Transport Manager - Retail

WR Logistics; Manchester; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

WR Logistics is seeking an experienced Transport Manager - Retail to lead the Heywood transport operation, ensuring safe, compliant and efficient delivery services in a supermarket environment.

The role requires a CPC qualification with a proven track record in retail logistics, strong leadership, and robust knowledge of operator licences, vehicle maintenance, and tachograph compliance. Salary is £60,000–£75,000 with Monday–Friday hours and site-based work.

Qualifications

• International or National CPC qualification.
• Minimum of 3 years' experience in a transport, distribution or logistics management role.
• Strong transport management experience within a supermarket environment.
• Strong knowledge of operator licence compliance, vehicle maintenance systems, defect reporting, drivers' hours, working time rules and tachograph management.

Responsibilities

• Provide continuous and effective management of the transport operation, ensuring vehicles, drivers, records and systems remain under proper professional control.
• Ensure full compliance with operator licence undertakings, authorised operating centre requirements, vehicle authorisations and all relevant transport legislation.
• Oversee vehicle roadworthiness by managing planned maintenance, safety inspection schedules, MOT preparation, defect reporting, repair sign-off and maintenance record control.
• Monitor drivers' hours, working time and tachograph compliance, ensuring downloads, analysis, infringement reviews and corrective actions are completed within required timescales.
• Lead, coach and develop the transport team, ensuring drivers and office colleagues understand and follow company procedures, safe systems of work and legal requirements.
• Maintain robust compliance records, including driver licence checks, Driver CPC, training, vehicle files, maintenance documentation, defect trends, incidents, audits and corrective action logs.
• Plan and manage resources efficiently to achieve customer service, operational, budgetary and KPI targets while ensuring all work is planned legally, safely and cost effectively.
• Plan and organise vehicle availability, route schedules, driver cover and agency labour to maximise utilisation and protect service delivery during peak periods, holidays, sickness and absence.
• Investigate compliance failures, incidents, prohibitions, bridge strikes, tachograph infringements, vehicle defects and service issues, ensuring root causes are identified and corrective actions are implemented.
• Work closely with workshops, suppliers, insurers, customers, internal depots and stakeholders to maintain safe, compliant and efficient supply chain operations.
• Manage driver behaviour, performance, absence, return-to-work interviews, investigations and disciplinary matters in line with company policies, procedures and HR guidance.
• Identify, develop and implement savings, compliance improvements, process controls and operational initiatives across the transport department.
• Support recruitment, onboarding and training for site transport colleagues, ensuring the team has the competence, cover and resources required to operate safely and legally.
• Maintain profit and loss accountability for the transport function, identifying opportunities to generate work from internal and external sources while protecting compliance standards.

Education

CPC qualification

Job description

Job title: Transport Manager - Retail (CPC required)

Location: Heywood, OL10

Salary: 60,000 - 75,000 per year

Working Hours: Monday to Friday - flexibility required, with hours to be agreed

Transport Manager - Retail Overview

My client is recruiting for an exciting opportunity for an experienced, CPC-qualified Transport Manager who has worked within the retail industry to join the team at the Heywood site.

The role will provide continuous and effective management of the transport operation, ensuring the fleet, drivers, systems and records remain safe, legal, compliant and commercially efficient. The successful candidate will be a confident and proactive leader with strong compliance knowledge, commercial awareness and the ability to influence standards across the transport operation. We are particularly looking for someone with strong transport management experience within a supermarket environment.

Transport Manager - Retail Responsibilities

• Provide continuous and effective management of the transport operation, ensuring vehicles, drivers, records and systems remain under proper professional control.


• Ensure full compliance with operator licence undertakings, authorised operating centre requirements, vehicle authorisations and all relevant transport legislation.


• Oversee vehicle roadworthiness by managing planned maintenance, safety inspection schedules, MOT preparation, defect reporting, repair sign-off and maintenance record control.


• Monitor drivers' hours, working time and tachograph compliance, ensuring downloads, analysis, infringement reviews and corrective actions are completed within required timescales.


• Lead, coach and develop the transport team, ensuring drivers and office colleagues understand and follow company procedures, safe systems of work and legal requirements.


• Maintain robust compliance records, including driver licence checks, Driver CPC, training, vehicle files, maintenance documentation, defect trends, incidents, audits and corrective action logs.


• Plan and manage resources efficiently to achieve customer service, operational, budgetary and KPI targets while ensuring all work is planned legally, safely and cost effectively.


• Plan and organise vehicle availability, route schedules, driver cover and agency labour to maximise utilisation and protect service delivery during peak periods, holidays, sickness and absence.


• Investigate compliance failures, incidents, prohibitions, bridge strikes, tachograph infringements, vehicle defects and service issues, ensuring root causes are identified and corrective actions are implemented.


• Work closely with workshops, suppliers, insurers, customers, internal depots and stakeholders to maintain safe, compliant and efficient supply chain operations.


• Manage driver behaviour, performance, absence, return-to-work interviews, investigations and disciplinary matters in line with company policies, procedures and HR guidance.


• Identify, develop and implement savings, compliance improvements, process controls and operational initiatives across the transport department.


• Support recruitment, onboarding and training for site transport colleagues, ensuring the team has the competence, cover and resources required to operate safely and legally.


• Maintain profit and loss accountability for the transport function, identifying opportunities to generate work from internal and external sources while protecting compliance standards.

Transport Manager - Retail Requirements

• International or National Transport Manager CPC qualification.


• Minimum of 3 years' experience in a transport, distribution or logistics management role.


• Strong transport management experience within a supermarket environment.


• Strong working knowledge of operator licence compliance, vehicle maintenance systems, defect reporting, drivers' hours, working time rules and tachograph management.


• Experience managing transport teams, driver performance, investigations, audits and corrective actions.


• Strong leadership, communication and decision-making skills, with the confidence to challenge poor practice and maintain compliance standards.


• Excellent relationship-building and customer-facing skills, with the ability to work effectively with drivers, planners, workshops, suppliers and internal stakeholders.


• Commercial awareness, good numeracy and literacy, and the ability to manage budgets, KPIs and operational performance.