Transport Planner

TRANSPORT PLANNER– Reports to Planning Manager

Role Statement & Job Overview

Transport Planners source and plan driver routes on a daily basis and have a strong link with the transport operations team. Communicating with peers, customers, and management is vital to maintain positive workflows and involvement with implementing new customers into the daily plan whilst ensuring transport compliance & health and safety standards are always adhered to.

Attributes of Transport Planner

· Good communicator, gets on well with different characters.

· Strong commercial acumen and a sound geographical knowledge of UK transport network

· Understands the importance of Health & Safety regulations and Transport Compliance.

· Problem solver who thinks quickly.

· Embraces a personal challenge and willing to learn.

· Confident, rounded thinking, common sense approach.

· Is resilient, assertive, optimistic and open to change.

· Engages interest and participation of others and has a supportive and collaborative approach to working with others.

· High levels of motivation and action orientated.

· Organised and works well against set Company KPI’s

Key tasks & Responsibilities

• Responsible for ensuring the provisional plan is set up and issued to Planning Manager and the final plan confirmed in a timely manner on any day.
• Ensuring all booking references are obtained from customers and entered onto the TP system & TPN system.
• Responsible for the planning of all additional routes and other work which is required to support the operation.
• Ensuring all routes on the daily schedule are checked ensuring additional work is booked in and any changes to make routes/deliveries more efficient, such as combining routes to fill empty running, saving drivers, nights out are reviewed, and changes made as needed.
• Dealing with site queries in relation to planning issues.
• Making any amendments to the plan on a day-to-day basis due to a change in customer requirements or at the request of groupage department to assist with managing deliveries to all customers.
• Ensure all internal customers are advised of any changes to the base plan or the schedule and that these changes are clearly communicated.
• Liaising daily with customers to secure backhaul loads and ensure required changes are made as needed.
• Assisting with the planning of new work, changing routes and investigating ways in which we can improve efficiency and make cost savings for the business.
• Working with internal customers to support them in dealing with planning issues and how to work together to resolve them.

· Keeping TP system up to date with notes on jobs and making necessary changes to loads, truck and driver allocation.

· Liaising with drivers and customers reporting and resolving issues throughout the day ensuring a high level of engagement is achieved with customers and drivers.

· Agreeing with customers and gaining approval for the associated costs for waiting time, returned loads and any other added value costs relating to non-conformance.

· Weekly reporting of delivery performance, additional commercials gained through added value (waiting time, redelivery etc).

• In conjunction with the Warehouse Team, ensure that booking processes are adhered to.
• Suggest new operational methods to facilitate both qualitative and quantitative improvements within the operation whilst ensuring continuous customer service.
• Supporting the department with ad hoc and project work as required.

Accountabilities & Objectives

• Understanding and operation of TP system TMS, TP system Tracker and TP system Manifest App
• Understanding and operation of third-party software
• Understanding of operational processes to support delivery of jobs to customers
• Minimising empty running by acquiring backloads
• Achieving and surpassing truck revenue targets
• Work alongside the Transport Ops team to understand customer requirements
• Work alongside transport department to report delivery lates / fails and general issues to customers and internal stakeholders
• Familiarise yourself with the warehouse team to ensure easy flow of information and work tasks.
• Daily participation in meetings to feedback operationalissues.
• Recognise personal development needs.