The Transport Planning & Optimization Specialist is responsible for designing, optimizing, and maintaining transport schedules, routing plans, and fleet utilization models across all Distribution Centres in South-Africa, Namibia, Zambia and expanding African operations serving all clients. This role ensures high frequency, time-bound, temperature controlled deliveries are executed at maximum efficiency and accuracy. The specialist supports TMS systems, ensures data integrity, drives route optimization, and provides analytical insights to improve delivery performance for all clients.

• Transport & Distribution: Routing, fleet utilization, cost-to-serve, temperature integrity, OTIF
• DC Operations: Dispatch, receiving, staging, loading, gate processes
• Customer Service / Control Tower: Delivery visibility, exception management, communication
• Supply Chain Planning: Forecasted volumes, delivery frequencies, seasonal adjustments
• Finance: Transport budgeting, cost allocation, scenario cost modelling
• Client Teams: Store windows, backdoor access rules, promotions, growth planning
• Systems / IT: TMS, FleetVision, Ctrack, integration and data governance
• Projects & Implementations: New stores, new clients, process changes, system rollouts
• Master delivery schedules for all DCs, optimized and updated as required
• Daily/weekly routing outputs (TMS) aligned to all clients’ delivery windows and compliance rules
• Scenario models supporting promotions, menu changes, new store openings, and seasonal shifts
• Clean and governed TMS data (stores, windows, constraints, routing zones, item/cube data)
• SOPs and documented processes for planning, routing, and TMS workflows
• Daily planned vs actual dashboards and operational exception reporting
• Fleet utilization, route efficiency, and performance improvement insights
• Onboarding routing models and costed delivery designs for new clients/stores
• Maintain high-frequency master schedules aligned to store trading hours and strict client delivery windows.
• Produce daily/weekly routing outputs using TMS optimization engines.
• Maintain forward-looking schedules reflecting volume forecasts, promotions, and seasonality.
• Manage schedule changes (store requests, holidays, closures, regional adjustments).
  Master schedules, routing files, delivery summaries, planning change logs.
• Optimize multi-drop and multi-temperature route structures.
• Maximize truck fill (cube/weight/compartment usage) and reduce empty running.
• Run sequencing changes, re-optimization, and route rebalancing.
• Evaluate cost-to-serve and route efficiency opportunities.Optimized routing outputs, efficiency reports, recommended route changes.
• Govern master data: delivery windows, store profiles, routing zones, cubes/weights.
• Ensure accurate configuration of constraints, sequencing rules, and optimization parameters.
• Draft and maintain SOPs and ways of working for TMS modules and planning processes.
• Work with IT/System Admin to resolve data or configuration defects.
• Clean master data, SOP documentation, TMS enhancement requirements, audit-ready configurations.
• Onboarding routing packs, store rollout schedules, budget models, go-live checklists.
• Drive accountability with DC teams for plan adherence and operational discipline.
• Communicate schedule changes, updated routes, and planning insights proactively.
• Participate in WBR/MBR (Weekly/Monthly Business Review) forums.

Experience & Qualifications

• Diploma/Degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Industrial Engineering, or related
• 2–6 years’ experience in transport planning, routing, or optimization
• Experience in QSR or FMCG distribution advantageous
• Strong exposure to TMS platforms and telematics/vehicle tracking
• Demonstrated ability to interpret operational constraints and build feasible plans