Jnr Transport Manager

SUMMARY:
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POSITION INFO:

Location: Aeroton, Gauteng, with travel between Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal as required

Reporting To:  National Transport Manager

Job Description

This role is suited to a hands-on, driven and operationally strong transport professional who can support and manage day-to-day transport and fleet operations across a national team. The successful candidate must be able to work independently, manage pressure, analyse operational data, solve problems, and support the movement of goods safely, efficiently and on schedule.

Although the role title is Junior Transport Manager, this is not a passive support role. The position requires a go-getter who can take ownership, think practically, find solutions, manage people, work with transport systems and data, and contribute directly to operational performance.

Purpose of the Role

The Junior Transport Manager will support the planning, coordination, supervision and control of transport and fleet operations to ensure deliveries and collections are completed safely, efficiently, cost-effectively and on time.

The role includes scheduling vehicles, drivers and routes; monitoring tracking and fuel usage; supporting compliance with road safety and transport regulations; assisting with transport documentation and reporting; managing operational delays and incidents; and supporting continuous improvement across the transport function.

The successful candidate will also be involved in managing a national transport team, including drivers based in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, as well as transport controllers.

Key Responsibilities

• Transport Operations & Route Coordination
  • Assist with the daily management of transport and fleet operations.
  • Schedule and coordinate vehicles, drivers and delivery routes.
  • Ensure deliveries and collections are completed on time and in line with operational requirements.
  • Monitor daily transport activity and take action where delays, route issues or service risks arise.
  • Communicate effectively with drivers, controllers, warehouses, customers, suppliers and internal stakeholders.
  • Support senior transport management with day-to-day operational execution.
  • Assist with transport-related incidents, delays, route changes and service disruptions.
  • Help drive operational efficiency across the transport function.
• Driver & Controller Management
  • Assist in managing a transport team of approximately 40 to 60 drivers and 6 controllers.
  • Support the management of a national driver base, including drivers permanently based in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
  • Monitor driver performance, communication, compliance and operational discipline.
  • Support daily engagement with controllers to ensure effective coordination and follow-through.
  • Promote accountability, productivity, safety and service delivery across the transport team.
  • Coach, guide and develop team members where required.
  • Support a culture of ownership, reliability and continuous improvement.
• Fleet Management & Vehicle Compliance
  • Monitor vehicle availability, utilisation, tracking and operational readiness.
  • Assist with fleet maintenance planning and service schedule monitoring.
  • Support the management of vehicle licensing, fleet compliance and related documentation.
  • Monitor vehicle tracking systems and fuel usage.
  • Identify and escalate fleet risks, breakdowns, maintenance delays or recurring vehicle issues.
  • Support compliance with road safety, transport regulations and internal operating standards.
  • Assist in maintaining accurate fleet records and operational reports.
• Systems, Data & Reporting
  • Maintain and support accurate transport documentation, reports and operational records.
  • Use Excel and transport-related systems to track, analyse and interpret operational data.
  • Prepare or support reports relating to transport performance, route efficiency, fleet usage, fuel usage, delays, incidents and cost control.
  • Use data to identify trends, problem areas and opportunities for improvement.
  • Support operational decision-making through accurate reporting and analysis.
  • Work with transport management systems, ERP systems and vehicle tracking platforms where required.
• Cost Control & Operational Efficiency
  • Support cost-control initiatives across transport, fleet usage, routing, fuel consumption and operational planning.
  • Identify inefficiencies and assist with practical solutions to improve transport performance.
  • Support continuous improvement initiatives within the transport function.
  • Assist in reducing delays, downtime, unnecessary costs and operational waste.
  • Contribute to improved service delivery, productivity and customer satisfaction.
• Stakeholder Communication
  • Communicate clearly and professionally with drivers, controllers, warehouse teams, customers, suppliers and management.
  • Ensure transport-related issues are followed up and resolved promptly.
  • Escalate critical operational risks appropriately while still taking ownership of problem-solving.
  • Maintain a professional, solution-focused approach in a high-pressure transport environment.

Key Competencies & Attributes

• Strong organisational and planning ability.
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Good time management and follow-through.
• Strong analytical ability and confidence working with operational data.
• Ability to interpret information, identify trends and make practical recommendations.
• Able to work independently without constant supervision.
• A proactive, go-getter mindset.
• Able to think outside the box and find solutions.
• Willingness to learn, research and find answers instead of relying on management for every decision.
• Strong ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced logistics environment.
• Practical fleet management understanding.
• Strong sense of accountability and ownership.
• Able to manage, teach, coach and develop a team.
• Flexible, hands-on and operationally involved.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to deal with different levels of staff.
• Reliable, disciplined and service-focused.

Requirements

• Matric / Grade 12 is essential.
• A diploma or degree in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Transport Management, Operations Management or a related field is advantageous.
• Minimum 1 to 3 years’ experience in transport, logistics or fleet operations.
• Previous exposure to fleet management is required.
• Experience in transport operations, driver coordination, route planning, fleet control, vehicle tracking or distribution is required.
• Experience managing or coordinating drivers, controllers or transport teams is highly advantageous.
• Experience working across logistics, supply chain, warehousing, transportation and distribution environments is advantageous.
• Knowledge of transport regulations, road safety standards and fleet compliance requirements.
• Experience with vehicle compliance, including licensing and related fleet documentation.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills are essential.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret operational data.
• Experience using ERP systems and transport management systems is advantageous.
• Experience with systems such as SAP, TPT MS, Plato, Opsi or similar transport / ERP platforms is advantageous.
• Experience with vehicle tracking systems such as MiX Telematics or similar platforms is advantageous.
• Experience with Power BI or similar reporting / data tools is advantageous.
• Valid South African driver’s licence is essential.
• Own reliable vehicle is essential.
• Must be willing and able to travel between Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal when operationally required.

Systems Experience

• Candidates should be comfortable working with transport, fleet, reporting and operational systems, including:
• Microsoft Excel at advanced level
• ERP systems
• Transport Management Systems
• Vehicle tracking systems
• GPS tracking platforms
• Reporting or dashboard tools such as Power BI or similar platforms
• Specific exposure to SAP, TPT MS, Plato, Opsi and MiX Telematics will be advantageous.

Other Requirements

• Must be willing to work in a fast-paced, operationally demanding logistics environment.
• Must be able to work independently and take ownership of responsibilities.
• Must be able to manage pressure, shifting priorities and transport-related disruptions.
• Must be willing to travel nationally between Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal when required.
• Must be comfortable managing a team spread across more than one region.
• Must be willing to support, teach, coach and develop drivers and controllers.
• Must have strong follow-through and the ability to ensure issues are properly resolved.
• Must be practical, hands-on and solutions-driven.

Benefits

• Market-related salary package, to be discussed with shortlisted candidates.
• Opportunity to work within an established national logistics and distribution environment.
• Exposure to fleet, transport, warehousing, distribution and national logistics operations.
• Career-growth opportunity into more senior transport, fleet, logistics or operations management roles.