Job Description:
Join one of the UK’s leading specialist transport and logistics providers.
Fly By Nite is a trusted transport and logistics provider, delivering specialist services across the UK and Europe for the live events, entertainment, touring, corporate, retail and commercial sectors.
For over 30 years, we’ve built our reputation on reliability, professionalism and consistently high operating standards. Our drivers play an essential role in delivering equipment safely and efficiently to venues, festivals, productions and events across the UK and Europe.
We’re now looking for an experienced HGV Driver Training & Assessment Lead to take ownership of driver inductions, practical assessments, training and ongoing competency development across our driver workforce.
This is a hands-on position for an experienced HGV professional who can assess driving competence objectively, deliver effective practical and classroom-based training and support drivers to maintain the standards required by Fly By Nite.
You’ll work closely with the Transport Manager and our Transport, Compliance, Operations, Warehouse and Workshop teams to identify training needs, improve driver performance and reduce operational risk.
You’ll lead the development and consistent application of our driver-training and assessment standards. This includes assessing new and existing drivers, delivering refresher and remedial training, supporting post-incident assessments and developing practical training materials and competency frameworks.
There is no direct people-management responsibility within the position. Instead, we’re looking for someone who can operate with a high level of autonomy, professional credibility and ownership of driver-training and assessment standards.
No two days are the same. One day you could be conducting a practical assessment with a prospective driver, delivering an induction or coaching someone on reversing and maneuvering. The next, you could be completing a ride-along, delivering post-incident training, demonstrating specialist trailer equipment or reviewing assessment outcomes with the Transport Manager.
If you’re an experienced HGV professional who is passionate about developing drivers, improving standards and promoting a positive safety culture, we’d love to hear from you.
The Role
As our HGV Driver Training & Assessment Lead, you’ll take ownership of driver training, practical assessment and competency development across the business.
You’ll work with prospective drivers, new starters, returning drivers and experienced drivers who require refresher, remedial or post-incident support.
You’ll be responsible for ensuring that drivers meet Fly By Nite’s required standards of driving competence, vehicle operation, safety, legal compliance and professional conduct.
Alongside delivering training, you’ll monitor competency outcomes, identify recurring development needs and provide clear recommendations to the Transport Manager.
Key Responsibilities
Driver Induction & Initial Assessment
- Plan and deliver structured inductions for newly engaged and returning drivers.
- Conduct practical driving assessments for Category C and C+E drivers.
- Assess vehicle checks, cab preparation, coupling and uncoupling, reversing, maneuvering and general vehicle control.
- Assess road awareness, defensive driving, hazard management and professional conduct.
- Evaluate drivers’ ability to operate safely within depots, yards, venues, festival sites, loading areas and other live-event environments.
- Provide clear, fair and documented assessment outcomes.
- Identify whether a driver meets the required standard, requires further development or should be reassessed before being approved.
- Support driver recruitment by providing objective assessments of practical competence and training requirements.
- Ensure new and returning drivers understand relevant Company policies, operating procedures, reporting requirements and expected standards.
Practical Driver Training & Coaching
- Deliver practical, classroom and vehicle-based training on safe and efficient driving techniques.
- Provide accompanied drives, ride-along assessments and route-learning support.
- Deliver training and familiarisation for unfamiliar venues, delivery points and operational locations.
- Provide refresher and remedial training in response to assessment outcomes, incidents, compliance trends or management concerns.
- Conduct post-incident and post-accident driving assessments.
- Recommend appropriate retraining, reassessment or ongoing competency monitoring.
- Coach drivers on defensive driving, hazard awareness, accident prevention and fuel-efficient driving.
- Support drivers in safely managing unfamiliar routes, venues and operational environments.
- Adapt training methods to suit drivers with different experience levels and learning needs.
- Give clear and constructive feedback and agree practical development actions with drivers.
- Monitor whether training has resulted in the required improvement.
Vehicle, Trailer & Equipment Training
- Deliver familiarisation training across Fly By Nite’s different vehicles, truck manufacturers, makes and models.
