Transportation Logistics Manager

Job overview

This position is centered on overseeing and improving all transport activities for a company’s owned and leased fleet. The role focuses on moving containers efficiently between ports, customer sites, yards, and depots while maintaining strong standards in safety, cost efficiency, legal compliance, and customer experience. The manager will also guide drivers, dispatchers, and transport coordinators to improve fleet use and day-to-day performance.

Transportation operations

• Direct and coordinate daily transport operations.
• Organize container transfers between ports, terminals, customer locations, depots, and container yards.
• Make sure import and export containers are picked up and delivered on time.
• Track fleet output and improve truck usage.
• Manage dispatching and transport schedules.
• Reduce empty runs and improve route efficiency.

Fleet management

• Oversee both company-owned and leased trucks and trailers.
• Keep the fleet available and make the best use of equipment.
• Coordinate maintenance planning and repair activities.
• Monitor inspections, registrations, permits, and insurance coverage.
• Review fleet performance and suggest expansion or replacement where needed.

Driver leadership

• Supervise, support, and develop transportation drivers.
• Plan schedules and shift assignments for drivers.
• Monitor attendance, output, and policy compliance.
• Carry out driver performance reviews.
• Ensure road safety rules and company procedures are followed.
• Investigate accidents and implement corrective measures.

Container and depot coordination

• Coordinate container activity with ports, depots, terminals, and customers.
• Track container status, detention, demurrage, and free-time usage.
• Support efficient loading, unloading, and yard handling.
• Liaise with depot teams on container availability and inspections.
• Improve yard truck movement and equipment allocation.

Customer and stakeholder coordination

• Partner with Operations, Customer Service, Planning, Sales, and Warehouse teams.
• Ensure delivery commitments to customers are met.
• Resolve transport-related customer concerns quickly.
• Coordinate with shipping lines, port authorities, and outside transport vendors.

Cost control and budgeting

• Manage transport expenses and improve operating efficiency.
• Track fuel usage and roll out fuel-saving measures.
• Handle lease costs and vendor performance monitoring.
• Study transportation KPIs and identify savings opportunities.
• Prepare budgets and forecasts for transport operations.

Safety, compliance, and records

• Ensure adherence to transport laws and regulations.
• Promote safe driving habits and safety awareness.
• Follow HSE policies and internal procedures.
• Maintain records and keep audit readiness high.
• Confirm that drivers keep valid licences and certifications.

Performance monitoring

The role is expected to monitor key measures such as on-time delivery, fleet utilization, truck turnaround time, fuel efficiency, driver productivity, container cycle time, empty mileage, vehicle downtime, accident rate, and customer satisfaction.

Qualifications and experience

A bachelor’s degree in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Transportation, Business Administration, or a related discipline is required. Professional certification in logistics or fleet management is considered a plus. The role calls for 7 to 10 years of experience in transport or logistics operations, including 3 to 5 years in a managerial role. Strong exposure to container transportation, owned and leased fleet operations, port and terminal workflows, depot and yard operations, and managing drivers and dispatch teams is expected.

Technical knowledge and tools

The ideal candidate should understand container logistics, fleet management software, Transportation Management Systems (TMS), GPS tracking, telematics, route optimization, maintenance planning, driver compliance, transport regulations, yard and depot workflows, import/export container processes, cost analysis, transport budgeting, Microsoft Excel, and ERP platforms such as SAP, Oracle, or Microsoft Dynamics.

Skills and competencies

Success in this position requires strong leadership, planning, organization, analysis, problem-solving, decision-making under pressure, negotiation, vendor management, communication, stakeholder coordination, time management, prioritization, customer focus, commercial awareness, and a continuous-improvement mindset.

Preferred industry background

Experience in shipping lines, container logistics, freight forwarding, inland transportation, port operations, container depots, container yards, intermodal transport, third-party logistics, or terminal operations is preferred.

Key performance expectations

Important KPI targets include on-time delivery of at least 98%, fleet utilization of at least 90%, reduced fuel cost per kilometer, strong driver productivity, lower empty truck movement, controlled vehicle downtime, improved accident frequency, maintenance compliance, faster container turnaround, higher customer satisfaction, lower transportation cost per container, better lease fleet utilization, and reduced detention/demurrage costs.