General Manager - Madison BCycle

Reports To: Chief Business Officer

Location: Madison, WI

Job Type: Full time, Exempt

Schedule: Monday-Thursday, 8:30am-5:00pm, 4 days per week

Founded in 2014, Bicycle Transit Systems is a woman-owned business that operates and manages bike share programs nationwide along with our customer service call center. Our mission is to operate bike share systems that create connections in our communities and protect our planet. Bicycle Transit Systems employees provide safe, seamless, reliable, and memorable customer experiences, and create mutually rewarding relationships with our riders, suppliers, clients, and community partners. Bicycle Transit Systems operates under a 32 hour/week, four-day work week.

Madison BCycle is seeking a dynamic, entrepreneurial, and results-oriented General Manager to lead our bike share system in Madison, WI. The General Manager serves as the local business leader for Madison BCycle and is responsible for system performance, operational excellence, team leadership, stakeholder relationships, revenue growth, and community impact.

This role requires a thoughtful and proactive leader who can balance strategic thinking with strong day-to-day execution. The ideal candidate is a confident decision maker, clear communicator, and detail-oriented operator who takes ownership of business results, identifies opportunities and challenges early, and independently drives work forward while staying closely aligned with Bicycle Transit Systems’ Central leadership team.

The General Manager will be responsible for developing and executing strategies to meet ridership, revenue, operational, customer experience, and community engagement goals. This person must be comfortable working in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment with evolving priorities, limited resources, and a high degree of local accountability. Success in this role requires the ability to analyze performance, communicate clearly, build strong internal and external relationships, and lead the Madison BCycle team with accountability, empathy, and focus.

The General Manager reports to the Chief Business Officer and is responsible for managing and developing local team members, formulating and executing Madison BCycle strategies, supporting Bicycle Transit Systems’ commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, and ensuring the long-term success and sustainability of the Madison BCycle system.

A few of the benefits we offer:    

• Competitive compensation package  Affordable medical, dental, and vision insurance options  401k with up to 4% employer match  4-Day work week3 weeks PTO + 7 days sick time off per yearPaid parental leave

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership and Business OwnershipServe as the local business leader for Madison BCycle, taking ownership of system performance across ridership, revenue, customer experience, operational reliability, team effectiveness, community impact, and financial results.Lead the development, execution, and ongoing refinement of Madison BCycle goals and strategies in alignment with Bicycle Transit Systems’ broader company priorities.Lead the development of local system goals and strategy in collaboration with local staff, Bicycle Transit Systems’ Central team, the City of Madison, Fitchburg, Monona, sponsors, and other key stakeholders.Translate high-level strategic objectives into clear local action plans, measurable goals, timelines, and team responsibilities.Proactively identify risks, opportunities, operational gaps, and business challenges; develop recommended solutions and communicate them clearly to Central leadership.Exercise sound independent judgment and initiative while maintaining strong alignment with the Chief Business Officer, Central leadership, and cross-functional support teams.Participate in the development and implementation of equitable bike share initiatives.Regularly review system performance data, pricing, customer service policies, ridership trends, and market conditions to identify opportunities for growth, improved efficiency, stronger customer experience, and long-term sustainability.Recommend modifications to pricing, promotions, customer service policies, and system strategies, and coordinate implementation with appropriate internal teams.Operations, Team Leadership, and Execution

Work closely with the Madison BCycle Operations Manager to ensure operational integrity of the system, including bike availability, station performance, maintenance quality, field productivity, safety, and customer experience.Set clear expectations for outcomes, productivity, communication, and accountability; lead the team to deliver against those expectations.Build and maintain a strong local team culture aligned with Bicycle Transit Systems’ mission, vision, values, and commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.Develop, coach, and support team members while addressing performance concerns directly, professionally, and in a timely manner.Support the scalable growth of the company by developing and enabling the success of each member of the team.Inform and support human resource modeling, planning, and training to ensure local adoption of policies and practices that facilitate a positive employee life cycle.Maintain strong attention to detail in planning, reporting, contract compliance, financial oversight, stakeholder follow-up, and operational execution.Listen to customers and develop tools, processes, and metrics to reduce customer issues and increase satisfaction.Financial Performance, Revenue Growth, and Partnerships

Own local financial performance in partnership with Finance and Central leadership, including budget management, revenue performance, expense control, and progress toward system sustainability.Analyze financial and operational performance to identify areas for improvement; develop and implement action plans in collaboration with key stakeholders.Monitor and manage the Madison BCycle budget in collaboration with the Finance department.Grow the business by building and maintaining productive relationships with municipal stakeholders, program sponsors, employers, institutions, riders, community partners, and other local partners.Work closely with the Director of Business Development to identify, pursue, secure, and maintain revenue-generating partnerships at the local level.Manage sponsorship relationships, ensure contract compliance, and coordinate successful execution between MadisonBCycle, sponsors, local staff, and Central support teams.Manage advertising relationships with selected vendors; coordinate activities for successful advertising programs between Madison BCycle, advertising customers, prospects, local staff, and Bicycle Transit Systems.Communication, Reporting, and Stakeholder Management

