We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.

Transport Team Leader

MoJ Pay Band D

37 hours net per week, with flexible working hours available

Overview

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) National Distribution Centre is a business critical site which primarily provides warehousing and distribution services and specialist and professional support to:

• Public Sector Prison Industries (PSPI) in support of its role in providing purposeful activity to help prisoners gain skills, qualifications and work experience to improve their employment prospects on release.
• National Offender Management Service (NOMS) in its role to provide offender management services in the community and in custody ensuring best value for money from public resources.
• Commercial and Contract Management Directorate (CCMD) in delivering expert commercial support and advice to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and its business areas.

We achieve this by:

• Managing and operating a 12,000 M2 (127,000 sq. ft.), 13 metre high bay 16,500 pallet space distribution hub with a team of forklift truck operators, order pickers and other warehouse staff, using a fleet of specialised forklift trucks and other handling equipment.
• Storing and delivering a range of 3,200 internally manufactured and commercially bought products, ranging from prisoners’ personal possessions to stationery, cell and office furniture, prisoner clothing and footwear, Staff clothing and footwear, and raw materials & components for prison workshops.
• Providing a monthly, fortnightly, weekly, twice-weekly, 3-day and next day scheduled delivery and collection service to all Public Sector Prisons, some Private Sector Prisons, and other partners and stakeholders, using a team of logistics and transport staff and drivers, a fleet of heavy goods vehicles with demountable vehicle bodies, light vans and a contracted parcel and pallet carrier/courier service.
• Providing added value services such as product returns/exchange, re-labelling, re-packaging, cross docking, and disposal of surplus and obsolete items on request.
• Reacting to urgent and emergency situations as they arise, in an appropriate way, based on immediate need.

Customer and Supplier Base

• The number of public and private sector prisons is 136
• Average prison population is currently around 84,000 prisoners.
• The average value of stock held in the distribution hub is £14m with an annual turnover of around £24m.
• There are around 60 manufacturing prisons that produce goods for consumption internally and for sale externally, and approximately 15-20 external suppliers who deliver goods directly to us from as far a field as Bangladesh and China.

Our two key performance targets are to achieve 99% order picking accuracy and 97.5% of scheduled deliveries on time.

Job Summary

This is a first line managerial job within the National Distribution Centre and reports directly to the Transport Manager.

Responsible for but not restricted to:

• Assisting the Transport Manager with the day to day running of the Transport Office to ensure that key performance targets and daily, weekly and monthly service levels are met and exceeded.
• Liaison with other office staff, Team Leaders and Management as required.
• Working quickly and to strict daily deadlines, ensuring that all tasks are completed as instructed and allocated.

The job holder will need to be flexible and respond to the needs of the business, working in other departments when requested, including additional hours (if required) and supporting other departments when and where necessary.

The job holder will require basic IT and office knowledge/skills to carry out the duties and responsibilities of the post and will be required to undertake specific training in these and other task as necessary from time to time.

MoJ are exempt from the requirement to hold an Operators’ Licence.  We do, however, follow the rules and regulations in regard to managing and operating an HGV fleet.  Due to the O-Licence exemption, the job holder is not required to hold a CPC in Road Haulage Operations, however it is expected that the successful candidate will undertake study and obtain this qualification.

Whilst the work of the MoJ NDC Branston transport office is not comparable to commercial operations, there are challenges and opportunities as a result of the unique environment, sites, and customers that we deliver the service to.  The post would suit someone who may have limited years’ experience, but can bring a fresh perspective to the operation, has potential to progress, and is willing to learn and develop.

IMPORTANT

It is important to note that this post will include some manual work and will sometimes involve repetitive light to medium lifting, including bending and some kneeling.

The NDC Branston offers employment and training opportunities to serving offenders, therefore appropriately risk managed contact with prisoners may be expected.

Responsibilities, Activities & Duties

The responsibilities, activities and duties listed below are not intended to be exhaustive.  The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary, where appropriate training and instruction, if necessary, has been provided.

Service Delivery

• To assist the Transport Manager with the day to day running of the Transport Office.
• Carry out administrative tasks on behalf of the Transport Manager, including maintaining driver and vehicle, checks and records.
• Carry out deliveries and/or collections as and when required.
• To monitor opportunities reference loading matters and liaise with the warehouse and drivers on this.
• Ensure drivers and agency staff are kept up to date with paperwork/policy and all matters connected with the job.
• Provide cover for the Transport Manager during his periods of absence.
• Carry out daily despatching on the Warehouse Management System confirming all trips have departed. Inform establishments if their deliveries are going to be delayed. Check that delivery notes have been returned prior to debriefing.
• Maintain diary of drivers’ daily trips.
• Maintain Tri-Scan Odyssey World fuel management system, process fuel orders and deliveries, print out fuel stock reports. Check agency fuel receipts against invoices.
• Formulate and produce statistical information on vehicle usage, mileage, breakdowns, record box and trailer usage against breakdowns.
• Raise orders for on-site Fleet Engineering Services (breakdown and services) and then process the completed order.
• Email all transit requests to issuing & receiving establishments after they have been authorised.
• Maintain accurate Tachograph records and update register.
• Respond to issues raised by other Admin / Logistics staff, Team Leaders and Managers.
• Communicate with the Warehouse staff, Team Leaders and Managers as necessary to fulfil the requirements of the role.
• Achieve highest levels of quality, service and, customer service & satisfaction, through excellence in all areas of responsibility.
• Monitor transactional activity and ensure all paperwork, such as purchase orders, delivery notes, picking sheets, transport records, etc, is completed, checked and forwarded where necessary, ensuring any files, records and, correspondence are saved and stored appropriately.

Performance measurement

• Timely completion of performance monitoring returns.

HR, Staff Performance and Development

• Be responsible for the management of all staff within their area. This includes staff performance, development and annual appraisal through to sickness absence management, and disciplinary matters, as well as recognising and rewarding outstanding work and performance where appropriate.

Health, Safety and Welfare

• Respond to identified hazards. Support the Health and Safety Manager in creating a safe working environment for staff, visitors and contractors by adhering to Health and Safety legislation, ensuring Safe Systems of Work (SSOW) and Risk Assessments (RA) are followed, and by reporting any incidents to the Health and Safety Manager.
• Maintain excellent levels of housekeeping in your own area of responsibility.

Other support service tasks

• Undertake occasional warehouse duties including picking, packing, unpacking and sorting as required.
• Assist with completion of annual stock take.

Skills, Knowledge, & Experience

• Ability to plan and manage workload and resources, to work under pressure and to tight deadlines.
• Ability to prioritise workload and to share information and resources with others.
• Good communicator with good people and organisational skills.
• Be adaptable and flexible and have an energetic ‘can do’ attitude.
• Experience of office based operations.
• Good IT skills, familiarity with the use of Warehouse Management Software is desirable.
• Previous transport/routing operations experience desirable.

Qualifications

Full UK Driving Licence

Category C+E Licence, valid Digital Tachograph Card, and up to date driver CPC, desirable.

Training

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.  The following training is mandatory for all Ministry of Justice employees:

• Responsible for Information
• Government Security Classifications
• Equality & Diversity Essentials
• Health and Safety Awareness
• Fire Awareness

In addition the following training is mandatory for all staff

• Manual Handling

We will try and deliver as much training as possible to you ‘in-house’ at the NDC.  When this is not possible you will be expected to travel to the training venue yourself and claim some or all of your extra costs in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministry of Justice Travel and Subsistence (T&S) Policy and guidan