Morning Despatch Supervisor – Freight & Run Planning

East Coast Freight Distribution; Sunshine Coast Regional; On-site; AUD 66,000 - 74,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Permanent full-time

Mon-Fri schedule

Early start

Training provided

Afternoons free

Supportive team

Real responsibility

Job summary

East Coast Freight Distribution is seeking a Morning Despatch Supervisor to turn freight in the depot into well-planned, efficiently loaded delivery runs. Based at Kunda Park, you’ll start early (3:30am) and work Monday to Friday, coordinating with drivers and the depot team to deliver on time.

You will oversee planning, loading, and the yard, ensuring safety and efficiency while growing into greater responsibility with training and a pay review after three months.

Qualifications

• Experience in road transport, freight distribution or a busy transport depot.
• Current HR truck licence or higher.
• Current LF forklift licence.
• Ability to assess freight and delivery locations and plan sensible, efficient runs.
• Sound understanding of load restraint and Chain of Responsibility.

Responsibilities

• Plan smart delivery runs by reviewing freight and delivery locations to build efficient routes.
• Organise yard and loading by moving trucks safely and loading freight efficiently.
• Lead the morning team and keep operations running smoothly with the manager and depot staff.
• Ensure drivers have what they need to check and restrain loads safely and correctly.
• Look for better ways to organise the work and communicate clearly with drivers.

Skills

Freight planning

Forklift licence

HR licence

Load restraint

Problem solving

Communication

Tools

Transvirtual (TMS)

Job description

Morning Despatch Supervisor – Freight & Run Planning

Kunda Park, Sunshine Coast | Monday–Friday | 3:30am–11:30am | Permanent full-time

$35 per hour | $70,091 p.a. (incl. leave loading) + super

Can you look at a yard full of freight and work out the smartest way to get it delivered?

We're looking for an experienced transport person who can organise freight, plan efficient delivery runs and help get our trucks on the road every morning.

If you're the sort of person who sees what needs doing, works out the best way to do it and gets stuck in, we'd like to meet you.

The Role

East Coast Freight Distribution is a long-established, family-owned transport company based at Kunda Park, servicing the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Gympie and surrounding areas.

Our mornings are busy. Each morning trucks and drivers head out from our depot, and freight needs sorting, runs need planning and trucks need loading and getting away on time.

Your job is to turn the freight in our depot into well-planned, accurately loaded and efficient delivery runs – working closely with our Operations Manager, drivers and depot team.

A word on the start time: 3:30am isn't for everyone. If you're a natural early riser who likes being finished while everyone else is still at work, you'll love it.

What You’ll Be Doing

Planning smart delivery runs

• Reviewing freight and delivery locations to build efficient runs
• Grouping deliveries logically to cut unnecessary kilometres, travel time and double handling
• Matching freight size and weight to the right vehicle, delivery requirements and customer needs
• Adjusting the plan when volumes or priorities change

Organising the yard and loading

• Moving and positioning trucks safely to keep the yard working
• Operating forklifts to move, sort and load freight
• Making sure the right freight goes on the right truck
• Checking consignments and picking up missing, incorrect or unusual freight before trucks leave
• Making sure drivers have what they need to check and restrain their loads properly

Leading the morning team

• Keeping the morning operation running smoothly alongside the Operations Manager & Fleet Controller
• Communicating clearly with drivers and depot staff
• Spotting problems early and sorting them out
• Keeping the yard organised, safe and productive
• Looking for better ways to organise the work

How the Role Grows

You’ll start by learning our runs, customers, yard and systems alongside our Operations Manager, with full training along the way.

Once you’re confident and we’ve confirmed you’re operating at the right level – we’ll review this together after your first three months – you’ll step into the full Dispatch Supervisor role, with a pay increase to match the extra responsibility.

We believe more skill and more responsibility should mean more income. If you want to learn and grow, there’s room to do it here.

What You’ll Need

Essential

• Experience in road transport, freight distribution or a busy transport depot
• A current HR truck licence or higher
• A current LF forklift licence
• The ability to assess freight and delivery locations and plan sensible, efficient runs
• A good practical understanding of trucks, freight handling and vehicle capacity
• A sound understanding of load restraint and Chain of Responsibility
• Strong organisation and problem‑solving skills
• Clear communication and a good working relationship with drivers
• A safety‑first approach to yard operations and freight handling

Highly regarded

• Multi-drop and local distribution experience
• Knowledge of Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Gympie and hinterland delivery areas
• Experience allocating freight or coordinating drivers
• Experience with Transvirtual or a similar transport management system
• Previous experience as a leading hand, dispatcher or transport supervisor

The Person We’re Looking For

Someone who can look at a pile of freight and see that two deliveries belong together, that a particular truck isn’t right for a load, or that there’s a smarter way to run the morning.

Someone who notices problems before they become bigger problems, stays calm when plans change, and keeps things moving.

Reliable, practical, resourceful and willing to help wherever it’s needed – and someone who uses their initiative rather than waiting to be told what to do next.

What We Offer

• $35 per hour ($70,091 p.a. including leave loading) plus super
• Permanent full-time employment
• Monday to Friday, 3:30am to 11:30am – 38 hours a week, with an unpaid lunch break
• Your afternoons free
• Full training in our systems, procedures and delivery network
• A supportive, experienced transport team
• Real responsibility, and a role where your ideas are listened to

About ECFD

East Coast Freight Distribution has been operating for nearly 40 years, providing road freight and distribution services throughout Southeast Queensland.

We believe in doing things properly, treating people fairly and working together to get the job done. Good transport operations come from good people making good decisions.