Transport Planner & Operations Coordinator
Location: Tipton, West Midlands
Hours: 8:00am–5:00pm, Monday to Friday
Reporting to: Transport Manager
Fleet: 20+ commercial vehicles
Deliveries: 200+ per week across mainland UK
About the Role
We are looking for an organised, analytical and commercially minded Transport Planner & Operations Coordinator to join our busy transport operation based primarily at our Tipton, West Midlands site.
We operate a mixed commercial vehicle fleet of over 20 vehicles, including 3.5t, 7.5t and 18t vehicles, including HIAB/crane-equipped vehicles, delivering site equipment and construction materials throughout mainland UK.
This is a hands-on planning role with real responsibility. You will personally plan and coordinate daily deliveries using MaxOptra, ensuring that our vehicles are utilised as effectively as possible while taking into account the practical realities of the operation.
The successful candidate will be comfortable working with data and technology but will also understand that good transport planning requires human judgement. The objective is not simply to accept what a planning system produces, but to understand the reasons behind exceptions, make sensible operational decisions and continually improve the way we plan our transport.
You will work closely with the Transport Manager, drivers, operational teams and data team, providing day-to-day planning support while developing your knowledge of fleet management, vehicle maintenance and UK transport compliance.
This is an excellent opportunity for someone with experience in logistics, transport planning, operations or data-led planning who wants to develop into a broader transport operations role.
Key ResponsibilitiesTransport Planning & Route Optimisation
- Personally plan daily delivery routes and vehicle schedules using MaxOptra.
- Plan and coordinate 200+ deliveries per week across mainland UK.
- Ensure the most effective use is made of available vehicle capacity, driver availability and routing technology.
- Balance system-generated routes with practical operational considerations.
- Consider vehicle type, payload, dimensions, delivery requirements, access restrictions, delivery time windows and specialist vehicle requirements when allocating work.
- Ensure appropriate use of HIAB/crane-equipped vehicles where required.
- Identify opportunities to reduce unnecessary mileage, empty running, vehicle downtime and inefficient journeys.
- Manage changes to planned routes and loads as operational circumstances change.
- React quickly and logically to breakdowns, failed deliveries, customer changes, traffic disruption and other unforeseen problems.
- Work with the data team to investigate abnormal mileage or routing patterns and identify ways of preventing repeat issues.
- Help continually improve the use and configuration of MaxOptra and transport planning processes.
Daily Transport Operations
- Coordinate closely with drivers and operational colleagues to ensure planned deliveries can be completed safely and efficiently.
- Communicate daily routes, changes and operational requirements clearly.
- Liaise with customers where required regarding delivery arrangements and changes.
- Help resolve delivery issues and contribute to the resolution of customer and operational problems.
- Reallocate vehicles, loads and routes when circumstances require, using experience and judgement.
- Ensure that operational decisions consider both efficiency and the practical requirements of drivers and customers.
- Escalate significant operational issues to the Transport Manager promptly.
Fleet & Vehicle Support
Working under the guidance of the Transport Manager:
- Assist with the coordination of vehicle servicing, inspections, MOTs and planned maintenance.
- Monitor upcoming maintenance and compliance requirements and ensure issues are brought to the Transport Manager's attention.
- Help coordinate vehicle availability around planned maintenance and operational requirements.
- Support the Transport Manager with maintaining accurate fleet records.
- Ensure reported vehicle defects or maintenance concerns are communicated promptly.
- Develop knowledge of fleet maintenance requirements and the practical operation of a commercial vehicle fleet.
- Help minimise avoidable vehicle downtime through effective planning and communication.
Transport Compliance
The role will provide practical support to the Transport Manager in maintaining a compliant transport operation.
This will include developing knowledge and understanding of areas such as:
- Operator Licence requirements
- Vehicle safety and inspection requirements
- MOT and maintenance requirements
- Driver hours and tachograph requirements
- Working Time Regulations
- Driver CPC requirements
- Defect reporting
- Vehicle and driver documentation
- DVSA requirements and transport legislation
You will support the Transport Manager rather than replace their formal responsibilities, with the opportunity to develop your knowledge of transport compliance as your experience grows.
Data, Systems & Continuous Improvement
We are looking for someone who is comfortable using technology and data to improve the operation.
- Make full and effective use of MaxOptra and other available systems.
- Use Excel confidently to analyse and organise transport information.
- Identify unusual mileage, routing or utilisation patterns.
- Work with the data team to understand the causes of anomalies.
- Look beyond individual problems to identify recurring issues and opportunities for improvement.
- Use data, technology and AI tools appropriately to improve planning, administration and efficiency.
- Help develop better processes rather than simply accepting existing ways of working.
- Maintain accurate transport planning and operational information.
What We're Looking For
We are not necessarily looking for someone who has already done every aspect of this role.
We are particularly interested in people who demonstrate strong organisational ability, problem-solving skills, analytical thinking and confidence with IT and data.
You may come from a background such as:
- Transport planning
- Logistics coordination
- Distribution
- Supply chain
- Fleet operations
- Transport administration
- Logistics analysis
- Data-led operational planning
Essential Skills & Attributes
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
- Excellent problem-solving ability.
- Confident using IT systems and learning new software.
- Good working knowledge of Excel.
- Comfortable working with data and identifying patterns or anomalies.
- Able to make sensible decisions under pressure.
- Excellent attention to detail.
- Strong communication skills with drivers, customers and colleagues.
- Able to work independently while knowing when to escalate an issue.
- Practical and commercially minded approach to problem-solving.
- Willingness to learn UK commercial transport legislation and compliance requirements.
- Ability to challenge inefficient processes constructively and look for better solutions.
Desirable Experience
Experience of any of the following would be advantageous:
- Commercial vehicle transport planning.
- Route optimisation software, particularly MaxOptra.
- Managing or coordinating a mixed vehicle fleet.
- Construction materials or site equipment distribution.
- HIAB/crane vehicle operations.
- Driver scheduling.
- Fleet maintenance coordination.
- Tachograph or driver-hours systems.
- UK transport compliance.
- Advanced Excel, data analysis or reporting.
- Using AI tools to improve business processes and productivity.
The Person
We are looking for someone who is naturally organised, inquisitive and solutions-focused.
You will not be successful in this role if you simply follow a computer-generated plan without questioning whether it makes sense.
You should be the type of person who sees an unusual mileage figure and asks “Why?”, investigates the reason, discusses it with the relevant team and looks for a way to prevent the same problem happening again.
You will need to balance data with common sense, system optimisation with real-world delivery requirements, and transport efficiency with the needs of drivers and customers.
The role will suit someone who wants to develop their career within transport and logistics and who has the ability and ambition to become an increasingly important part of the transport management function.
Working Environment
This is primarily an office-based role at our Tipton, West Midlands operation, working closely with the wider transport and operational teams.
Normal working hours are 8:00am–5:00pm, Monday to Friday, although occasional flexibility may be required to support the operation.
There is no normal requirement to work bank holidays.
Why Join Us?
This is an opportunity to join an established transport operation where you will have a genuine opportunity to influence how we work.
Rather than being purely administrative, the role combines:
Route Planning + Data + Technology + Fleet Operations + Problem Solving + Transport Compliance
You will work directly with the Transport Manager and have the opportunity to develop your knowledge
Pay: £29,000.00-£35,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
