Transport Manager

Location: Bolton

Reporting to: Warehouse Director

Salary: £35,000 - £37,500 depending on skills and experience

Hours of Work: Contracted 42.5 hours per week – Mon to Fri – 10am – 6pm

Our client is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers and distributors of bathroom products. The business has manufacturing operations in the UK (Halifax), China (Shanghai), and the UAE (Fujairah/Dubai), employing over 600 people across 6 sites with an annual turnover of £80m+. The majority of sales are into the UK market, mainly through online retailers, with a growing presence in North America.

Job Summary:

To safely and effectively manage drivers, fleet, 3rd party logistics providers, budgets, IT, and other resources in a customer-focused and cost-efficient manner to meet business requirements and support profitable growth. The role involves identifying risks, issues, and opportunities, and deploying innovative solutions to improve logistics services. The position reports directly to the Warehouse Director and oversees approximately 30 drivers, 3 administrative staff, and manages multiple third-party relationships with carriers such as DX, DPD, Parcelforce, and ArrowXL.

Key Areas of Responsibility:

• Manage vehicle routing effectively.
• Ensure all communication devices (PDA’s) are used correctly and fully benefit the operation.
• Oversee cost control and KPI performance, actively seeking efficiency improvements and cost reductions while meeting budgets.
• Manage 3PL providers by controlling expenditure, ensuring service excellence, and managing purchase orders and POD retrieval.
• Implement controls and procedures for customer service and communication.
• Maintain a customer-focused approach, understanding and exceeding customer requirements and quality standards.
• Keep up-to-date with transport legislation and industry best practices.
• Ensure adherence to Health & Safety regulations, including inductions, training, risk assessments, and incident reporting.
• Oversee vehicle management, including safety checks on owned/leased vehicles.
• Plan driver resources strategically to maximize fleet capacity and utilization while reducing labor costs.
• Participate in ad-hoc projects and other duties as assigned by senior management.
• Implement continuous improvement initiatives to enhance processes, reduce costs, and improve customer experience.
• Prioritize health and safety for yourself and colleagues, reporting hazards immediately.
• Comply with GDPR and Data Protection regulations.
• Maintain confidentiality of sensitive material.
• Promote and work in accordance with the company's Equal Opportunities Policy and the Equality Act (2010).

Skills, Knowledge, and Personal Attributes:

• Experience in a similar environment.
• Proven leadership and team management skills.
• Experience handling high-pressure situations and high order volumes.
• Strong customer service orientation.
• Creative and innovative thinking.
• IT proficiency across multiple platforms.
• Logical, systematic problem-solving skills.
• Excellent team-player qualities.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet targets.
• Commitment to continuous learning and professional growth.
• Professional, self-motivated, confident, positive, and flexible attitude.

Qualifications:

• Proficiency in Excel, Word, and transport routing software.
• Knowledge of health and safety legislation.

Benefits:

• Holidays – 22 days, increasing to 25 days after 3 years of service.
• Pension contribution of 4%.
• Death in service benefit of 2x annual salary.

If you have the relevant experience, we’d love to hear from you. Apply today!