Transport Manager

Transport Manager

c£55k + Excellent Benefits

Kent

Our client is a leading 3PL distributor, and we are delighted to support them in recruiting an experienced Transport Manager for their Kent operation. This is a key compliance-led appointment, responsible for maintaining effective control of transport activities and protecting the organisation’s operator licence.

Reporting to the General Manager and leading five direct reports, you will provide continuous and effective management of a busy multi-drop transport operation. With a fleet of approximately 100 units and 100 drivers, you will ensure that vehicles, drivers, records and operating practices remain safe, legal, roadworthy and audit-ready while supporting reliable customer service.

Key Accountabilities as Transport Manager:

• Exercise continuous and effective control of the transport operation, ensuring compliance with operator-licence undertakings, relevant road transport legislation and regulatory expectations.
• Own the vehicle roadworthiness regime, including daily defect reporting, planned safety inspections, maintenance scheduling, MOT readiness, repair close-out and the retention of complete maintenance records.
• Manage drivers’ hours, working time and tachograph compliance through timely data downloads, analysis, infringement investigation, coaching and proportionate corrective action.
• Ensure all drivers hold the correct vocational entitlement and current Driver CPC, with robust licence checks, induction, training and competency records in place.
• Maintain safe systems for vehicle loading, load security, overloading prevention and the operation of vehicles and equipment.
• Monitor compliance performance through meaningful KPIs, audits and trend analysis, escalating material risks and implementing documented corrective and preventive actions.
• Act as the primary operational contact for DVSA, the Traffic Commissioner and other relevant authorities, ensuring the site remains prepared for inspections, investigations and audits.
• Lead, coach and hold accountable the transport team and driver population, embedding a culture in which safety and legal compliance take priority over delivery pressure.
• Ensure work is planned and resourced so that routes can be completed legally, safely and profitably without encouraging speeding or breaches of drivers’ hours.
• Control transport costs within budget while ensuring that commercial decisions do not compromise maintenance standards, roadworthiness or legal compliance.
• Oversee incident, collision, prohibition and enforcement follow-up, identifying root causes and ensuring lessons learned are translated into improved controls.
• Maintain accurate policies, procedures and evidence across fleet, driver and subcontractor compliance, and keep the General Manager informed of emerging risks and required investment.

The Ideal Person for the Transport Manager role:

• Significant transport management experience within a multi-drop, FMCG, retail or similarly time-critical distribution environment.
• International or National Transport Manager CPC, with a strong working knowledge of operator licensing and the responsibilities of a named Transport Manager.
• Demonstrable experience of vehicle maintenance compliance, defect management, safety inspection controls and audit-ready record keeping.
• Strong knowledge of drivers’ hours, working-time requirements, tachograph systems and infringement management.
• A proven track record of managing DVSA-facing compliance, internal audits, investigations and corrective-action plans.
• Confident leadership skills, with the authority and judgement to stop unsafe activity and challenge decisions that could place the operator licence at risk.
• Commercial and budgetary capability, balanced with an uncompromising approach to safety, legality and roadworthiness.
• Strong analytical, organisational and communication skills, with the ability to prioritise risk and maintain effective control in a high-volume operation.
• Experience of developing managers, planners and drivers to create sustained compliance ownership across the transport function.

This is a fantastic opportunity – we look forward to your application.