About us
Established in 1965, the Lockwood Group of Companies is a successful, family-owned business employing over 400 people across multiple UK locations. Our operations include transport, warehousing, distribution, frozen food production and co-packing solutions.
Following continued growth and recent acquisitions, we are looking for an experienced and commercially focused Transport Manager to lead our transport operation at S&R Smith & Son in Grays, Essex.
This is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious transport professional to take ownership of a busy operation, lead an experienced planning team and play a key role in driving operational excellence, customer satisfaction and profitability. Working closely with our Group Transport Manager and wider operational teams, you'll have the autonomy to influence performance, improve efficiencies and help shape the future of our Essex operation.
Remuneration
- Competitive salary of £40,000.00-£45,000.00, depending on experience
- Company Vehicle
Key Responsibilities
- Oversee the daily planning function at the Smiths site, ensuring all transport activities are planned efficiently and profitably.
- Provide leadership and direction to transport planners.
- Review and challenge daily transport plans to maximise vehicle utilisation and minimise empty running.
- Ensure routes are planned in the most cost-effective manner whilst maintaining customer service commitments.
- Manage fleet availability, resource allocation and subcontractor utilisation.
- Lead daily transport reviews and identify operational risks and improvement opportunities
- Develop and maintain strong operational relationships with the Warehouse and Cross-Dock teams - the Transport Manager will play a pivotal role in ensuring seamless coordination between transport, warehousing, and cross-dock operations to achieve shared operational objectives.
- Work collaboratively with Warehouse and Cross-Dock management to align priorities, improve communication, and ensure all operational functions work cohesively to maximise service performance, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
- Proactively identify and resolve operational issues that impact the end-to-end supply chain, fostering a "one team" approach across all site operations.
Leadership
- Lead the day-to-day running of the Smiths transport operation.
- Directly manage and support the Smiths planning team.
- Promote a culture of accountability, professionalism and continuous improvement.
- Identify training needs and support development of drivers, planners and transport staff.
- Ensure maintenance schedules are planned and actioned in conjunction with the Fleet Maintenance team.
Transport Performance
- Monitor transport profitability through effective utilisation of vehicles and drivers.
- Analyse transport KPIs including utilisation, empty mileage, on-time delivery and subcontractor spend.
- Control agency driver and subcontractor costs.
- Produce regular transport performance reports and implement improvement plans.
Compliance
- Support compliance with Operator Licence undertakings.
- Ensure adherence to Drivers' Hours Regulations and Working Time Directive.
- Monitor driver infringements and implement corrective actions.
- Support DVSA, FORS and internal compliance audits.
- Promote a strong safety culture throughout the operation.
About You
We're looking for someone who is passionate about transport operations and enjoys leading people in a fast-paced logistics environment.
You'll ideally have:
- A valid Transport Manager CPC qualification.
- Previous experience managing a transport operation or working in a senior transport planning or supervisory role.
- Strong leadership experience with the ability to motivate, coach and develop teams.
- Excellent commercial awareness and the ability to balance customer service with operational efficiency and profitability.
- Sound knowledge of UK transport legislation, Operator Licence compliance and industry best practice.
- Experience analysing KPIs and using data to improve operational performance.
- Strong IT skills, including Transport Management Systems, telematics and Microsoft Office.
- Excellent communication and problem-solving skills with the ability to make confident decisions under pressure.
- Ability to remain calm and decisive under pressure, maintaining focus on outcomes and customer service.
Ready for your next challenge?
If you're an experienced Transport Manager looking for an opportunity where you can genuinely influence performance, lead a successful team and become part of a growing business with ambitious plans for the future, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply today and join Lockwood Group of Companies as we continue to invest in our people, our fleet and our future.
