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.
#LI-CE #DSMISC
Skills Required
- 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
DS Smith Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about DS Smith and has not been reviewed or approved by DS Smith.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — Pay is considered okay to good across many roles, with some plants indicating competitive or above‑market hourly rates for operators and similar positions. This supports a broadly fair perception of base pay even as experiences vary by site.
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Healthcare Strength — U.S. offerings include day‑one medical/vision and dental, employer HSA contributions, and 100% company‑paid life and short/long‑term disability, alongside an EAP. Some role descriptions also highlight mental‑health and fertility options.
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Retirement Support — Packages commonly reference a 401(k) with company match and, in some locations, pension eligibility or company‑funded retirement contributions. This positions retirement benefits as a meaningful component of total rewards.
DS Smith Insights
What We Do
DS Smith provides innovative packaging solutions, paper products and recycling services with a commitment to sustainability and a circular economy. Our core purpose is to Redefine Packaging for a Changing World, and our expert teams work closely with like-minded partners to incorporate renewable resources for products that minimize our environmental impact, reduce complexity and increase profitability through supply chain optimization
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