Transport Team Leader
Join our exceptional team
We’re on a mission to change children’s lives through deliciously healthy food! Did you know that the food we eat in our early years can impact our health in later life? That’s why we lovingly prepare fresh and nutritious food that develops healthy tastes that last a lifetime.
Our recipe for success is built on the skill, experience, and care of our dedicated team. We work together creating an environment of care, creativity, and collaboration, where our team grow, and we share in success.
We’re committed to operational excellence, innovation and building a high-performance culture. As we scale, we’re looking for a hands-on Transport Team Leader to provide operational leadership ensuring our operation is scalable, stable and responsive to demand. The role will report directly to the Operations Manager.
What we offer:
- A supportive and passionate team of dynamic food professionals where innovation and improvement area celebrated and rewarded.
- A meaningful, fulfilling role within a values-driven, fast growing fresh food business.
- The opportunity to make a real impact on children’s health and wellbeing across the country.
Perks of the role:
- Competitive salary with real growth potential.
- 4-day working week.
- Ongoing training and development.
- 22.5 days holiday including bank holidays (based on a 4-day working week).
- Health Cash Plan – Reimbursement for routine healthcare expenses including dental, optical and physiotherapy.
- Free parking.
- Free hot drinks, breakfast, lunch and snacks.
- A friendly, flexible team with social events throughout the year.
- Discounted nursery places for employees' children.
- Free life coaching with Dream Academy.
Location and Commitments:
- Production site based in Basildon
- Monday - Thursday 05:00 - 14:00 - 40 hours (4 days x 10 hours)
- Salary: £30,388 - £32,445 plus 5% shift premium
What we’re looking for:
- To live our values every day (we really care, we’re hungry for growth, one team one dream).
- A strong continuous improvement mindset, always working towards manufacturing excellence.
- Foster a culture of operational excellence by promoting best practice and knowledge sharing while collaborating with colleagues to identify opportunities.
- Proactively identify improvement actions to deploy and improve operational performance.
About the role:
The Transport Team Leader will be responsible for leading the daily transport operation, ensuring the safe, efficient and timely delivery of meals, food products and supplies to nursery settings. The role involves supervising drivers, coordinating vehicle planning, maintaining compliance with transport regulations and ensuring excellent customer service standards are achieved.
The Transport Team Leader will provide hands on operational leadership during the morning shift, ensuring vehicles are dispatched on time, and any delivery issues are resolved quickly to minimise disruption to nursery services.
Key responsibilities:
Transport Operations
- Lead and coordinate the daily transport operation from shift start.
- Plan and oversee vehicle routes using Maxoptra to ensure efficient deliveries.
- Monitor delivery schedules and ensure all nursery deliveries are completed on time.
- Manage transport resources to maximise operational efficiency.
- Respond promptly to route changes, delays and operational challenges.
- Ensure all delivery documentation is completed accurately.
- Monitor Goods-Out and support picking department.
Team Leadership
- Supervise and support drivers.
- Conduct daily team briefings and communicate operational priorities.
- Monitor attendance, punctuality and performance standards.
- Provide training and support to team members.
- Promote a positive and professional team culture.
Compliance and Safety
- Ensure compliance with transport legislation and company procedures.
- Conduct vehicle and driver checks in line with company requirements.
- Ensure the team are compliant with temperature checks
- Monitor driver hours and working time regulations.
- Ensure all health and safety procedures are followed.
- Investigate transport incidents, accidents and near misses.
- Promote safe driving practices and vehicle care.
Customer Service
- Act as the primary point of contact for delivery-related queries and escalations.
- Build effective working relationships with nursery managers and internal departments, acting as the bridge between Customer service, Picking and the Operations Manager
- Ensure service levels are maintained and customer expectations exceeded.
- Resolve delivery issues quickly and professionally.
Administration and Reporting
- Maintain transport records and operational documentation.
- Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs).
- Produce transport reports as required.
- Support stock, temperature and food safety record compliance where applicable.
- Escalate operational risks or service concerns to management.
Experience and qualifications
- 3-5 years Team Leader experience including planning, with experience in food delivery or a food production environment preferred but training will be provided.
- Excellent people management skills, leading teams and driving a high-performance culture.
- Strong problem-solving, analytical and decision-making skills, with the ability to manage and resolve operational issues under pressure.
- Excellent communication, organisational, and time management skills.
- Experience working in a growing or fast changing environment preferred.
- Competent in Microsoft Office and transport management systems.
Desirable but not essential
- Experience in food hygiene.
- Software knowledge of Maxoptra, HubSpot, Saffron and TagworX.
- Previous use of Goods In paperwork and software.
- Forklift certification.
- Vehicle maintenance.
Other information
This job description is not exhaustive, and the post holder is required to undertake any other reasonable duties as directed by the Operations Manager.
We actively promote equal opportunities and are committed to equality and diversity for all our children and team. Applicants will be considered on merit only, irrespective of race, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion, or belief.
A copy of the Company’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy and Disclosure Information policy is available on request.
Pay: £30,388.00-£32,445.00 per year
Benefits:
Experience:
- Commercial driving: 3 years (required)
Language:
Licence/Certification:
- Driving Licence (required)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Location:
- Basildon SS13 1DJ (preferred)
Work Location: In person
