Transport Distribution Planner

John Lewis Partnership; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent UK retailer is seeking a Transport Distribution Planner to manage the outbound planning of vehicles and stock. Responsibilities include producing transport schedules for various destinations, ensuring compliance with regulations, and maintaining communication with stakeholders. The ideal candidate has strong IT skills, including experience with Paragon software. This is a full-time role based in Milton Keynes offering a permanent contract with a competitive salary range of £30,000 to £46,500.

Qualifications

• Good working knowledge of IT systems – Microsoft and Google.
• Experience with Paragon software.

Responsibilities

• Produce and maintain a strategic and operational transport schedule.
• Plan for deliveries to all JLP Branches and Customer Delivery Hubs.
• Produce daily reports against the schedule that are accurate, practical, and legal.
• Communicate the transport schedule with relevant teams.
• Provide outstanding service and support to operational customers.
• Participate in various work initiatives as required.
• Ensure compliance with working time directives and EU drivers' hours regulations.
• Communicate with stakeholders to achieve KPIs and targets.

Skills

Good working knowledge of IT systems

Paragon software experience

Job description

About the role

The Transport Distribution Planner is a key support role managing the outbound planning of vehicles and volumes of stock from our John Lewis National Distribution Centres. This role would suit someone who is able to plan effectively, whilst ensuring a high level of accuracy is maintained. Effective relationships and basic negotiating skills will be developed and maintained with Transport Partners and National Distribution Operational Teams. High levels of communication via email and telephone will be required, so the ability to communicate effectively with a large number of stakeholders is essential.

To Deliver

• Strategic and operational delivery plans
• Contributions to projects involving scheduling and distribution
• Material reduction in the cost of distribution to the Partnership as a whole
• Identify opportunities and recommend process improvements and solutions through continuous improvement to move the business forward

• Salary - £30,000 - £46,500
• Contract type - This position is a Permanent contract
• Working pattern - 5 week rota 2 weeks Mon‑Fri 6am‑2pm, Tues‑Sat 6am‑2pm, Mon‑Fri 10am‑6pm, Mon‑Fri 12pm‑8pm
• Location - This role is based at Magna Park

Key responsibilities

• To produce and maintain a strategic and operational daily transport schedule that supports the budget and ensures all service level agreements are maintained.
• To plan for deliveries across the National Distribution Centres to all JLP Branches, Customer Delivery Hubs, Waitrose Stores and Third Party Warehouses which incorporates backhaul collections and stock moves where applicable.
• To produce daily reports against the schedule that are accurate, practical, and legal and aim to minimise costs of distribution using the available scheduling software tool.
• To co‑coordinate and communicate the transport schedule with the National Distribution Centre’s, Customer Delivery Hubs, selling Branches and Third Party Warehousing.
• Provide outstanding service and technical support to our operational customers, e.g. Transport Operations, Branches, CDHs, DCs and other departments.
• Participate in other work and initiatives as required, e.g. Stock migration, collaboration and peak / off-peak strategies.
• Ensure the daily plan is compliant with current working time directives and EU drivers' hours regulations.
• Consistently communicate with all stakeholders to ensure KPIs and targets are achieved and maintained.

Essential skills/experience you’ll need

• Good working knowledge of IT systems – Microsoft and Google
• Paragon software experience

Desirable skills/experience you may have

• Crystal Reporting

Just to confirm that interviews for this position will be held in January 2026

Various full‑time hours

The partnership

We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.

We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never knowingly undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food‑lovers in Waitrose.

As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect.

We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can thrive. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective.

As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.

Important points to note

It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre‑employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you’ll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third‑party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles.

We occasionally close vacancies early in the event we receive a high volume of applications, and therefore, we recommend you apply early. If you require a reasonable adjustment due to a disability which means you may need longer to complete your application please contact us as soon as possible.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work‑life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.