Transport Manager

Pearson Whiffin Recruitment Ltd; Canterbury; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A recruitment agency is seeking an experienced Transport Manager in Canterbury. The role involves overseeing transport operations, ensuring compliance with regulations, and leading a team. Ideal candidates will have a CPC qualification and a strong background in logistics. Attractive salary up to GBP50,000 plus benefits including holiday entitlement and long-term career development opportunities.

Benefits

Long-term career development

20 days holiday plus bank holidays

Standard working hours

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Transport Manager in logistics.
• Excellent communication abilities.
• Ability to remain calm under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for day-to-day operations of the transport department.
• Manage and supervise transport staff.
• Ensure compliance with all transport legislation.
• Oversee vehicle inspections and maintenance.
• Drive continuous improvement using data analysis.

Skills

Transport compliance knowledge

Leadership skills

Organisational skills

Health and Safety understanding

Proactive management

Education

CPC qualification (National or International)

Job description

Transport Manager

Canterbury

Up to GBP50,000 + Benefits

8am 5pm Monday to Friday

20 days + bank holidays (rising to 25 days after 2 years)

Are you an experienced Transport Manager looking for a fast-paced, high-responsibility role within a busy operational environment? We are supporting a well-established organisation in Canterbury that is seeking a strong leader to take ownership of its transport operation, fleet performance, and compliance standards.

The Role

As Transport Manager, you will be responsible for the day-to-day running of a busy transport department, including:

Operational Leadership

• Managing and supervising all transport staff, including drivers and agency personnel.
• Ensuring all deliveries, trunking routes, and internal material transfers are completed on-time-in-full.
• Overseeing daily departure times, route planning, and operational schedules.
• Monitoring and improving KPI performance across cost, safety, utilisation, and customer service.

Compliance and Safety

• Ensuring full compliance with the Goods Vehicle Operator Licence and all statutory transport legislation.
• Managing tachograph, driver hours, Working Time Directive, licence checks, defect reporting, and DVSA readiness.
• Driving a strong Health and Safety culture, including risk assessments, safe systems of work, near-miss reporting, and incident investigation.
• Maintaining accurate accident, incident, and defect logs.

Fleet and Cost Management

• Overseeing vehicle inspections, repairs, maintenance scheduling, and defect resolution.
• Managing external hauliers, recovery arrangements, and emergency assistance when required.
• Ensuring weighbridge, load security, and material handling procedures are followed precisely.
• Monitoring fuel usage, repair costs, and vehicle utilisation levels.

People Management

• Leading, coaching, and developing a multi-shift driver team.
• Conducting appraisals, disciplinaries, and performance reviews.
• Ensuring effective communication across shifts and delivering toolbox talks.

Continuous Improvement

• Driving LEAN principles, reducing waste, and improving right-first-time delivery performance.
• Using data, KPIs, and discrepancy reports to identify improvement areas.

What We re Looking For

• Proven experience as a Transport Manager within a fast-paced logistics or distribution environment.
• Strong knowledge of transport compliance, legislation, and operator licence responsibilities.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and organisational skills.
• A proactive manager with the ability to remain calm under pressure.
• Strong understanding of Health and Safety, fleet management, routing, and POD processes.
• CPC qualification (National or International) is essential.

Benefits

• Salary up to GBP50,000
• 20 days holiday plus bank holidays (rising to 25 days after 2 years)
• Standard hours 8am 5pm, Monday to Friday
• Long-term career development within a stable organisation

If you re a confident, hands‑on Transport Manager looking for your next challenge in the Canterbury area, we d love to hear from you.

This role is being handled by Sam Hasler, Transport, Logistics & Distribution Specialist at Pearson Whiffin Recruitment

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