Transport Planner

Job Purpose To develop and manage daily transport plans that balance service delivery with operational efficiency, while supporting vehicle tracking and resolving day-to-day operational queries. The role provides critical planning support to ensure effective fleet utilisation and a high level of customer service. In addition, the role manages principal customer logistics requirements at both operational and depot level. Transport Planning Scheduling Develop daily route plans to ensure optimal productivity and service delivery. Deliver route plans to depots or PBCS’s within agreed timelines. Ensure planning is aligned with prescribed operational KPIs. Review special delivery requests, update temporary master data, assess feasibility, and communicate outcomes to stakeholders. Engage regional DC leadership teams or PBCSs to validate routing plans and ensure operational alignment. Compile and issue daily final schedules, including: Special requests Startup times KPI achievement High-risk routes Fleet requirements (owned and hired) Analyse previous day routes to compare plan vs actual and clearly identify variances. Fleet Utilisation Capacity Management Maximise utilisation of the secondary fleet and or Unitrans fleet. Review fleet availability daily and fully understand constraints. Align next-day orders with available fleet capacity. Prioritise owned fleet usage over hired fleet. Determine hired fleet requirements where necessary. Communicate daily fleet requirements (drivers, VAs, and vehicles) clearly to depots. Conduct monthly fleet utilisation analysis by DC and implement corrective actions where required. Performance Monitoring Continuous Improvement Monitor plan vs actual performance daily: Categorise variances into: Master data issues Ad-hoc events One-off incidents Analytical improvement opportunities Conduct root cause analysis on deviations and embed learnings into planning systems. Maintain ongoing feedback with the Routing and Scheduling Controller on master data changes. Perform regular Turnaround Time (TAT) and travel speed analysis. Expediting Execution Control Manage daily expediting operations across assigned transport hubs. Track live execution in communication with expeditors. Identify risks early and communicate delays to customers and sales teams. Maintain a redelivery register and plan accordingly. People Leadership Lead and manage a team and stakeholders. Ensure compliance with labour legislation and collective agreements. Manage attendance, overtime, and leave. Reporting Stakeholder Engagement Generate daily and monthly reports on: Plan vs actual Fleet utilisation Service levels Financial performance Prepare monthly efficiency reports and present to depot leadership. Provide updates on corrective actions and process improvements. Maintain strong communication channels between: Planning Depots Sales Customers Master Data Management Maintain accurate planning and routing master data. Produce weekly master data quality reports. Champion customer onboarding processes. Financial KPI Accountability The role directly supports delivery against: Fleet utilisation targets Route profitability Customer hit rates Delivery adherence Service levels Budget adherence Savings commitments