As a Transport Manager, you will be responsible for:

• Manage contractor operations to optimize planning and fleet utilisation to ensure transport efficiencies and reduce downtime
• Inspect new and existing depots to determine suitability for transport contractor to eliminate potential downtime
• Verify transport routes for contractor to eliminate potential downtime and fleet efficiencies
• Oversee and co-ordinate daily operational plans created for contractors for the dispatching of trucks and loaders in order to maximise fleet efficiency
• Assist Foresters by aligning transport plan with operational harvesting plan to ensure activities are aligned
• Control communication with operational staff on a daily basis with regard to mill performance which could impact fleet efficiencies
• Manage the regular Inspection of contractors’ trucks and loaders to ensure compliance to Sappi Risk Management System (RMS)
• Maintain communication flows with external market mills on daily load and product requirements to maximise fleet efficiencies
• Inspect roads and rail where issues are detected and advise on requirements to Forestry staff and Roads Engineer
• Calculate contractor route standards for trips (including backhaul information) by monitoring tracking information to ensure compliance to contractor KPI
• Enforce respective mill quality specifications through depot, woodyard, and sidings inspections to ensure no out of specification timber is delivered to receiving mill
• Co-ordinate mill rejections and facilitate cost determination and allocations to Logistics Manager, Timber Control System (TCS) and Forestry staff to track non-conformance
• Report quality deviations on the Sappi Isometrix system as well as ensure that transport officer inspections are reported, and assign to relevant forestry staff to track non-conformance
• Drive implementation of Stop Think Before You Act (STBA) safety program in transport and loading contractors
• Ensure that regular inspections on contractor loading points are done by transport officers by observing loading activities to comply with RMS standards
• Investigate safety violations reported by Foresters/Safety Managers/third parties by conducting a Route Cause Analysis Trend (RCAT) investigation to ensure compliance to safety standards
• Report safety deviations on the Sappi Isometrix system and assign to relevant forestry staff to track non-conformance
• Manage the maintenance and testing of the fire suppression systems for Saiccor Satellite Depot.
• Create, update and control reaction plans for fires at Saiccor Satellite Depot.
• Liaise with loading contractors to ensure adherence of loading profiles as prescribed by RMS
• Educate contractors/Foresters on how to maximise loading profiles and prevent underloads through field and awareness days to optimise payload and reduce safety risks
• Control monthly fuel orders and delivery schedules with Sasol to ensure sufficient fuel availability for dedicated fleets and loading contractors
• Ensure fuel site safety procedures are enforced by checking that equipment/security is complianing to standard safety requirements
• Complete monthly fuel site reconciliation by accounting for receivable and spend of fuel and submit to TCS department
• Manage monthly fuel KPI’s for transport contractors by maintaining and updating fuel consumption records to ensure contractors are accountable for contractual KPI’s
• Manage weighbridge operations and ensure forestry weighbridges are functioning, including calibrations, repairs and maintenance and training of operators
• Ensure weighbridge IT systems are updated and managed in line with Sappi Audit requirements to ensure purchasing and reclaiming of timber is correctly tracked
• Control monthly expenditure within budget to eliminate over expenditure
• Reconcile sales vs orders per contractor daily by drawing relevant TCS reports to ensure all contractor orders are completed
• Distribute daily sales plan based on Depot Stocks/Mill Demand/Orders to ensure awareness for Senior Area Managers
• Verify timber sales as per TCS report to ensure all loads are captured
• Manage transport contractor uptime reports weekly to ensure compliance to contractor KPI
• Verify depot to market leads with GIS/Contractors by monitoring tracking to ensure compliance with KPI’s
• Calculate rejection costs as and when rejections occur using the reject cost calculator to ensure the costs are recovered from the relevant contractor
• Verify delivery notes Timber Despatch advice (TDA’s) against small market sales reflected in Timber Control System (TCS) to ensure all loads are captured
• Verify uptime variance claims from contractor for monthly uptime reports in line with contract KPI
• Compile and update monthly performance reports by drawing the relevant transport/rail reports to track compliance of wagons placed versus wagons released
• Conduct monthly Safety and environmental audits on all rail loading sidings by visiting different sidings to ensure compliance to safety and environment
• Compile Rail Safety Regulator quarterly safety reports, safety assessments and incident reports based on monthly audits

What are we looking for?

• National Diploma in Transport/Logistics or related qualification
• A Transport/Logistics or related degree qualification will be preferable
• Up to 5 years’ relevant experience