Job purpose: The Transport Manager is the senior operational leader of the company’s entire transport and logistics function, responsible for the safe, reliable, efficient, and cost-effective movement of goods across all routes operated by the company. Reporting directly to the Operations Director, this role carries full accountability for fleet performance, driver management, logistics administration, cold-chain transport integrity, fuel cost management, and regulatory compliance across a diverse fleet of heavy goods vehicles including 10T to 20T ordinary trucks and refrigerated (reefer) trucks. The Transport Manager leads a team of approximately 55 people. This is a role that demands equal capability in operational management and strategic leadership: on one hand, making sound decisions in fast-moving, pressure-filled operational situations; on the other, building the systems, disciplines, and team capability that make the transport function increasingly reliable, safe, and cost-efficient over time. A critical dimension of this role is the interface between transport operations and the cold chain. With reefer trucks forming a significant part of the fleet, the Transport Manager must ensure that cold-chain integrity — from vehicle readiness and temperature compliance to driver awareness and documentation accuracy — is maintained without exception on every refrigerated dispatch. Any failure in this area carries direct consequences for product quality, customer relationships, and regulatory compliance. The Transport Manager is the primary transport authority within the company, representing the function at management level, providing the Operations Director with reliable management information, and driving continuous improvement in transport performance, safety culture, and cost management. Key Responsibilities: Strategic Transport Leadership & Planning Develop and implement an annual Transport Operations Plan aligned to the company’s business objectives — covering fleet utilization targets, route planning, driver headcount requirements, maintenance investment, fuel budgets, and logistics capability development. Provide the Operations Director with weekly transport performance reports, budget variance analyses, and strategic recommendations on fleet investment, route optimization, and operational improvement initiatives. Identify and lead continuous improvement initiatives across the transport function — reducing cost per kilometer, improving fleet availability, enhancing driver safety performance, and strengthening cold-chain logistics capability. Contribute to business planning processes by providing accurate transport capacity assessments, cost projections, and logistics feasibility inputs for new routes, new customers, or new product lines Fleet Management Oversight Provide strategic direction and daily oversight to the Fleet Coordinator, ensuring fleet availability targets are consistently met and preventive maintenance schedules are adhered to across all vehicles. Approve vehicle maintenance priorities, major repair expenditures, and fleet replacement recommendations in consultation with the Maintenance Manager and Operations Director. Monitor fleet utilization rates, vehicle availability trends, and maintenance cost per vehicle — intervening where performance falls below target and implementing corrective actions. Oversee telematics programme management — reviewing Telematics Officer reports, acting on driver behaviour trends, and ensuring GPS fleet monitoring data is used to drive measurable improvements in safety and efficiency. Ensure all vehicles in the fleet are always legally compliant — licensed, insured, UNRA fitness certificate current, and axle-load compliant — with zero tolerance for non-compliant vehicles operating on public roads Driver & Team Leadership Lead, motivate, and develop the transport team — setting clear performance expectations for the Fleet Coordinator and Logistics Administrator, conducting structured performance reviews, and ensuring the team has the skills, tools, and support required to perform at a high level. Establish and enforce driver standards covering road safety, vehicle care, load handling, coldchain compliance, fuel management, and professional conduct — personally championing a safety-first culture throughout the team. Manage significant disciplinary and grievance matters escalated from the Fleet Coordinator, ensuring fair, consistent, and legally compliant resolution in coordination with Human Resources. Oversee driver recruitment, onboarding, and retention — working with HR to attract qualified candidates and reduce driver turnover through effective people management practices. Ensure driver welfare is appropriately managed: legal rest periods between shifts, roadworthy vehicles, appropriate personal protective equipment, and access to emergency support while on the road Logistics Administration & Customer Delivery Oversee the Logistics Administrator’s funct
