Transport and Logistics Manager

About the Role

We are now seeking an experienced Transport & Logistics Manager to join our Birmingham operation and play a key role in managing our despatch, transport and yard activities.

This is a hands-on leadership role responsible for ensuring safe, efficient, and cost‑effective transport and despatch operations while developing and leading a high‑performing team.

Reporting into the General Manager, you will be accountable for developing and implementing robust despatch and transport processes, ensuring service excellence, cost control, and full compliance with Health & Safety standards. You’ll work closely with Production and Customer Service Teamto ensure operational plans align with wider business objectives.

Key Responsibilities: (included but not limited)

Transport & Despatch

• Manage inbound/outbound transport and third‑party hauliers

• Optimise load building, utilisation, back‑loads and routing

• Deliver OTIF targets and control transport costs

• Manage yard operations, FLTs, loading bays and stock control

Health, Safety & Quality

• Lead a strong Health & Safety culture

• Ensure compliance with all policies, procedures and legislation

• Complete audits, observations, Take 5 and incident investigations

• Maintain excellent housekeeping across warehouse, despatch and yard

People Leadership

• Lead, coach and develop transport and despatch teams

• Manage rotas, cover, performance, attendance and disciplinary processes

• Deliver appraisals, feedback and ensure training is up to date

Stock, Systems & CI

• Manage stock control, rotation, pallets and SPOCS processes

• Align despatch with production plans

• Drive continuous improvement and system efficiencies

Financial & Customer Focus

• Control transport costs and eliminate waste

• Deliver internal and external OTIF performance

About You

We’re looking for a confident, proactive and hands‑on logistics professional with a proven track record of leading transport and despatch operations within a fast‑paced manufacturing or FMCG environment. Comfortable balancing operational delivery with people leadership, you’ll bring a strong safety‑first mindset, commercial awareness and the ability to build effective relationships across the business. You’ll be driven by continuous improvement and values‑led leadership, aligned with DS Smith’s commitment to safety, sustainability and performance.

Minimum Requirements:

• Proven experience in transport, despatch or logistics management within manufacturing or FMCG

• Strong people leadership skills with hands‑on operational capability

• A solid understanding of Health & Safety, risk management and compliance

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills

• A continuous improvement mindset aligned with DS Smith’s values

Benefits

Additional benefits include:

• 25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays

• Pension scheme

• Life assurance

• Income protection

• Employee assistance program

• Cycle to work scheme

• Shopping discounts

• Subsidised staff canteen

• On site parking

Location: Birmingham (Smethwick)

Working Pattern: On Site – Monday to Friday day shift pattern

About us

We are DS Smith, together with International Paper, we are a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions and other fibre-based products. We believe a better, more sustainable tomorrow is possible with the right people, who challenge and support one another to enact positive change. We employ more than 65,000 colleagues in North America and Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), who are experts in innovation, manufacturing, design, sales, sustainability, supply chain, and much more. Together with our customers, we make the world safer and more productive, one sustainable packaging solution at a time. Become part of a world-leading organisation and do your best work with us!

Fair recruitment at DS Smith

To fulfil our purpose of redefining packaging for a changing world, we aim to build a diverse, motivated, and engaged workforce. Our goal is to create a culture of inclusion where everyone is treated fairly, differences are valued, and everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.

Our people come from diverse backgrounds, bring different perspectives, ideas, and experiences to generate unique solutions focused on present and future sustainability challenges. We welcome all candidates to apply, even those not meeting all criteria.

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