Transport Manager

Kemp Recruitment Ltd; Greater London; On-site; GBP 61,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Kemp Recruitment Ltd is seeking an experienced Transport Manager - Compliance at Heathrow to own transport compliance, safety and operational standards in a highly regulated setting.

You will report to the Head of Fleet UK and drive policy adherence, drive continuous improvement and liaison with regulators, customers and stakeholders. CPC and full UK HGV licence are essential for this role.

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of UK transport legislation and Operator Licence compliance.
• Experience with fleet operations and transport compliance.
• Proven ability to maintain vehicle maintenance schedules.
• Experience with Working Time Directive and tachograph compliance.
• Demonstrated management and people leadership experience.
• Ability to coach, influence and drive change.
• Proven ability to liaise with regulators and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of transport compliance and ensure policies are followed.
• Maintain Operator Licence compliance and audit-ready records.
• Oversee fleet compliance, utilisation and maintenance.
• Manage maintenance schedules and vehicle documentation.
• Monitor tachograph, Working Time Directive and ADR compliance.
• Review transport plans and improve KPIs and SLAs.
• Lead on health & safety and investigate incidents.
• Coach and develop teams and promote safety culture.
• Coordinate with regulators, customers and airport authorities.
• Support planning during peak and off-peak periods.

Skills

Team leadership

Transport compliance

Fleet operations

UK transport legislation

Stakeholder liaison

Education

Manager CPC

Full UK HGV driving licence

Job description

Job Title: Transport Manager - Compliance

Location: Heathrow

Salary: £63,500k Basic

Hours: Monday to Friday - 37.5 hrs per week

The Role

Are you an experienced Transport Manager with a strong background in fleet operations, legislation and Operator Licence compliance? We are currently recruiting for a Transport Manager to take ownership of transport compliance, safety and operational standards within a busy, highly regulated environment. Reporting directly to the Head of Fleet UK, you will play a key role in ensuring transport policies, procedures and legislation are understood and consistently followed, while driving continuous improvement across the operation. This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced transport professional who enjoys working in a fast‑paced, safety‑critical environment and wants to have a genuine impact on compliance and operational performance.

Key Responsibilities for this Transport Manager role:

• Take ownership of transport compliance, ensuring all policies, procedures and legislation are adhered to.
• Maintain full compliance with Operator Licence requirements, including ensuring all relevant documentation and records are accurate and audit-ready.
• Oversee fleet compliance, vehicle utilisation and maintenance standards.
• Ensure maintenance schedules and vehicle documentation are maintained correctly.
• Monitor compliance with tachograph, Working Time Directive and ADR regulations.
• Review daily transport plans and make recommendations to improve performance against KPIs and SLAs.
• Identify areas for improvement and implement corrective actions where required.
• Work closely with Transport Shift Managers, training teams and senior management.
• Liaise with regulatory bodies, customers, contractors, airport authorities and other external stakeholders.
• Support compliance with airport by‑laws and Department for Transport regulations.
• Lead on health & safety, including investigating incidents and implementing preventative and corrective measures.
• Conduct regular audits and maintain high standards of quality and compliance.
• Support employee relations matters, including investigations, disciplinary, appeal and grievance hearings where required.
• Coach and develop teams, promoting a strong culture of safety, accountability and compliance.
• Support effective operational planning during both peak and quieter periods.
• Ensure staff training and development requirements are identified and addressed.
• Drive change and continuous improvement across the transport operation.

About You:

We are looking for someone who has a strong background in transport compliance and fleet operations, ideally gained within a regulated, safety‑critical environment.

You will need:

• Strong knowledge of UK transport legislation and Operator Licence compliance.
• Experience working with fleet operations and transport compliance.
• Strong understanding of vehicle maintenance standards and maintenance scheduling.
• Experience working with the Working Time Directive and tachograph compliance.
• Previous management and people leadership experience.
• The ability to coach, influence and drive change.
• Confidence dealing with senior management, regulators and operational teams.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong decision-making and problem‑solving abilities.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage competing priorities.
• A proactive, safety‑first approach.
• Strong organisational and strategic‑thinking skills.
• Manager Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) - essential.
• Full UK HGV driving licence - essential.
• Must be able to be named on the Operator Licence and accept responsibility for supporting and maintaining Operator Licence compliance.