Transport Manager

APM Terminals Gothenburg; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Job summary

Maersk is seeking an experienced transportation and distribution leader based in South Africa to steer daily operations across port and containerized moves, linehaul, and regional distribution. The role requires 10+ years in transport/DC management and strong leadership.

You will manage vendor relationships, drive cost recovery, optimize planning, and ensure safety, compliance, and service levels, while mentoring a growing transport team and collaborating across functions to deliver superior

Qualifications

• 10+ years in a Transport / Distribution Centre management role, with strong hands-on experience in daily transport operations and customer service.
• At least 5 years leadership experience, preferably within a transport, logistics or supply chain environment.
• Proven cross-border transport experience, including the operational, compliance, documentation, border and service requirements.
• Experience managing conventional transport operations, including linehaul, closed distribution and regional distribution.
• Strong understanding of port operations and containerized transport, including port collections/deliveries, container flows, depot operations, free-time management and demurrage and detention exposure.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills; able to translate strategy into execution.

Responsibilities

• P&L responsibility for the transportation product.
• Vendor management and GP recovery.
• Lead and manage daily transport operations across port and containerized moves, linehaul, distribution.
• Plan, direct and implement new transportation contracts and operating models to meet service levels.
• Manage demurrage and detention exposure and monitor performance.
• Oversee vendor management and ensure compliance with terms, safety protocols.
• Serve as operational point of contact for key clients.
• Develop programs to improve customer awareness across the organization.
• Support TMS implementation and cross-functional deployment.

Skills

Leadership

Transport operations

Customer service

Cross-border operations

Communication

Problem-solving

Job description

What We Offer

Joining Maersk, you will become part of the global family of the company that moves 20% of global trade every day all the way, where one of our core values is Our Employees. It goes without saying that we value diversity in all its forms, including but not limited to: gender, age, nationality, race, sexual orientation, disability or religious beliefs. We are proud of our diversity and see it as a genuine source of strength for building high performing teams. When you join Maersk, you’ll find that the world is your workplace, you’ll work in a culturally diverse, stimulating environment, surrounded by new ideas and different ways of doing things. We believe in individual performance within highly professional teams supported by our distinctive values, to us teamwork means acceptance, respect, dedication, and the idea that we can achieve more when we all pull together.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Profit and Loss: P&L responsibility for the transportation product. Vendor management and job level GP recovery. Continuous improvement and optimization initiatives. Investment proposals and follow-up on the same. Operations: Lead and manage daily transport operations across port and containerized moves, linehaul, closed distribution, regional distribution and other conventional transport operations. Ensure daily transport planning, routing, scheduling, dispatch and execution are managed accurately and on time, including effective coordination of port collections, deliveries, empty equipment movements and container flows. Oversee dispatch, fleet and capacity allocation, TMS execution, POD management and real-time operational exception management. Ensure the development and implementation of systems, procedures and controls for operating and managing transport, human resources, equipment and subcontractor capacity in a safe, compliant and profitable manner. Plan, direct and implement new transportation contracts, procedures and operating models to meet prescribed service levels, including port, containerized, linehaul, closed distribution and cross-border requirements. Actively manage demurrage and detention (D&D) exposure by monitoring free-time utilisation, port and depot dwell, container availability, delivery performance and operational exceptions; identify risks early and drive corrective actions with customers, shipping lines, depots, ports and transport providers. Vendor Management: Manages vendors to achieve prescribed objectives and standards. Ensure compliance with contractual terms, SLAs, safety protocols, and operational standards. Creates programs to ensure sustainable contract management by working with vendors to ensure network load balances. Provides timely and appropriate performance reviews with all vendors and ensures the same is done for all associates. Customer Service: Serve as operational point of contact for key clients. Directly manage the growing Transport team of supervisors and planners. Maintains a professional and courteous relationship with all customers (internal and external). Establishes programs to improve customer awareness at all levels in the organization. Maintains records and reports to ensure customer service levels are being met. Develops and maintains strong partnership with customers and vendors to achieve financial results. Other Duties/Responsibilities: Product Growth: Ensures all support in pricing new transport opportunities by working with new and existing vendors to ensure we are procuring at the right rate. Where necessary, supporting the sale process by engaging prospective customers on our service offering. TMS Implementation: Support on the implementation and execution of a Maersk global TMS. Working with the global SysOPS team to ensure the system is correctly scoped and setup for each new customer contract.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Someone with: 10+ years in a Transport / Distribution Centre management role, with strong hands‑on experience in daily transport operations and customer service. At least 5 years leadership experience, preferably within a transport, logistics or supply chain environment. Strong understanding of transport risk management, with the ability to identify, quantify and mitigate operational and financial exposure, particularly D&D, service failures, delays and capacity constraints. Opportunity is open to candidates based in Johannesburg and Durban. Proven cross‑border transport experience, including the operational, compliance, documentation, border and service requirements associated with cross‑border movements. Proven experience managing conventional transport operations, including linehaul, closed distribution and regional distribution, with responsibility for daily planning, execution, service levels and operational performance. Demonstrated experience and strong working knowledge of port operations and containerized transport, including port collections/deliveries, container flows, depot operations, free‑time management and the operational drivers of demurrage and detention exposure. At least 5 years leadership experience especially with growth mindset. Strong ability to translate commercial strategy into execution plan. Understands the competitive landscape, and can adjust approaches to customers as a result. Proven track record of strong performance delivery. Confront contradictions with mature communication and problem‑solving skill. Well‑developed, confident communication, persuasiveness, influencing, presentation and negotiating skills. Self‑motivated and performance‑driven; strategic thinking with both short-and long‑term planning skills; strengths in time management with regards to managing multiple objectives and priorities. Able to achieve results through close cross‑functional collaboration. Coaching for team performance

Maersk is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace

Maersk is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants without regard to race, colour, gender, sex, age, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy or parental leave, veteran status, gender identity, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with all legal requirements. We are happy to support your need for any adjustments during the application and hiring process. If you need special assistance or an accommodation to use our website, apply for a position, or to perform a job, please contact us by emailing [e-mail].

A.P. Moller - Maersk

A.P. Moller - Maersk is an integrated container logistics company working to connect and simplify its customer’s supply chains. As the global leader in shipping services, the company operates in 130 countries and employs roughly 100,000 people. With simple end‑to‑end offering of products and digital services, seamless customer engagement and a superior end‑to‑end delivery network, Maersk enables its customers to trade and grow by transporting goods anywhere - all over the world. For more information click here. All the way.