- Develop sufficient product knowledge, including manufacturer-led training where appropriate, to coach drivers in safe and effective vehicle operation.
- Train drivers in the safe use, inspection and operation of the Company’s different trailer types.
- Deliver practical training in safe trailer loading and load security.
- Demonstrate the correct use of straps, load bars and associated load-security equipment.
- Train drivers in the safe operation of tail-lifts and associated controls.
- Demonstrate and assess the correct removal, positioning, use and stowage of vehicle ramps.
- Reinforce daily vehicle-check, defect-reporting and equipment-reporting requirements.
- Work with the Transport, Warehouse and Workshop teams when developing training for new vehicles, trailers or equipment.
Compliance Training & Risk Reduction
- Promote compliance with drivers’ hours, tachograph regulations, road transport legislation and Company procedures.
- Deliver coaching on the Road Transport Working Time Directive.
- Provide training on correct manual tachograph entries and common tachograph issues.
- Use information provided by the Transport and Compliance teams to identify relevant training needs.
- Support corrective training arising from driver debriefs, walk-around-check concerns, manual-entry issues, Working Time Directive reports or audit findings.
- Identify recurring driver behaviours or competency concerns that may create operational, safety or compliance risks.
- Escalate serious, repeated or unresolved competency and safety concerns to the Transport Manager.
- Contribute training evidence and professional observations to accident and incident reviews.
- Keep up to date with relevant legislation, industry guidance, vehicle technology and driver-training best practice.
Competency Monitoring & Development
- Monitor driver competence through planned assessments, refresher reviews, ride-alongs and targeted observations.
- Identify individual and workforce-wide training and development needs.
- Recommend proportionate training, coaching, reassessment or monitoring.
- Develop and maintain consistent practical assessment standards.
- Create and improve driver-training materials, assessment documents, checklists and competency frameworks.
- Support the development of a structured program of periodic driver reassessment.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of completed training and recommend further action where standards remain below the required level.
- Promote a positive learning culture while maintaining firm, consistent and safety-led standards.
- Act as a professional role model for safe and responsible HGV driving.
Training Records & Reporting
- Maintain complete and accurate records of driver inductions, assessments and training.
- Record assessment outcomes, feedback, agreed development actions and competency decisions.
- Ensure assessment evidence is factual, objective, clear and retained in accordance with Company requirements.
- Produce reports for the Transport Manager covering completed training, assessment outcomes, recurring themes, outstanding actions and identified risks.
- Track agreed reassessment and refresher-training dates.
- Follow up outstanding training and development actions.
- Maintain confidentiality when handling licence, performance, incident and training information.
- Use Company systems and approved training and assessment documents consistently.
Internal Communication & Collaboration
- Work closely with Transport, Compliance, Operations, Warehouse, Workshop, Health & Safety and HR.
- Communicate assessment outcomes and competency concerns clearly to relevant managers.
- Consult operational colleagues when developing training for vehicles, trailers, equipment, routes and working practices.
- Contribute to driver meetings, safety briefings, toolbox talks and compliance initiatives.
- Support continuous improvement across driver induction, training, assessment and competency-monitoring processes.
- Represent Fly By Nite professionally when working with drivers, customers, suppliers, vehicle manufacturers and external training providers.
About You
We’re looking for an experienced and credible HGV professional who can combine strong practical driving knowledge with the ability to train, coach and objectively assess others.
You’ll understand that effective driver development requires patience, consistency, clear communication and the confidence to challenge unsafe or unacceptable practice.
You’ll be:
- Safety focused and committed to consistently high professional driving standards.
- Experienced in driving Category C+E vehicles professionally.
- Confident assessing driving competence fairly and objectively.
- Comfortable making clear, evidence-based assessment recommendations.
- Able to give constructive feedback and challenge unsafe practice.
- Patient and capable of adapting your coaching style to different learning needs.
- Approachable and supportive without compromising required standards.
