Position: Fleet Manager
Position Type: Full-Time, ongoing
Salary: $77,000 to $85,000 plus superannuation per annum
Location: Tarneit VIC 3029
Employer: Kalsi Australia Transport Pty Ltd
Our client Kalsi Australia Transport Pty Ltd specialises in road freight transport services across Victoria and interstate, including bakery, retail and general freight delivery. The company maintains a fleet of heavy and light commercial vehicles and engages drivers and operational personnel to deliver reliable, time‐sensitive freight services to its commercial clients.
As the business has grown, the operational complexity of fleet utilisation, vehicle compliance, driver management, and customer logistics has expanded significantly. The Fleet Manager role is critical to coordinating transport operations, ensuring regulatory compliance under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) and Chain of Responsibility (CoR) framework, and driving operational efficiency.
As the Fleet Manager you are responsible for planning, organising, directing, controlling and coordinating the day-to‐day operations of the company's transport fleet and associated distribution services. The position holder will manage drivers and operational staff, oversee vehicle scheduling, route optimisation, maintenance compliance, and customer service delivery, and ensure that all transport operations are conducted in accordance with relevant Australian transport laws, workplace health and safety legislation, and the company's commercial obligations.
Key responsibilities and duties:
* Determining, implementing, monitoring, reviewing and evaluating operational policies and procedures relating to the company's transport, storage and distribution activities.
* Planning, directing and coordinating the activities of the company's fleet, including scheduling vehicles and drivers, allocating loads, and optimising delivery routes to meet customer commitments and operational efficiency targets.
* Preparing operational budgets, forecasting fleet expenditure, and monitoring transport costs including fuel, tolls, vehicle leasing/finance, repairs and maintenance, registrations, insurances and driver wages, and reporting on variances to the Director.
* Overseeing the company's vehicle maintenance program, including booking scheduled servicing, managing breakdowns and repairs, liaising with mechanics and service providers, and maintaining accurate maintenance and inspection records for each vehicle in the fleet.
* Operating and maintaining fleet management and recording systems to track vehicle movements, driver hours, freight consignments, fuel usage and odometer readings, and ensuring all data is recorded and retained in accordance with statutory requirements.
* Liaising with customers, suppliers, freight forwarders and other internal and external stakeholders regarding transport requirements, delivery schedules, service issues and contractual obligations.
* Overseeing the documentation and recording of all freight movements, including consignment notes, proof of delivery, dispatch records and invoicing data for the accounts function.
* Recruiting, inducting, supervising, training, rostering and managing the performance of drivers and operational staff, including conducting toolbox talks, performance reviews and disciplinary processes where necessary.
* Identifying, investigating and resolving operational issues affecting transport, storage and distribution, including delivery delays, customer complaints, vehicle defects, driver issues and route disruptions.
* Ensuring full compliance with the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL), Chain of Responsibility (CoR) obligations, fatigue management requirements, mass and dimension limits, load restraint standards and all applicable Australian road transport laws and regulations.
* Ensuring the company complies with all Work Health and Safety (WHS) obligations, including conducting risk assessments, maintaining safe systems of work, investigating incidents and near‐misses, and implementing corrective actions.
* Managing fleet insurance, vehicle registrations, accreditations (including NHVAS where applicable), permits and other regulatory documentation, and ensuring all are kept current and in force.
* Reviewing fleet performance data and key performance indicators (KPIs) including on‐time delivery rates, fuel efficiency, vehicle utilisation and incident statistics, and recommending operational improvements to the Director.
* Implementing and monitoring fatigue management plans, drug and alcohol policies and driver licensing checks to ensure ongoing driver fitness for duty.
* Contributing to strategic decisions regarding fleet expansion, vehicle replacement, route diversification and new business opportunities.
Requirements:
Skills, Qualifications and Experience:
Essential
* A relevant qualification (AQF Diploma or higher) in transport and logistics, business management, supply chain management or a related discipline; or equivalent combination of relevant qualifications and demonstrated work experience.
* A minimum of three (3) years' of relevant experience.
* Demonstrated experience in a fleet management, transport operations or logistics coordination role, preferably within the road freight industry.
* Sound working knowledge of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL), Chain of Responsibility (CoR) obligations, fatigue management and load restraint requirements.
* Demonstrated ability to plan, schedule and coordinate the activities of multiple drivers and vehicles to meet customer delivery commitments.
* Strong leadership, supervisory and people management skills, with the ability to manage, motivate and develop a team of drivers and operational staff.
* Excellent organisational, problem‐solving and decision‐making skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast‐paced operational environment.
* Strong written and verbal communication skills in English, with the ability to liaise effectively with customers, drivers, suppliers and regulatory authorities.
* Working proficiency with fleet management systems, transport management software (TMS), Microsoft Office and electronic work diary / GPS tracking systems.
* A current Australian driver licence.
Desirable
* A current Heavy Rigid (HR) or Heavy Combination (HC) driver licence.
* Prior experience managing a transport fleet of similar size and operational profile to Kalsi Australia Transport Pty Ltd.
* Knowledge of the National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme (NHVAS) – Mass, Maintenance and/or Basic Fatigue Management modules.
* Formal qualifications or training in WHS, fleet maintenance or transport compliance.
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