Deputy Lead – Transport

Job Title: Deputy Lead – Transport Location: Kiambu Reports to Deputy Head – Warehouse & Outbound Logistics Function Warehouse & Outbound Logistics ROLE PURPOSE The role requires an experienced transport and logistics professional with strong hands-on capability in daily fleet planning, vehicle deployment, transport execution, route and load optimization, transporter performance management, OTIF delivery, transport cost control and operational reporting. The candidate must also have practical experience in transporter financial processes, including invoice validation, verification of rates and trip documentation, proof-of-delivery controls, reconciliations, claims, deductions, dispute resolution and payment follow-up. Strong documentation discipline, compliance awareness and audit readiness are essential. 1. Fleet Planning & Daily Transport Coordination • Develop and execute daily fleet deployment plans aligned with dispatch schedules, customer delivery requirements, planned routes and load volumes. • Ensure adequate vehicle availability and fleet readiness to meet daily and projected operational requirements. • Coordinate with transport partners to address vehicle shortages, breakdowns, route disruptions and other resource constraints. • Identify and escalate risks that may affect OTIF delivery performance, including fleet constraints, loading delays and operational bottlenecks. • Maintain effective communication between warehouse, dispatch, transport partners and other relevant stakeholders. • Monitor adherence to fleet plans and implement timely recovery actions where deviations occur. 2. Transport Execution & Resource Optimization • Coordinate end-to-end transport execution from vehicle allocation and loading through dispatch, delivery and return. • Drive efficient routing, load consolidation and vehicle utilization to maximize transport productivity. • Monitor vehicle movement, route adherence, delivery progress and operational exceptions. • Reduce idle vehicle time, loading delays, empty running and route inefficiencies through proactive intervention. • Track vehicle turnaround times and implement corrective actions to improve service levels and reduce transport costs. • Ensure transport resources are deployed effectively to meet customer, operational and business requirements. 3. Transporter Financial Management • Manage end-to-end transporter invoice-processing activities and ensure timely submission of complete and accurate documentation. • Verify transporter rates, trip sheets, delivery records, proof-of-delivery documents and other supporting documentation before invoices are processed. • Ensure transporter invoices are accurate, contractually compliant, properly authorized and supported by valid documentation. • Coordinate transporter reconciliations and resolve differences between completed trips, approved rates, invoices and payment records. • Manage transport-related claims, recoveries, deductions and penalties in accordance with approved contracts and company procedures. • Work closely with Finance to support timely invoice reconciliation, approval and transporter payment. • Investigate and resolve invoice discrepancies within agreed turnaround times. • Maintain visibility of outstanding transporter balances, disputed invoices, unprocessed claims and pending deductions. 4. Invoice Workflow Governance & Financial Controls • Prepare and submit validated transporter invoices through approved financial workflows. • Ensure incomplete, inaccurate, duplicated or unsupported invoices do not proceed for approval or payment. • Track invoice status through validation, review, approval, posting and payment cycles. • Follow up on rejected or queried invoices and ensure timely corrective action. • Maintain complete documentation, transaction records and audit trails for transporter-related financial activities. • Ensure invoice-processing activities comply with approved contracts, rates, delegated authorities and financial-control procedures. • Identify control weaknesses and implement corrective actions to minimize financial leakage and duplicate or incorrect payments. • Provide accurate schedules and supporting information for transporter account reconciliations and audits. 5. Transport Partner Relationship & Performance Management • Develop and maintain productive working relationships with approved transport service providers. • Monitor transporter attendance, fleet commitment, reliability, responsiveness, service quality and compliance. • Establish clear expectations concerning vehicle availability, delivery performance, safety, documentation and communication. • Address daily operational issues, service failures and performance gaps promptly. • Conduct transporter performance reviews using agreed service levels, operational data and performance scorecards. • Escalate recurring performance failures, contractual breaches and compliance concerns through established governance channels. • Track agreed corrective actions and ensure transporter commitments are delivered within established timelines. • Support the development of a reliable, competitive and accountable transport-partner network. 6. Transport Performance Monitoring, MIS & Reporting • Maintain accurate transport dashboards, operational scorecards and management reports. • Monitor vehicle availability, fleet utilization, route adherence, delivery performance, turnaround times, transporter performance and transport costs. • Produce accurate daily, weekly and monthly transport-performance reports. • Highlight operational risks, service failures, recurring challenges, cost exceptions and improvement opportunities. • Analyse transport data to identify trends, root causes and corrective actions. • Provide relevant and timely transport-performance insights to support management decision-making. • Ensure consistency between operational transport records, transporter submissions and financial reports. • Track implementation and closure of agreed transport-performance improvement actions. 