Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team to optimise transport routes and ensure timely deliveries.
- Company: Join apetito, the UK's leading food supplier for health and social care.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, 33 days holiday, and career development opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in logistics while ensuring exceptional service standards.
- Qualifications: Experience in transport planning and strong leadership skills required.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for growth and collaboration across teams.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
This job is brought to you by Jobs/Redefined, the UK's leading over-50s age inclusive jobs board.
Transport Planning Manager - Portbury
Hours: 40 per week, Monday-Friday
Core Hours: 08:00-17:00 (flexibility required to support occasional morning and afternoon shift cover)
We are looking for a proactive and highly organised Transport Planning Manager to lead our Portbury Transport Planning team. In this key operational role, you will ensure the delivery of achievable, cost-effective routes while supporting our commitment to exceptional service standards.
Reporting to the Distribution Operations Manager, you will oversee the day-to-day planning and execution of the national delivery schedule. You'll act as the escalation point for complex decisions and provide vital coordination between Transport Managers, the Distribution Projects & Compliance Manager, and other key departments.
Safety, compliance, and service excellence sit at the heart of this position, ensuring our customers receive their deliveries on time and as promised.
Key Responsibilities- Team Leadership
- Lead and develop a team of two Transport Planners, responsible for morning and evening planning shifts.
- Deliver all aspects of people management, including 1:1s, appraisals, constructive feedback, performance reviews, and overall wellbeing support.
- Operational Planning
- Manage daily delivery route planning to ensure efficiency, compliance, and cost control.
- Respond quickly and effectively to operational changes or disruptions.
- Ensure all planning adheres to legal requirements and internal standards.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Act as the main point of contact between transport, warehouse, and customer service teams.
- Address queries promptly, ensure SLA compliance, and keep customers informed of delivery progress.
This role is ideal for someone confident in making decisions, passionate about operational excellence, and skilled at working under pressure while maintaining accuracy and focus.
Who we are
apetito is the UK's leading food supplier to the health and social care sectors serving more than 1,300 care homes, health care and education settings. Our meals are expertly crafted by our dieticians and chefs, and then frozen to lock in the goodness. Wiltshire Farm Foods, our sister company, is the UK's largest ready meal supplier cooking and delivering over 330 different delicious frozen ready meals across the UK.
Responsibilities- Plan and organise driver routes to ensure staffing levels, route efficiency and performance meet the needs of the transport operation, while consistently delivering excellent customer service.
- Provide cover and operational support to the wider Transport team as required, ensuring continuity of service during busy periods or staff absence.
- Create compliant and efficient vehicle routes across the network, adhering to legal requirements such as vehicle weight limits, Working Time Directive (WTD) rules, and specific customer delivery standards.
- Work collaboratively with the Distribution Team to respond promptly to breakdowns, delays, or operational issues, ensuring customer services are kept fully updated on progress and impacts.
- Build strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders to gather insights, feedback and operational data, enabling continuous improvement and early identification of potential issues.
- Lead, motivate and develop direct reports, ensuring clear objectives, strong performance, adherence to KPIs, and development plans aligned with future business needs.
- Ensure compliance with all legal, Health & Safety and company procedures, taking swift action to address issues and maintain a safe, compliant and continuously improving safety culture.
- Collaborate with the Driver Trainer to drive improvements in driver performance, including safety standards, driving behaviour, fuel efficiency and overall operational effectiveness.
- Support cost-reduction and performance-optimisation initiatives, identifying opportunities to streamline routes, reduce waste and enhance operational efficiency.
- Participate in the on-call rota, providing out-of-hours support one week in every six to ensure issues are resolved promptly and operations remain uninterrupted.
- Experience in transport planning, logistics operations, or a similar managerial role.
- CPC in Road Transport Operations (Managers)
- Confident using dynamic Routing Software Packages
- Experience of using tracking and telematics application
- Knowledge of UK road networks, route optimisation and transport operating systems.
- Understanding of compliance requirements including vehicle safety, driver hours regulations and legal planning standards.
- Experience leading or supervising a small team.
- IT proficient, particularly with planning or fleet management systems and Microsoft Office tools.
- Strong organisational and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to work flexible hours to support operational needs.
- Previous experience in multi-drop food or FMCG delivery operations.
- Experience using SAP would be an advantage but is not essential.
- Strong Leadership Skills
- Proven ability to coach, motivate and develop a team, with experience managing performance and wellbeing.
- Operational Planning Expertise
- Skilled in route planning, logistics scheduling and day-to-day operational problem‑solving.
- Decision‑Making Under Pressure
- Confident making timely, informed decisions and handling escalation in a fast‑paced environment.
- Excellent Communication
- Able to clearly communicate with planners, drivers, warehouse teams, customer service teams & senior management to resolve issues and maintain service performance.
- Analytical and Detail‑Focused
- Able to interpret data, assess risk, and optimise routes for efficiency, compliance and cost control.
- Adaptability & Initiative
- Proactive in identifying improvements and responding swiftly to unexpected changes or challenges.
- Customer‑Centric Mindset
- Committed to maintaining high service levels and ensuring customers are kept informed.
- Strong Understanding of Transport Compliance
- Working knowledge of relevant legislation such as driver hours, WTD and transport safety standards.
- Competitive salary - accredited Living Wage employer
- 33 days holiday per year, including
Transport Planning Manager in Bristol employer: apetito
Contact Detail:
apetito Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Transport Planning Manager in Bristol
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the transport and logistics industry. Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its operations. Understand their values and how they align with your experience in transport planning. This will help you showcase your skills effectively and demonstrate that you're the right fit for the team.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your decision-making skills under pressure. Since this role involves quick thinking and problem-solving, consider mock interviews or scenarios where you can demonstrate your ability to handle operational challenges confidently.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive and engaged with our brand. Let’s get you that Transport Planning Manager role!
We think you need these skills to ace Transport Planning Manager in Bristol
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Transport Planning Manager role. Highlight your experience in transport planning and logistics operations, and don’t forget to mention any relevant qualifications like your CPC in Road Transport Operations.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: Since this role involves leading a team, it’s crucial to showcase your leadership skills. Share examples of how you've motivated and developed teams in the past, and how you’ve handled performance reviews or 1:1s.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, be clear and concise. Use bullet points where possible to make your achievements stand out, and ensure you address all key responsibilities mentioned in the job description.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you’re considered for the role without any hiccups!
How to prepare for a job interview at apetito
✨Know Your Stuff
Before the interview, make sure you brush up on your knowledge of transport planning and logistics operations. Familiarise yourself with the legal requirements and compliance standards relevant to the role. This will not only help you answer questions confidently but also show that you're serious about the position.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Transport Planning Manager, you'll be leading a team. Be prepared to discuss your experience in managing and developing teams. Think of specific examples where you've motivated your team or handled performance issues effectively. This will demonstrate your capability to lead and inspire others.
✨Be Ready for Problem-Solving Scenarios
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills, especially under pressure. Prepare some examples of how you've dealt with operational disruptions or made quick decisions in challenging situations. Highlight your analytical skills and how you use data to optimise routes and improve efficiency.
✨Communicate Clearly
Effective communication is key in this role. Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely. During the interview, ensure you listen carefully to questions and respond thoughtfully. This will showcase your ability to communicate with various stakeholders, from drivers to senior management.