Transport Planner jobs
Logistics and transport are important aspects of any business. After all, ensuring goods are shipped out on time, accurately, within budget and to the quality standards that customers expect is essential for the company’s success, whether you’re carrying out a single home delivery or despatching large amounts of stock to suppliers and retail outlets.
With so much at stake, it’s no wonder Transport Planners play such a vital role in the logistics and supply chain of an organisation.
The person in this role is responsible for planning vehicle schedules and deliveries. You generally work within a team and occasionally on a shift rota basis.
Depending on the employer and nature of the business, transport planners will be tasked with organising the fleet - from ensuring vehicles are running, through to maintaining good fuel supplies - as well as scheduling drivers and communicating with delivery teams to ensure they stay on schedule.
You may also be responsible for dealing with returns and discrepancies in a timely manner in order to keep customer satisfaction to a high level.
The skills required
As a Transport Planner, you should possess excellent communication skills. You will be in nearly constant communication with drivers, the traffic office and possibly customers and you should be able to explain your expectations and requirements clearly in order to prevent misunderstandings or delays in service.
Organisation skills and an ability to keep meticulous records is a must. You should also be familiar with the relevant laws and legislation and a good working knowledge of the various technologies used within the industry can be beneficial.
The Transport Planner will need to be confident in communicating to a team of drivers, taking care of staffing and training issues, wherever necessary, and providing motivation and leadership.
Transport Planner Jobs in the South West
A region that encompasses Bristol, Gloucester, Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire, as well as the Isles of Scilly, the South West is a diverse area that offers a broad range of opportunities for those seeking Transport Planner positions.
As demonstrated by the ancient monuments like Stonehenge and the Roman ruins in Bath, the South West has been settled for thousands of years. In fact, the oldest complete human skeleton ever found in the UK was discovered in Cheddar Gorge and dates back to around 7150 BC.
Prior to the Industrial Revolution, much of the South West relied on fishing and shipping, particularly in Bristol, a city which harboured vessels that traded with Ireland, Iceland and the Americas. Later, it became known for coal mining, as well as heavy industry.
Today, aeronautics is an important part of the South West economy, and a number of companies have facilities in the region - such as Airbus UK, BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce. There's also Defence Equipment and Support - the MoD's procurement and logistics agency.
Cheese, clotted cream and other dairy products are made in the region, with companies including Dairy Crest, which makes Cathedral City and Davidstow. Other food and beverage manufacturers include Ginsters, Ryvita, Kraft Foods UK and Beverage Brands, makers of WKD vodka. Meanwhile GSK manufactures Lucozade and Ribena in Coleford.
In addition, Princess Yachts, Siemens Traffic Controls, Merlin Entertainments, Endsleigh Insurance, Westland Helicopters and Wincanton plc are all based in the region.
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Discover Transport Planner positions with Cast UK
If you’re looking for a Transport Planner job, Cast UK can provide the advice and assistance you need.
We work with clients and candidates in locations across the country to match the best talent to every role. To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit a Transport Planner for your business or find you a job as a Transport Planner then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.
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