7. Transport Cost Management & Operational Efficiency • Monitor transport costs by route, transporter, customer, delivery, trip and vehicle category. • Analyse cost drivers and identify opportunities to reduce transport expenditure without compromising service or safety. • Track unplanned transport costs, additional charges, waiting-time charges, route deviations and other cost exceptions. • Support validation and application of approved transport rates and commercial terms. • Develop practical interventions to improve load utilization, vehicle productivity and cost per delivery. • Work with relevant stakeholders to evaluate transport alternatives, route changes and resource requirements. • Validate transport savings and ensure approved cost-reduction initiatives deliver measurable financial benefits. 8. Compliance, Safety, Risk Management & Operational Governance • Ensure transport operations comply with company policies, contractual requirements, applicable laws and safety standards. • Verify that transport partners, vehicles and relevant personnel meet established compliance and documentation requirements. • Identify transport-related operational, safety, compliance and financial risks and ensure appropriate mitigation actions are implemented. • Maintain complete and accurate transport documentation and compliance records. • Monitor adherence to route, vehicle, load and delivery requirements. • Support internal and external audits by providing complete, accurate and timely information. • Escalate compliance breaches, safety concerns and material operational risks promptly. • Monitor closure of audit, risk and compliance actions relating to transport operations. 9. Cross-Functional Coordination & Stakeholder Support • Coordinate closely with warehouse, dispatch, customer service, sales, supply chain, procurement, security and Finance teams. • Provide timely transport information to support dispatch planning, customer communication and operational decision-making. • Resolve cross-functional issues affecting vehicle loading, dispatch, delivery, proof-of-delivery documentation and transporter payment. • Ensure clear ownership and timely closure of transport-related operational actions. • Participate in operational meetings and provide accurate updates on fleet availability, delivery risks, costs and transporter performance. • Support management with transport analysis and recommendations required for operational and commercial decisions. 10. Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence • Drive Lean, Kaizen and other continuous-improvement initiatives within transport operations. • Identify opportunities to simplify processes, improve controls and reduce manual transport activities. • Participate in cross-functional initiatives aimed at improving service, cost, safety and operational efficiency. • Support implementation of approved transport technologies, operational systems and process enhancements. • Standardize key transport processes, reports, controls and operating procedures. • Track the benefits delivered from transport-improvement initiatives. • Execute additional transport and logistics assignments as directed by management. Requirements IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE Education & Professional Qualifications • Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Transport Management, Business Administration, Operations Management or a related discipline. • Professional qualification or certification in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Transport Operations or Warehouse Management will be an added advantage. • Training or certification in Lean, Kaizen, Continuous Improvement or Transport Management is desirable. • Relevant health, safety, compliance or fleet-management training will be an advantage. Experience Requirements • Minimum of 5–8 years of progressive experience in transport, logistics, fleet management or outbound distribution operations. • Experience in FMCG, manufacturing, distribution, retail supply chain, third-party logistics or another large-scale, transport-intensive environment. • Demonstrated experience in daily fleet planning, vehicle deployment, route coordination and transport execution. • Practical experience managing multiple transport partners and structured transporter-performance processes. • Hands-on experience in transporter financial controls, invoice validation, reconciliations, claims, deductions and documentation management. • Experience monitoring fleet utilization, vehicle turnaround time, transport costs, delivery performance and OTIF achievement. • Experience maintaining transport dashboards, operational reports and management scorecards. • Exposure to ERP, transport management or logistics management systems is preferred. • Experience supporting audits, compliance reviews and operational-risk management activities. SUCCESS DEFINITION FOR THE FIRST 12–24 MONTHS • Improve vehicle availability and fleet readiness against daily and projected operational plans. • Strengthen transport-execution discipline and consistently support OTIF delivery targets. • Improve fleet utilization, load planning and vehicle turnaround time. • Reduce avoidable delivery delays, fleet idle time and transport inefficiencies. • Improve transporter reliability, responsiveness, accountability and service performance. • Reduce transporter invoice discrepancies and improve invoice-processing and payment turnaround times. • Strengthen transport cost visibility and deliver measurable cost-optimization initiatives. • Improve the accuracy, timeliness and usefulness of transport dashboards and operational reports. • Strengthen transport compliance, safety, documentation controls and audit readiness. • Establish effective collaboration between transport, warehouse, dispatch, Finance and other relevant stakeholders. • Deliver measurable operational-efficiency gains through transport optimization, Lean and continuous-improvement initiatives