Transport Operation Planner

Vegetarian Express Ltd; Watford; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A growing plant-based food distributor in the UK is seeking a Transport Operation Planner to oversee the distribution network. This role includes dynamic route planning, maintaining communication with logistics and sales teams, and ensuring compliance with regulations. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in transport or distribution, excellent communication skills, and the ability to work under pressure. The position offers competitive pay, ample holidays, and various employee benefits.

Benefits

25 days holiday plus public holidays

Cash health plan

Life assurance (4 x salary)

Staff discount on all products

Pension (3% employer and 5% employee)

Qualifications

• Good geographical knowledge of the UK, particularly London and the South of England.
• Candidates with job titles like Logistics Coordinator or Operations Manager will be considered.

Responsibilities

• Dynamic daily route planning ensuring maximum vehicle utilisation.
• Check routes on Sage and ensure correct customers are assigned.
• Maintain communication with night shift operations for delivery requirements.
• Ensure all delivery routes are optimized within working hours.
• Review routes weekly with line manager for optimization.
• Communicate changes in deliveries or routes to the sales team.

Skills

Good communication skills both written and verbal

Excellent customer service skills

Excellent attention to detail

Problem solving skills and the ability to adapt plans

IT skills for using spreadsheets (Excel) and route planning software

The ability to work under pressure and to meet deadlines

Good administration skills

Good working knowledge of Microsoft Word & Outlook

Education

Experience in transport or distribution background

Tools

Sage

Excel

route planning software

Job description

Overview

Job Title: Transport Operation Planner

Location: Unit 7a, Odhams Trading Estate, St Albans Road, Watford, WD24 7RY

Salary: Competitive salary depending on experience

Job Type: Permanent, Full Time

Working Hours: 10am - 7pm Monday to Thursday, 9am - 6pm Friday (1-hour unpaid break)

Main purpose of role

To ensure that all the distribution network is planned so our deliveries are made in the most effective, efficient and cost-effective way utilising dynamic route planning software and internal operating systems. Providing a world class distribution service to our clients. You will also need to take into account effective scheduling, health & safety, legislation and compliance working closely with all key stakeholders within Vegetarian Express.

About us

Vegetarian Express specialise in delivering plant-based ingredients, ideas and inspiration to chefs across the UK for eating out of home.

With the astronomical rise in popularity of plant-based, vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian diets, Vegetarian Express are uniquely placed in Foodservice to meet with this demand, and as such are rapidly growing and expanding.

Nationally they supply more than 4000 skilled chefs from customers such as Compass, Baxterstorey and Hilton, as well as a ton of Independent operators. Vegetarian Express work with customers to create plant-based menus that are enticing, better for consumers health, the planet and commercially for businesses.

Vegetarian Express have also now launched a direct-to-consumer side to their business, delivering chef quality plant-based based ingredients direct to people\'s homes.

Vegetarian Express are proud to be a certified B Corporation. This means they are part of a growing number of progressive businesses around the world that truly believe in the power of business to do good things and, more importantly, are doing something about it.

Key responsibilities

• Dynamic daily route planning ensuring maximum vehicle utilisation analysing and interpreting data.
• Routes to be checked on Sage and mapped to ensure that the correct customers have dropped onto the correct rounds and correct days. Any issues to be report to the sales team.
• Ensure communication at high level with the night shift operations ensuring a clear hand off of the next day delivery requirement.
• Ensure all routes have the correct number of drops as per route optimisation and are complete inside their working hours in addition maintain check weight report on every vehicle through our internal WMS.
• Review the routes with the line manager weekly and refresh dynamic route optimisation.
• Ensure excellent communication lines with 3PL providers and seamless booking in of client deliveries via Ceva / Bidfood / BA etc.
• Vehicle maintenance schedules to be checked weekly and route optimisation to be planned in accordance with any vehicle down time working closely with the supply chain and logistics manager.
• Keeping up to date with government transport and planning policy and legislation
• Communication with the sales team of any change of delivery, route or schedule.
• Advise line manager of any obstructions to making safe, efficient deliveries on time.
• Maintain vehicle temperature checks and audit weekly communicate any discrepancies directly to the Supply Chain and Logistics Manager.
• Supporting Cover for line manager when on leave and absent from the business.
• Collate and log driver KPIS utilising route optimisation software and other platforms on a daily basis enabling supply chain and logistics manager to review with the head of operations.
• Monitor PCNs and report back to Supply Chain and Logistics Manager and Head of Operations.
• Collate any driver daily defect reporting and communicate directly with the Supply Chain and Logistics Manager for resolution.
• Update or change any delivery instructions for drivers working closely with Telesales and Customer Service colleagues.
• Maintain weekly vehicle checks alongside Supply Chain and Logistics Manager

Salary & benefits

• 25 days holiday plus public holidays
• Cash health plan (money back for dentist, opticians, physio etc.)
• Life assurance (4 x salary)
• Staff discount on ALL products
• Pension (3% employer and 5% employee)

Candidate criteria

• Skills/competencies:
• • Good communication skills both written and verbal
  • Excellent customer service skills
  • Excellent attention to detail
  • Problem solving skills and the ability to adapt plans
  • IT skills for using spreadsheets (Excel) and route planning software
  • The ability to work under pressure and to meet deadlines
  • Have good administration skills
  • Good working knowledge of Microsoft Word & Outlook

Knowledge & Experience

• Good geographical knowledge of the UK particularly London and the South of England
• Experience Required: Experienced in working in transport or distribution background
• Candidates with experience or relevant job titles; Logistics Coordinator, Logistics Manager, Operations Manager, Supply Chain Manager, Transportation Supervisor, will all be considered