Fleet Manager

Access Freight International; Durban; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Access World in Durban is seeking a Fleet Manager to oversee the company’s fleet of material handling equipment, ensuring maximum availability, safety, and cost efficiency through proactive maintenance planning and supplier management.

The role drives equipment lifecycle management, SLA adherence, and continuous operational improvement while coordinating with maintenance contractors and internal teams. A relevant engineering or logistics background and 5+ years’ experience are required.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years’ experience managing forklifts or material handling equipment in logistics, warehousing, port, mining, manufacturing, or industrial environment.
• Experience managing preventative maintenance programmes.
• Experience managing service providers and SLAs.
• Experience managing equipment rental contracts.
• Experience preparing and controlling maintenance budgets and operating costs.
• Experience leading technical teams or contractors.

Responsibilities

• Fleet & Equipment Management: Manage lifecycle of forklifts and mobile equipment; maintain asset registers and maintenance histories.
• Maintenance & Reliability: Oversee planned/reactive maintenance; ensure schedules; perform inspections and audits; improve reliability.
• Cost Management: Prepare and manage fleet maintenance budget; monitor costs; identify cost-saving opportunities.
• Rental Fleet Management: Manage rental of forklifts; evaluate rental vs ownership; coordinate mobilisation/demobilisation.
• Compliance & Safety: Ensure OH&S compliance; inspections; safety improvements; produce monthly fleet reports.

Education

National Diploma or Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Logistics, Fleet Management, Operations Management, or a related field

Job description

Access World is a global commodity warehousing and logistics business. We specialize in the handling, storage, and processing of commodities including non-ferrous and ferrous metals, ferroalloys, project cargo, oil & gas, and various agricultural products. We are an approved warehouse keeper of the London Metal Exchange (LME) and provide LME warehousing and associated services to traders, producers, financiers, and consumers of base metals. In addition, we provide physical warehousing and related logistics services for commodities such as cocoa beans, rubber, cotton, and other agricultural products. Access World also acts as collateral manager of ferroalloys, minor metals, as well as oil and gas. Our regions operate through semi-autonomous offices supported by corporate functions including Commercial, Finance, Human Resources, Legal, and Operations.

Reports to: General Manager
Location: Durban

Purposes of the position:

The Fleet Manager is responsible for the effective management of the company’s fleet of material handling equipment, including forklifts and related operational equipment. The role ensures maximum equipment availability, reliability, safety, and cost efficiency through effective maintenance planning, supplier management, SLA compliance, equipment lifecycle management, and continuous operational improvement.

Key Responsibilities

Fleet & Equipment Management

• Manage the lifecycle of all forklifts and mobile equipment, ensuring optimal performance and availability.
• Develop and implement preventative maintenance programmes to minimise equipment downtime.
• Monitor equipment utilisation and recommend repairs, replacement, or disposal where required.
• Ensure all equipment complies with statutory inspection, safety, and operational requirements.
• Maintain accurate asset registers, maintenance histories, and equipment records.

Maintenance & Reliability

• Oversee planned and reactive maintenance activities for forklifts and related equipment.
• Ensure maintenance schedules are adhered to and completed within agreed timelines.
• Conduct regular equipment inspections and audits to identify maintenance requirements.
• Monitor equipment reliability and implement initiatives to improve performance and reduce breakdowns.
• Ensure pre-use inspection checklists are completed, reviewed, and corrective actions implemented.
• Manage relationships with maintenance contractors and service providers.
• Monitor supplier performance against agreed Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
• Review SLA performance metrics and conduct regular supplier performance meetings.
• Escalate and resolve service delivery issues to minimise operational disruptions.

Cost Management

• Prepare and manage the fleet maintenance budget.
• Monitor maintenance expenditure, repair costs, rental costs, and contractor invoices.
• Identify cost‑saving opportunities without compromising operational efficiency or safety.
• Analyse maintenance trends and provide recommendations to optimise equipment operating costs.

Rental Fleet Management

• Manage the rental of forklifts and operational equipment to support business requirements.
• Evaluate rental versus ownership options to ensure cost-effective utilisation.
• Coordinate the mobilisation and demobilisation of rental equipment.
• Monitor rental contracts and ensure compliance with agreed commercial terms.

Compliance & Safety

• Ensure compliance with Occupational Health and Safety legislation and company standards.
• Ensure equipment inspections, certifications, and statutory examinations are completed on time.
• Investigate equipment failures, incidents, and safety concerns and implement corrective actions.
• Promote a culture of safe equipment operation and preventative maintenance.
• Produce monthly reports on equipment availability, downtime, maintenance costs, SLA performance, and fleet utilisation.
• Analyse equipment performance data and recommend operational improvements.
• Implement best practices to improve equipment reliability and extend asset life.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across fleet operations.

Minimum Qualifications:

• National Diploma or Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Logistics, Fleet Management, Operations Management, or a related field (NQF Level 6/7).
• Trade qualification (Diesel Mechanic, Auto Electrician, Millwright, or similar) will be advantageous.
• Valid Driver’s Licence.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience managing forklifts or material handling equipment in a logistics, warehousing, port, mining, manufacturing, or industrial environment.
• Experience managing preventative maintenance programmes.
• Experience managing service providers and Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
• Experience managing equipment rental contracts.
• Experience preparing and controlling maintenance budgets and operating costs.
• Experience leading technical teams or contractors.