Transport Manager in Dunstable

An excellent opportunity has arisen for an experienced Transport Manager to join our client, a leading Health & Beauty Supplier. This role will be a temporary role, potentially leading to a permanent position in the future.

The Transport Manager holds the primary responsibility for overseeing all aspects of transport operations. This includes managing outbound shipments and trunking activities between distribution centres and third‑party hub sites. A key focus is ensuring that store deliveries are punctual and complete, which is monitored through system data and feedback from stores, all within an established budget. The role also involves motivating and leading the transport teams to adopt best practices and achieve logistical excellence. By doing so, the Transport Manager helps ensure that stores maximise product availability, thereby enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty. The position requires a strategic approach to logistics management, continuous improvement in operational efficiency, and effective team leadership to meet organisational goals and customer expectations.

As an active member of the senior management team, your focus on building and maintaining a motivated and skilled team is key. It will be your responsibility to oversee the daily operations of the team, ensuring efficient and effective performance. You will guide their activities, fostering a collaborative environment that promotes continuous improvement, developing a positive and dynamic organisational culture & encouraging team members to innovate and adapt to changing circumstances.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain a transport operation that meets all relevant legal obligations and company standards of operation.
• Safety and Compliance – ensure Health & Safety & Legal Compliance across your department.
• Security – effectively manage the security of property, product and transport assets through consistent delivery of agreed protocols.
• Service and Delivery Performance – work collaboratively with other departments and third‑party providers to ensure 100% customer satisfaction whilst complying with Health, Safety & Legal requirements.
• Cost and efficiency – ensure agreed budgets are met and variances accounted for in the delivery of services to the business, taking prompt action to address any overspend.

What we are looking for

• Ability to engage, communicate and lead a team efficiently.
• People focused with a strong appreciation of the Success Drivers.
• Strong experience within a broad and technical transport operation.
• A comprehensive awareness of activities of other jobs and departments with the ability to appreciate what other departments do and how this affects their own role.
• Required to plan and organise own work, within own parameters.
• Ability to persuade, influence and engage peers, team members and senior management.
• Actively listens, presents information in an appropriate style making technical information clear.
• Discretion to make decisions within normal working parameters and company policy.
• Aware of profitability needs within own area with an understanding of key performance indicators.
• Demonstrates a positive attitude and is self‑motivated.
• Common‑sense and practical approach to problem solving.
• Proactive – using analytical skills to seek solutions.
• Flexible and able to work under pressure and to tight deadlines.
• Able to work unsupervised & in a professional manner.
• Strong organisational and planning skills.
• Organised, articulate and understands aspects of the wider business.
• CPC Transport Manager Level 3 qualified (essential).

What\'s in it for you

GBP 52,000 per year plus the ability to earn an additional performance‑related bonus available up to 7.5% of annual salary.

25 days annual leave (plus Public Holidays) rising to 28 after 3 years, then an additional day per year to a maximum of 30 days.

Excellent career progression.