Transport Planner - Shetland

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 Shetland

Shetland is the name given to the council area that coincides with what is commonly known as the Shetland Islands. The islands are located in the Atlantic Ocean, 130 miles (215 km) north east of John O’Groats. The main bulk of the islands themselves are some 70 miles (110 km) from north to south, but roughly only 25 miles (40 km) east to west. The islands have only been part of Scotland since the 1500s, and have strong links with Scandinavia. Norway is just 200 miles (320 km) to the east, a short hop on a longboat.

The main administrative headquarters is Lerwick, whose 7000 population accounts for about a third of the Islands’ total. The islands have a basic road system and a ferry system links its 16 inhabited islands as well as Orkney and Aberdeen. Despite being small, the island’s inhabitants still have modern needs, and this will necessarily require a good deal of contact with the mainland. This could open up opportunities for such Transport Planner positions and the proximity to the North Sea oil fields is also economically positive.

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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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