- Calm and professional in challenging or high-pressure situations.
- Observant, analytical and attentive to detail.
- Highly organised and accurate when maintaining training and assessment records.
- Proactive in identifying risks and opportunities to improve driver performance.
- Comfortable working independently while collaborating with operational and compliance teams.
- Flexible and able to respond to the changing needs of a busy transport operation.
- Professional and credible when representing Fly By Nite.
- A positive role model for drivers and colleagues.
Skills & Experience
Essential
- A full and current Category C+E driving licence.
- The Category C+E licence must have been held for at least three years.
- A current Driver Certificate of Professional Competence.
- Substantial and recent professional HGV driving experience, including articulated vehicles.
- Demonstrable competence in reversing, maneuvering, coupling, uncoupling and safe vehicle control.
- Strong knowledge of drivers’ hours and tachograph requirements.
- Good understanding of road transport legislation and the Road Transport Working Time Directive.
- Practical understanding of daily vehicle checks and defect-reporting requirements.
- Knowledge of load security and safe trailer operation.
- Experience coaching, instructing, supervising or assessing drivers in a practical environment.
- Ability to assess competence fairly and explain decisions using clear evidence.
- Excellent communication, coaching and interpersonal skills.
- Confidence addressing unsafe practice and delivering constructive feedback.
- Ability to remain calm and professional in challenging situations.
- Good organisational, record-keeping and report-writing skills.
- IT literacy and the ability to maintain electronic training and assessment records.
- Ability to work independently and take ownership of driver-training activity.
- Willingness to undertake further training and maintain continuing professional development.
Desirable
- A recognised driver trainer, driving instructor or driver assessor qualification.
- Experience delivering structured HGV driver inductions.
- Experience conducting practical Category C or C+E driving assessments.
- Experience delivering classroom-based transport, compliance or safety training.
- Experience providing remedial, post-incident or post-accident driver training.
- Experience within specialist logistics, touring, live events, entertainment or another time-critical transport environment.
- Experience operating or training others on tail-lifts, ramps, specialist trailers and load-security equipment.
- Experience supporting Driver CPC or other regulated transport training.
- Knowledge of incident investigation, infringement analysis and driver risk-management processes.
- Experience developing training materials, assessment forms or competency standards.
- Experience working with a large or varied professional driver workforce.
Candidates with strong and relevant professional HGV experience who do not yet hold a formal driver trainer or assessor qualification may still be considered, provided they are willing and able to complete the required qualification within an agreed period.
Working Requirements
- The position will be based primarily at Fly By Nite’s Redditch operation.
- The role will involve practical vehicle training and assessments at other operational locations.
- Travel within the UK and, where required, overseas may form part of the position.
- The successful candidate must be physically capable of undertaking practical vehicle assessments and demonstrating the safe use of relevant equipment.
- Flexibility may occasionally be required to conduct training or assessments outside normal working hours in response to operational requirements.
Why Join Fly By Nite?
This is an opportunity to play an important role within one of the most distinctive and exciting areas of the transport industry.
You’ll join an established business with an outstanding reputation across the touring, music and live-events sectors and work alongside experienced transport, compliance and operational professionals.
In return, we offer:
- A competitive salary, dependent on experience and qualifications.
- A key position with genuine ownership of driver-training and assessment standards.
- The opportunity to shape and improve the Company’s driver-development programme.
- Exposure to specialist vehicles, trailers, tours, productions and live events.
- A varied role involving practical training, assessments, coaching and operational collaboration.
- Support with relevant professional development and additional qualifications.
- A supportive and collaborative working environment.
- The opportunity to make a measurable difference to driver competence, safety and business risk.
- The chance to build a long-term career within an established and growing specialist transport business.
If you’re looking for a role where you can use your HGV experience to develop others, improve professional driving standards and help shape the training culture of an established organisation, we’d love to hear from you.
Apply today and become part of the Fly By Nite team.
Pay: £40,000.00-£45,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
