Transport Manager

Job Title: Transport Manager

Location: Based at our site in Watford, WD24 7RY

Salary: Competitive DOE

Hours of work: 40 hours per week (07:00 to 15:30) with a 30 minutes unpaid lunch break. However, times may need to be flexible.

Who are we?

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 4,000 skilled chefs from customers such as Compass, Baxterstorey and CH&Co, 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 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.

Main purpose of the role:

To be responsible for directing, coordinating, planning and overseeing tasks and operations within Vegetarian Express involving all transportation activities. To ensure the legal requirements for transport are met. Ensure HR management is compliant and aligned to the company policies.

To manage and be responsible for the company's overall supply logistics strategy in order to maximise the process efficiency and productivity. To be the 'gate keeper' of all transport processes and procedures providing consistent and robust advice, communicating clearly on requirements to the business, at all levels.

Key job responsibilities:

• Manage, direct and monitor transport and the overall performance of the transport department to increase efficiency and maximise service, performance, value and profit
• Ensuring that the transport team understands their duties and their role within the organisation
• Responsibility to adhere to budgets and plan to maximise profitability
• Develop new initiatives and look for new ways to optimise the transport activities
• Meet your targets and those of the team
• The smooth running of the transport and team
• Contribute to training and development of the team and organisation as a whole
• Ensuring that all drivers and operators have the correct, up to date qualifications
• Assist in achieving maximum "customer" satisfaction in accordance with organisation plans
• Managing and ultimately responsibility for the transport routing
• Maintaining and completing accurate records
• Support to all other departments with transport issues
• Continuous review and implementing changes to ensure that Vegetarian Express has an effective and efficient transport routing process, maximising internal resource and minimising cost
• Ensuring customers are receiving their orders on time and without any delays and increased cost
• Reducing delivery delays and cost, through working collaboratively with our partners, where partners are required
• Reducing cost and environmental impact
• Supporting sustainability, business growth & margin
• Collaborate with other departments such as Sales and Customer Service to identify vulnerabilities and close operational gaps
• Understanding pinch points and removing any obstacles
• Evaluate and report on KPIs within the team
• Liaising and building relationships with external parties including couriers and other suppliers
• From time to time you may be expected to be part of special projects as are reasonably required of your job role

In return what do we offer?

• 25 days holiday
• NEST pension bonus
• Life assurance
• Cash Health Plan

Candidates with experience or relevant job titles of; Logistics Manager, Distribution Controller, Fleet Manager, Transport Manager, Logistics Supervisor, Fleet Supervisor, Transport Supervisor, Logistics coordinator, Transportation Manager, Freight Manager, Transport Planner, Supply Chain Controller, Cargo Manager, Transport Coordinator, may also be considered for this role.