditional shop manager position.
Riggs Tree Service is searching for an accomplished Senior Fleet Maintenance Manager with the leadership experience, technical expertise, and operational mindset to lead the maintenance and reliability of a specialized Utility Vegetation Management (UVM) fleet.
We're looking for a rare combination: a proven leader who understands fleet strategy AND knows the equipment.
The ideal candidate has led mechanics and technicians, managed heavy-duty or specialized equipment fleets, built effective preventive maintenance programs, reduced equipment downtime, controlled maintenance costs, and understands how fleet reliability directly impacts field production.
Experience with utility vegetation management, tree care, forestry, utility contracting, or comparable specialized heavy-equipment operations will immediately get our attention.
What You'll Lead
Reporting directly to the CEO, you will provide leadership over fleet maintenance, repair, reliability, compliance, and operational readiness.
You will be responsible for:
- Leading, mentoring, and developing mechanics and technicians
- Developing and improving preventive maintenance programs
- Overseeing maintenance, inspections, diagnostics, complex repairs, and emergency repairs
- Driving equipment uptime and reducing preventable downtime
- Prioritizing repairs based on safety, field operations, crew needs, and equipment availability
- Monitoring fleet performance, repair trends, maintenance costs, and fuel consumption
- Managing maintenance budgets, parts, vendors, rentals, and outside repair services
- Evaluating repair-versus-replace decisions and total cost of ownership
- Advising leadership on fleet purchases, specifications, equipment suitability, and disposal
- Maintaining accurate, audit-ready maintenance and compliance records
- Promoting a strong safety and accountability culture throughout fleet operations
The Experience We're Looking For
Strong candidates will bring:
- Proven leadership experience in fleet maintenance, heavy-equipment maintenance, or a closely related operation
- Experience successfully leading and developing mechanics and technicians
- Strong hands-on mechanical and diagnostic knowledge
- Extensive knowledge of diesel and gasoline engines, hydraulics, electrical systems, and heavy-duty equipment
- Experience developing and managing preventive maintenance programs
- Experience managing fleet reliability, repair scheduling, and equipment lifecycle
- Strong understanding of maintenance costs, budgeting, and repair-versus-replacement decisions
- Experience using fleet-management systems, maintenance records, reporting, and performance metrics
- Strong knowledge of fleet safety and regulatory compliance
UVM / Specialized Equipment Experience
Candidates with direct experience maintaining fleets supporting Utility Vegetation Management, tree care, forestry, right-of-way, utilities, or similar field operations are strongly encouraged to apply.
Experience with equipment such as:
- Aerial bucket trucks and aerial devices
- Wood chippers
- Crane trucks
- Stump grinders
- Commercial trucks
- Hydraulic equipment
- Specialized tree-care and vegetation-management equipment is highly desirable.
This Role Is for a Leader Who Still Knows the Equipment
We're not looking for someone whose only experience is managing spreadsheets and work orders.
And we're not simply looking for the best mechanic in the shop.
We're looking for someone who can lead the entire maintenance operation.
You understand that when a critical piece of equipment is down, the impact reaches far beyond the maintenance shop. It affects crews, production, customers, safety, and the company's bottom line.
You know how to identify recurring failures, improve preventive maintenance, develop technicians, establish accountability, manage costs, and make sound decisions about when equipment should be repaired, replaced, or retired.
At the same time, you have enough technical depth to walk into the shop, understand a difficult mechanical, hydraulic, or electrical issue, ask the right questions, and earn the respect of experienced mechanics.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in utility vegetation management, arboriculture, forestry, utilities, construction, or specialized heavy equipment
- Associate degree or technical certification in Heavy-Duty Diesel, Fleet Management, or a related field
- Experience with aerial devices, bucket trucks, chippers, crane trucks, and other specialized equipment
- CDL or ability to obtain one
- Relevant fleet, equipment, technical, or safety certifications
Why Riggs Tree Service?
This is an opportunity to take ownership of a critical operational function and have a direct impact on fleet reliability, equipment uptime, maintenance performance, safety, and company growth.
You'll work directly with senior leadership and have the opportunity to influence how Riggs Tree Service maintains its fleet, develops its maintenance team, manages costs, evaluates equipment, and prepares fleet operations for the future.
Think You're the One?
You don't need to be actively looking for a new job to have a conversation with us.
If you've built or led a high-performing heavy-equipment maintenance operation—and especially if you understand the unique demands of utility vegetation management equipment—we want to hear from you.
Bring us your leadership. Bring us your fleet expertise. Bring us your ideas for making a specialized fleet safer, stronger, and more reliable.