Transportation Manager

Job Purpose:

Manage domestic transportation operations across KSA, ensuring safe, compliant, cost-effective, and reliable fleet and subcontracted transport services that meet customer and operational requirements.

KKey Activities

• Plan, manage, and oversee daily road transportation operations across Saudi Arabia, ensuring efficient fleet utilization, route planning, dispatching, driver allocation, and timely delivery execution.
• Develop and implement transportation plans and operational strategies to optimize capacity utilization, service reliability, cost efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
• Manage owned fleet operations and subcontracted transportation providers, ensuring compliance with agreed service levels, contractual obligations, operational requirements, and performance standards.
• Coordinate with customers, warehouses, logistics operations, and internal stakeholders to ensure effective transportation scheduling, capacity planning, and seamless delivery execution.
• Monitor and optimize transportation routes, vehicle utilization, driver productivity, idle time, and empty kilometers to improve operational efficiency and reduce unnecessary costs.
• Oversee transportation operating expenses, including fuel consumption, maintenance, cost per trip, cost per kilometer, subcontractor charges, claims, and fines.
• Monitor transportation revenue, operating margins, cost performance, and profitability to ensure achievement of approved financial and operational targets.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with transportation authorities, fleet service providers, workshops, subcontractors, and other relevant business partners.
• Ensure compliance with Saudi transportation regulations, operating permits, vehicle standards, driver licensing requirements, and applicable safety and security procedures.
• Implement and enforce transportation safety policies, operational procedures, and risk management practices to ensure safe and compliant fleet operations.
• Manage transportation incidents, delivery disruptions, customer complaints, and service failures by conducting root-cause analysis and implementing corrective and preventive actions.
• Monitor on-time delivery performance, service quality, fleet availability, and subcontractor performance to ensure customer expectations and service commitments are consistently met.
• Collaborate with Finance and Procurement teams on transportation contracts, supplier costs, payment validation, budget monitoring, and financial controls.
• Utilize transportation management systems (TMS), telematics, fleet tracking solutions, and route optimization technologies to improve operational visibility and decision-making.
• Analyze driver performance, fleet utilization, fuel efficiency, and operational data to identify opportunities for continuous improvement and productivity enhancement.
• Lead, supervise, and develop transportation supervisors, dispatchers, drivers, and operational teams through performance management, coaching, training, and workforce planning.
• Prepare and present operational performance reports covering transportation costs, fleet utilization, delivery performance, safety compliance, and key operational risks.
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance transportation efficiency, reduce operating costs, strengthen safety performance, and support business growth.

Job-Related Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Logistics, Transportation, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum 8 years of relevant experience in road transportation or fleet operations, including at least 3 years in a management role.
• Advanced knowledge of road transportation operations, fleet management, route planning, dispatching, and delivery execution within Saudi Arabia.
• Strong understanding of Saudi transportation regulations, operating permits, vehicle compliance requirements, driver licensing, and road safety standards.
• Proven experience in managing owned fleets, subcontracted transportation providers, and third-party logistics service providers.
• Strong operational planning and execution capabilities, including transportation capacity management, resource allocation, and service optimization.
• Advanced fleet utilization and productivity management skills, including fuel efficiency, maintenance planning, idle time reduction, and route optimization.
• Strong financial and commercial awareness, with expertise in transportation costing, operating budgets, margin management, and cost control.
• Experience in managing transportation contracts, negotiating subcontractor rates, and monitoring vendor performance against agreed service levels.
• Advanced knowledge of transportation safety management, incident investigation, risk assessment, and corrective action implementation.
• Proficiency in transportation management systems (TMS), fleet tracking technologies, telematics, and operational reporting tools.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to evaluate transportation performance data and implement operational improvements.
• Proven leadership and team management capabilities, including supervising dispatchers, drivers, and transportation operations teams.
• Excellent communication, coordination, and stakeholder management skills to collaborate with customers, suppliers, regulatory authorities, and internal departments.
• Strong customer service orientation, with the ability to manage delivery expectations, resolve service issues, and maintain high operational standards.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced transportation environment while managing multiple operational priorities and maintaining service continuity.
• Strong organizational, decision-making, and time management skills, with a focus on operational excellence and continuous improvement.
• Professional certifications in Fleet Management, Transport Safety, Defensive Driving, or Supply Chain Management are preferred.