Head of Transport jobs
Logistics is all about moving things from A to B, so having people in constant touch with the transport that does the moving is essential. Enter the head of transport, the logistics company’s hand on the tiller of the whole fleet.
The head of transport’s job is many-pronged: keeping the transport arm running in keeping with the company’s aims and policies; managing the personnel who drive, maintain and administrate the vehicles; keeping on the right side of the law in this heavily legislated sector; achieving or and maintaining customer satisfaction; and maintaining and seeking out efficiencies wherever possible whilst sticking to the aforementioned requirements.
In summary, if the fleet is running safely and profitably and customer complaints are minimised or eliminated, the head of transport is doing a good job. The degree of scope that there is for using the budget in the way that she or sees deems best will depend on the employer, but as with any management job there will usually be some freedom to control the budget from the best possible viewpoint.
The skills required
A strong eye for maintaining cost efficiencies will be a key skill, so someone with experience of running a busy department or section will be at an advantage for this role. Experience of dealing with the legal side of transportation, from road safety law to import and export law will be important.
An ability to think on one’s feet will be required, as such a 24/7 job as managing a transport fleet can throw up problems at any time of day, and not always through the fault of the transport head. If the head of transport can show that they are able to remedy problems to the satisfaction of clients, they will quickly become a valued member of the management team.
Heads of transport must be team players who can work well under pressure and who know when to delegate work to trusted individuals.
Head of Transport Jobs in County Durham
Located in the north-east of England, County Durham is bordered by Tyne and Wear, Northumberland, North Yorkshire. Settlements in the county include Darlington, Hartlepool, Shildon and Stockton-on-Tees and it offers a variety of options for those seeking Head of Transport positions.
In the early 19th century, most of County Durham comprised rural areas and market towns. With the down of the Industrial Revolution, mining and shipbuilding grew in importance for the area, while heavy engineering also grew rapidly - particularly the building of bridges and locomotives.
In fact, the Cleveland Bridge & Engineering company is still based in Darlington today and it has been responsible for construction projects like the Humber Bridge, the Forth Road Bridge and the Auckland Harbour Bridge.
Over the last few years, many of the local towns have gone through significant regeneration. There are now a number of large retail centres and business parks in the region.
Companies with manufacturing facilities in County Durham include KP Snacks, CAV Aerospace, GlaxoSmithKline, Reckitt Benckiser, Cummins and Walkers Crisps.
Several businesses have large depots in the region, including Argos and Aldi and other companies with operations based in the area include Orange, AMEC, the Student Loans Company and Thomas Swan.
Popular locations
Cast UK’s logistics opportunities
Cast UK have jobs in every county and every city of the UK, so we are well placed to find you work in logistics, procurement or supply chain wherever you are located or wherever you plan to locate. If you’re moving house, please see if there are any positions available in the area you’re moving to; and if you’re simply looking for more fulfilment in your working life, there’s more than likely an employer who’s looking for the skills you have.
We were founded by logistics, supply chain and procurement specialists, and our consultants are all from these backgrounds too, so we have in-depth knowledge of what employers and candidates are looking for. Employers come to us to find candidates because they’re confident that we’ll help them find the most appropriate managers and executives.
Once we have your details, we’ll be able to start matching you with positions as soon as they arise, so do get in touch if you’re looking for a job in logistics.
To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit a Head of Transport for your business or find you a job as a Head of Transport then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.
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