Transport Operations Manager

Culina; Sutton Coldfield; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company Bonus

Private Medical Cover

Salary Sacrifice Car Scheme

Wellbeing Support

Eye Care Vouchers

Reward & Recognition

Employee Discounts

Job summary

Culina, the UK’s leading independent specialist supply chain partner, is seeking a Transport Operations Manager for its Contract Logistics division. The role oversees 24/7 transport operations, ensuring cost controls align with budgets and forecasts while leading a team to deliver high service levels.

Key duties include managing traffic plans, optimizing fleet usage, and driving continuous improvement with customers and suppliers. Mon-Fri 08:00–16:00, based in Sutton Coldfield.

Qualifications

• Experience planning and organising in transport or logistics.
• Supervisory experience in FMCG/retail settings.
• Strong negotiation and influencing skills.
• Proven leadership and ability to develop teams.
• Effective verbal and written communication at all levels.
• Comfort with change and driving improvements.

Responsibilities

• Manage 24/7 transport operations and ensure budgeted costs.
• Lead and develop transport team through engagement and training.
• Ensure fleet availability and regulatory compliance.
• Monitor maintenance costs and supplier performance.
• Attend customer review meetings and drive continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with customers and other business areas on service improvements.

Skills

Planning

Supervisory experience

Negotiation

Leadership

Communication

Change management

Problem solving

Commercial awareness

Job description

Culina is the UK’s leading independent specialist supply chain partner, trusted by some of the nation’s best recognised food, fast-moving consumer goods (FMGC) and retail brands. We're proud to employ over 22,000 colleagues across 100+ locations nationwide, supported by a fleet of more than 5,500 trucks and trailers delivering every day.

We currently have an exciting opportunity in our Contract Logistics division – through flexible warehousing, transport and fulfilment solutions, we simplify complexity, drive continuous improvement and create exceptional experiences for customers. Delivering certainty. Creating value. Enabling growth.

Job Description

Life in this role

As part of our, Contract Logisticsdivision, we have an exciting opportunity to join the team as a Transport Operations Manager.

The Transport Operations Manager will be responsible for the 24/7 transport operations, ensuring that costs are controlled in line with budget/forecast expectations. You will also motivate and manage a team to develop them through engagement, training and personal development plans.

Working hours: Monday to Friday, 08.00-16.00

Key Duties of a Transport Operations Manager:

• Manage your team to ensure they execute traffic plans to enable delivery of products to customers within agreed service levels.
• Reduce non-contract maintenance and damage spends through the use of vehicle passports and daily confirmation of spend.
• Ensure that all available fleet is on the road and declared to enable the planning team to plan the resource.
• Motivate and develop the transport team and ensure that they comply with all relevant statutes and regulations.
• Communicate with third party hauliers in regards to control all reported defects on drop trailers left for pre-loading.
• Check and approve maintenance cost reports and related invoices.
• Ensure daily, weekly and monthly compliance milestones are achieved, measured by internal audit scoring.
• Attend daily, weekly and monthly customer review meetings.
• Monitor, audit and control suppliers.
• Support implementation of service improvements in conjunction with customers and other areas of the business.
• Generate and implement ideas with regards to staff and operational changes, which will help drive continuous improvement.

Qualifications

What you’ll need...

• Planning and organising skills with a high level of numeracy
• Previous supervisory experience within a FMCG environment
• Excellent negotiating skills with the ability to influence and steer
• Leadership and motivational qualities and proven experience of building a team
• An effective communicator at all levels, good verbal and written skills
• Personal motivation and confidence resulting in a positive impact
• Highly tolerant of change – able to work within an evolving organisation
• Ability to challenge the status quo and drive changes in the business
• Able to thrive in a highly competitive and demanding environment
• Good commercial knowledge of transport operations, consumer orientated and customer service driven
• Problem solving in a pressurised environment

Additional Information

What is in it for you?

• If you're looking for a role where you can make an impact, develop your career, and be part of a team that works as one to achieve great results, we'd love to hear from you.
• Company Bonus - we achieve more when we work together, that’s why we celebrate our shared success through our bonus scheme.
• Private Medical Cover - enjoy peace of mind with access to Bupa's healthcare services.
• Salary Sacrifice Car Scheme - our salary sacrifice scheme offers a cost-effective way to drive an electric vehicle, with payments taken directly from your salary. Eligibility and salary thresholds apply.
• Wellbeing Support – your wellbeing matters to us. Through our Employee Assistance Programme, you'll have 24/7 access to confidential counselling and legal support, whenever you need it.
• Eye Care Vouchers – free eye tests and discounts on prescription glasses.
• Reward & Recognition – we love celebrating great work, we recognise those who go above and beyond.
• Everyday Discounts – our benefits platform gives you access to discounts from over 50 leading retailers, helping your money go further every day.

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