Workshop Manager - Heavy Vehicle Fleet

Adecco Australia Group; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Adecco Australia Group is seeking a seasoned Workshop Manager to lead a busy heavy vehicle workshop. You will oversee a diverse team, prioritise safety, and drive fleet reliability and operational performance.

The role demands hands-on leadership, strong technical knowledge of heavy vehicles, and the ability to manage budgets and resources while fostering a high-performing team culture.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading a multi-trade workshop team.
• Strong safety, OHS and transport compliance knowledge.
• Experience planning workflow and resources.
• Ability to coach and develop staff.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operation of a heavy vehicle workshop.
• Coach and develop tradespeople and staff.
• Coordinate maintenance to maximise fleet availability.
• Plan workflow, staffing and resources to targets.
• Provide technical guidance on complex faults.
• Drive safety culture and regulatory compliance.
• Review maintenance defects and campaigns.
• Manage budgets, assets, tools and equipment.
• Identify continuous improvement across processes.

Skills

Leadership

Team development

Strategic planning

Communication

Stakeholder management

Education

Heavy Vehicle Trade Certificate or equivalent mechanical qualification

Tools

Maintenance management systems

Job description

Lead a high-performing workshop team within a major transport operation. Take ownership of fleet maintenance, safety, people leadership and workshop performance.

The Opportunity

Adecco is proud to partner with a leading transport organisation to recruit an experienced Workshop Manager for its busy heavy vehicle maintenance operation.

This is a hands-on leadership position responsible for the day-to-day performance of the workshop, leading a diverse team including Forepersons, Heavy Vehicle Mechanics, Panel Beaters, Trade Assistants, Apprentices and Administration staff.

Working closely with operational and asset management teams, you will ensure vehicles are maintained to the highest standards of safety, reliability and roadworthiness, while driving productivity, workshop efficiency and a positive team culture.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day operation of a busy heavy vehicle workshop and associated maintenance activities.
• Manage, coach and develop tradespeople, apprentices and workshop support staff.
• Coordinate scheduled and unscheduled maintenance to maximise fleet availability.
• Plan workshop workflow, staffing and resources to achieve operational targets.
• Provide technical guidance and support with complex vehicle faults and repairs.
• Drive a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with relevant OHS and transport safety requirements.
• Monitor workshop productivity, vehicle downtime, overtime and maintenance performance.
• Review maintenance defects, jobs, servicing and repair campaigns through the maintenance management system.
• Manage workshop budgets, expenditure, assets, tools, plant and equipment.
• Identify and implement continuous improvement initiatives across workshop processes and systems.
• Conduct regular team meetings covering safety, operational performance and workshop priorities.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, performance management and development of workshop employees.
• Work collaboratively with operations, asset management and other internal stakeholders.
• Maintain strong relationships with relevant external stakeholders and regulatory bodies.

About You

To be successful in this position, you will ideally have:

• Heavy Vehicle Trade Certificate or equivalent mechanical qualification.
• Current MR or HR driver's licence.
• Previous experience managing or supervising a heavy vehicle, bus, truck or similar transport workshop.
• Strong technical knowledge of heavy vehicles with the ability to support complex fault diagnosis and repairs.
• Demonstrated experience leading tradespeople and developing high-performing workshop teams.
• Strong understanding of preventative maintenance, scheduled servicing and fleet availability requirements.
• Sound knowledge of workplace health and safety, transport compliance and workshop best practice.
• Experience managing labour, overtime, budgets and workshop resources.
• Strong planning, problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Competence using maintenance management systems and operational data.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder-management capabilities.
• A positive, adaptable and hands-on leadership style.

What's On Offer

• Senior leadership role within a substantial heavy vehicle workshop environment.
• Opportunity to lead and develop a multidisciplinary trades team.
• Genuine responsibility for workshop performance, fleet reliability and operational outcomes.
• Work with an established organisation providing essential transport services.
• Broad operational remit covering people, safety, maintenance, compliance, budgets and continuous improvement.
• Opportunity to make measurable improvements to workshop efficiency and team performance.

Why Apply?

This position would suit an experienced Workshop Manager, Workshop Supervisor, Leading Hand or Heavy Vehicle Foreperson ready to take ownership of a large-scale maintenance operation.

You'll combine your heavy vehicle technical knowledge with strong people leadership, ensuring the workshop delivers safe, reliable vehicles while building an engaged, productive and safety-focused team.