Transport Planner

Role Title: Transport Planner

Location: Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire

Salary: Up to £35,000 / year

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM (1-hour unpaid break) | 1 in 8 Saturday rota (once trained)

Reports To: Transport Operations Manager

Team: 6-Person General Haulage Planning Team

About the Role

Browns Distribution is seeking an experienced Transport Planner to support our daily UK general haulage operations.

In this role, your primary focus will be consolidating freight and building efficient, commercially viable, and achievable delivery routes. You will work closely with our wider planning team—balancing delivery windows, vehicle capacities, driver hours, and live operational changes in a fast-paced environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Route Planning & Consolidation: Build and optimize next-day delivery routes to maximize vehicle load fill and commercial performance.

• Compliance Management: Ensure all plans strictly adhere to Drivers’ Hours, tachograph rules, and Working Time Directives (WTD).

• Team Collaboration: Coordinate daily with Collection Planners, driver/vehicle allocators, and warehouse teams (Goods in Transit).

• Live Problem Solving: Adapt and replan routes in response to changing freight volumes, traffic delays, vehicle breakdowns, or customer requests.

• Operational Communication: Act as a key point of contact for drivers, internal teams, and clients to resolve queries through to completion.

What We Are Looking For

• General Haulage Experience: Proven background in UK multi-drop planning, load consolidation, and fleet utilization.

• Geographical Knowledge: Strong understanding of UK road networks, transit times, and vehicle capacity constraints.

• Regulatory Expertise: Working knowledge of tachograph rules, Drivers' Hours, and WTD compliance.

• Tech-Savvy & Analytical: Confident using transport systems, dual-monitor setups, and route optimization software at pace.

• Personal Attributes: Decisive under pressure, commercially minded, highly organized, and a collaborative team player.

Why Join Browns Distribution?

• Modern Infrastructure: Work with cutting-edge, in-house cloud-based Transport Management Systems (TMS) using dual-monitor workstations and laptops.

• Generous Leave: 34 days annual holiday (includes bank holidays + an extra day off for your birthday).

• Career Growth: Structured training, ongoing professional development, and clear internal progression paths across transport and logistics.

• Established Local Employer: A long-standing, family-owned business operating 75+ vehicles, 120 trailers, and an 80,000 sq. ft. warehousing facility.