Transport Planner – Containers

SDW Recruitment Ltd; Southampton; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free on-site parking

Pension scheme

25 days’ holiday + Bank Holidays

Job summary

SDW Recruitment Ltd is seeking a Transport Planner to join a busy transport team in Calmore, Southampton. You will coordinate the company fleet and subcontractors, ensuring efficient planning and clear communication with customers and drivers.

This varied role combines transport planning, customer service and admin, requiring you to manage several priorities with accuracy. The role reports to the Transport Director and offers a full-time, office-based position with regular hours.

Qualifications

• Prev knowledge or experience in transport, logistics or shipping container industry would be ideal.
• Understanding of ports and shipping line processes and infrastructure would be advantageous.
• Knowledge of container equipment and movements processes would be beneficial.
• Good UK geographical knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Plan and route the company fleet and subcontractors to meet daily workloads.
• Price and cover transport jobs in a cost-effective way within budgets.
• Update and maintain information on the TOPS Transport system.
• Handle customer enquiries, correspondence and quotations by phone and email.
• Liaise with drivers, subcontractors and customers to ensure everything is in place for job completion.
• Keep customers updated on job progress and communicate late-running vehicles promptly.
• Check PINs, releases and customs clearance information.
• Monitor vessel ETAs and landing times.
• Update transport and system records accurately.
• Manage PODs and waiting-time information.
• Support the wider team with general transport administration.

Skills

Transport planning

Customer service

Multi-tasking

Decision making

Communication

Organisational skills

Team player

Tools

TOPS Transport system

Job description

Southampton / Calmore | Full-Time | Competitive Salary + Benefits

Are you an experienced transport or logistics professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and enjoys keeping a busy operation running smoothly?

This is a great opportunity to join an established logistics business where you’ll play an important part in coordinating daily transport movements, supporting customers and working closely with drivers, subcontractors and colleagues.
If you’re organised, confident making decisions and have a genuine can-do attitude, this could be an excellent next step in your transport career.

About the Role:

We’re looking for a Transport Planner to join a busy transport team based in Calmore, Southampton.
You’ll help coordinate the company fleet and subcontractors, ensuring transport jobs are planned efficiently, customers are kept informed and vehicle allocations are filled effectively.

It’s a varied role combining transport planning, customer service and administration, so you’ll need to be comfortable managing several priorities at once while maintaining a high level of accuracy.

You’ll work closely with the transport team and other departments and report directly to the Transport Director.

What You’ll Be Doing:

• Planning and routing the company fleet and subcontractors to meet daily workloads
• Pricing and covering transport jobs in the most cost-effective way within available budgets
• Updating and maintaining information on the TOPS Transport system
• Handling customer enquiries, correspondence and quotations by telephone and email
• Liaising with drivers, subcontractors and customers to ensure everything is in place for successful job completion
• Keeping customers updated on job progress, including communicating late-running vehicles promptly
• Checking PINs, releases and customs clearance information
• Monitoring vessel ETAs and landing times
• Updating transport and system records accurately
• Managing PODs and waiting-time information
• Supporting the wider team with general transport administration

What Our Client Is Looking For:

• Previous knowledge or experience within transport, logistics or the shipping container industry would be ideal
• An understanding of ports and shipping line processes and infrastructure would be advantageous
• Knowledge of container equipment and the processes involved in managing container movements would be beneficial
• Good UK geographical knowledge
• Confident, proactive and able to make timely decisions
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to multitask
• Comfortable working in a busy, fast-moving environment
• Good communication and customer service skills
• A positive, team-focused, can-do approach

What’s on Offer

• Competitive salary depending on experience
• Monday-Friday, with core office hours of approximately 7:30am-5:00pm
• 25 days’ holiday plus standard Bank Holidays
• Pension scheme
• Free on-site parking
• Full-time, office-based position in Calmore, Southampton
• No regular out-of-hours working, although occasional small evening or weekend tasks may be required and are shared across the team

If you have transport or container logistics experience and you’re looking for a varied role where you can take ownership, make decisions and become an important part of a busy transport operation, we’d love to hear from you.