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Chicago, Illinois, United States
Onsite
About 8Fleet:
8Fleet is a Los Angeles–based technology and logistics company building the operational infrastructure behind modern rideshare fleets, both autonomous and non-autonomous. We operate in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Atlanta, and Miami.
Chicago is one of our next markets, and we're hiring the person who will open it.
About the Role:
This is a new market. On day one there is no fleet in Chicago, no facility, and no local team. This role builds all three.
As Market Manager, you own Chicago end to end: you launch it, you run it, and you grow it.
Before go-live that means securing the physical footprint, building the local vendor bench, getting the first vehicles road-ready, activating the first cohort of drivers, and hiring the operations team you'll lead. After go-live it means owning day-to-day operations, the market's financial performance, and the plan that takes Chicago from a first cohort of drivers to a fully scaled market.
This is an operating job, not a planning one. You'll be in the lot, in the data, and in the details. Chicago will launch non-autonomous; autonomous operations are a possibility as the market matures, not part of the role at launch.
We're looking for someone who has done this before — who has opened something that didn't exist and carried it through its messy first months — and who wants to do it again with real ownership and real support behind them.
What You'll Own:
Launching the Market:
Secure and outfit Chicago's operating footprint — facility and lot space, equipment, and on-site workflows
Build the local vendor bench: maintenance and repair partners, cleaning, towing, and fueling or charging
Partner with central teams on the licensing, registration, and regulatory requirements needed to operate in Illinois
Get the first vehicles delivered, registered, inspected, and road-ready
Recruit, onboard, and activate Chicago's first cohort of drivers, then convert that into a repeatable supply process
Hire, onboard, and train the local operations team you'll lead
Document what works, so Chicago's launch makes the next market's faster
Running & Growing the Market:
Own day-to-day fleet operations: driver scheduling across 24-hour shift coverage, dispatch, vehicle availability, and performance monitoring
Own the maintenance and repair program, keeping utilization high and downtime low
Partner with the Growth team on driver recruiting, onboarding, and retention as supply scales
Support and train drivers on safety, platform best practices, and rider experience
Manage, coach, and develop the local operations team, adding headcount as volume grows
Grow the market: scale driver supply and fleet size, expand shift coverage and service area, and identify where the next increment of demand comes from
Build the market's growth plan and make the case for the investment it needs
Owning the Numbers:
Own Chicago's operating and financial metrics — utilization, revenue and cost per vehicle, driver retention, and contribution margin
Analyze market performance to find profitability and efficiency gaps, then close them
Build and manage the market's operating budget and report performance to company leadership on a regular cadence
Set and track the KPIs that carry Chicago from launch through scale
Safety & Compliance:
Ensure compliance with Illinois and City of Chicago requirements, applicable safety standards, and 8Fleet policy
Run regular safety audits and drive corrective action
Surface operational and regulatory risk early, with a recommendation attached
What You'll Bring:
4+ years in operations management, business consulting, or a comparable operating role, including ownership of business goals and the processes behind them
2+ years managing people directly, including hiring, coaching, and developing your own team
Direct experience opening something that didn't previously exist — a new market, site, facility, branch, region, or line of business — and running it through its first operating months
A track record of deciding and moving with incomplete information
Genuine comfort with data: you build the analysis yourself, draw the insight, and act on it
Strong communication across a wide range of audiences — drivers, hourly teams, vendors, city officials, and company leadership
BA/BS or equivalent practical operating experience
Based in Chicago, or willing to relocate ahead of launch. This role is on-site in market.
Willingness to work the hours a 24-hour operation demands, including early mornings, evenings, and weekends, particularly through launch
Valid driver's license and a clean driving record
Nice to Have:
Experience in rideshare, last-mile delivery, car rental, vehicle leasing, or another vehicle-heavy operation
Experience operating on or alongside Uber, Lyft, or similar platforms
Founder or early-employee experience
Familiarity with the Chicago metro market — its vendor landscape, labor market, and geography
Compensation:
Base salary range: $120,000–$130,000
This role is also eligible for an annual performance bonus and a stock option grant.
Equal Opportunity Employer:
8Fleet is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity on our team. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, marital status, military or veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
If you need a reasonable accommodation at any point in the application or interview process, please let us know and we'll work with you.
Disclaimer:
This job description describes the general nature of the role and is not an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, or requirements. It may be updated at any time.