Communicate proactively, clearly, and professionally with Central leadership, local staff, municipal partners, sponsors, community stakeholders, and customers.Provide regular reporting and analysis to Bicycle Transit Systems senior leadership, including clear summaries of performance trends, risks, priorities, and recommended actions.Prepare for and lead stakeholder meetings with strong attention to context, details, follow-up items, and relationship management.Represent Madison BCycle professionally in the community and serve as a visible local advocate for bike share, sustainable transportation, and equitable mobility.Collaborate effectively with local and Central teams, ensuring that relevant information is shared in a timely, organized, and actionable manner.Analytics and Continuous Improvement

Perform weekly reporting and analysis to identify opportunities for growth and improvement across the business.Provide program reporting to Bicycle Transit Systems senior leadership.Develop processes to track key metrics, measure growth, and evaluate progress against local and company-wide goals.Use internal and external data to project growth opportunities and inform operational, financial, marketing, and partnership decisions.Champion continuous improvement by identifying root causes, improving processes, and following through on measurable solutions.

Core Competencies:

Business Ownership: Takes full ownership of local system performance and business results. Demonstrates urgency, initiative, follow-through, and accountability. Proactively identifies issues, develops solutions, and drives work forward.

Strategic Thinking: Understands the broader business context, anticipates challenges and opportunities, connects day-to-day decisions to long-term goals, and translates strategy into actionable plans.

Leadership Skills: Inspires and motivates employees to achieve operational and business goals; provides a stable, positive environment that challenges and develops employee potential; removes obstacles that interfere with team success; earns respect from team members, clients, partners, and Central leadership.

Communication Skills: Communicates clearly, proactively, and professionally in written, verbal, and presentation settings. Provides appropriate context, escalates issues early, follows through on commitments, and adapts communication style to different audiences.

Execution and Attention to Detail: Manages complex work with accuracy, organization, and follow-through. Tracks commitments, meets deadlines, prepares thoroughly, and ensures details are not lost between strategy, communication, and implementation.

Emotional Intelligence: Self-aware and able to establish trust and credibility with clients, staff, partners, and colleagues. Leads with empathy while holding self and others accountable.

Delegation and Project Management: Clearly outlines project goals, deliverables, timelines, and owners. Delegates effectively, manages milestones, and holds team members accountable for results. Identifies priorities and focuses on the most critical work.

Resource Management: Works collaboratively with the team to accomplish goals in the face of resource constraints. Develops and manages realistic operating budgets that support program objectives.

Continuous Improvement: Uses data, stakeholder feedback, and company best practices to improve efficiency, performance, customer experience, and team effectiveness.

Problem Solving: Identifies, analyzes, and understands root causes of issues; develops practical, measurable solutions; and follows through to implementation.

Adaptability: Enthusiastically adapts to changes in the work environment, manages competing demands, and maintains team focus and optimism when dealing with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events.

Collaboration with Central Leadership: Operates independently while staying aligned with company strategy, shared services, and Central leadership expectations. Knows when to make decisions locally and when to seek input, support, or escalation.

Education and/or Work Experience Requirements:  

• College degree in business administration, transportation, urban planning, public administration, nonprofit management, orrelatedfield preferred; equivalent professional experience will be considered.8+ years of demonstrated leadership experience, including responsibility for team performance, operational execution, stakeholder relationships, and business results.Demonstrated ability to operate independently in a leadership role, proactively identify priorities, solve problems, and drive initiatives forward with limited day-to-day direction.Prior experience managing a budget, including P&L responsibility; analyzing financial and operational data; and developing action plans to improve business performance.Demonstrated experience overseeing sales, sponsorship, partnership, business development, or revenue-growth initiatives.Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including strong presentation skills and the ability to provide clear executive-level updates.Strong attention to detail and demonstrated ability to manage complex work, stakeholder follow-up, reporting, and cross-functional execution.Demonstrated leadership experience and history of successfully developing and retaining key employees.Experience working with government, businesses, institutions, community organizations, and/or non-profits is strongly preferred.Strong computer aptitude, including highproficiencyin Microsoft 365 applications and prior experience using project management software.Good negotiation skills and ability to build mutually beneficial relationships with partners and stakeholders.Passion for bikes, sustainability, transportation, cities, or community impact a plus.

Physical Requirements and Special Demands:  The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. 

• This is a full-time position expected to work 32 hours per week. Some hours outside of this, including nights and weekends, may be required. 

  Must be able to perform field visits and travel to client/vendor meetings.   

  This role requires an on-site presence in the office to address ad-hoc, in-person requests and personnel matters.Working a shift from home can be accommodated on occasion, depending on department and system needs.   

  This job operates in a professional office located in a warehouse environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers and digital screens.  

  Must be able to lift up to 55lbs.   

  This role requires the ability to speak clearly so listeners can understand, understand the speech of another person, see details of objects that are less than a few feet away, stand or sit for several hours straight at a time, and bend or stoop as necessary.  
  
  
  

We are an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.