Job summary
The Transport Manager is responsible for the strategic and operational management of the trust's transport services across all LUHFT sites. The postholder will ensure the safe, efficient, and compliant delivery of a wide range of transport functions including shuttle services, courier operations, specimen and medication transport, and the movement of linen, stores, and equipment.
The role provides leadership to supervisors and staff, ensures full fleet and regulatory compliance, manages key contracts, and drives continuous improvement in line with trust objectives, NHS standards, and legal requirements.
This post is central to maintaining seamless operational flow, supporting clinical services, and ensuring that transport operations underpin high-quality patient care, sustainability ambitions, and organisational efficiency.
The post is available from April 2026.
Main duties of the job
- Lead and manage all day-to-day trust transport operations, ensuring timely, safe, and effective service delivery across all transport functions.
- Oversee staff deployment, rotas, absence management, and workload planning for transport teams.
- Ensure full fleet compliance including MOT, servicing, insurance, licensing, driver checks, and adherence to Trust Policy.
- Manage and monitor transport systems including telematics, vehicle tracking, route optimisation, and digital booking platforms.
- Lead on risk assessments, incident investigations, and corrective actions for all transport-related issues.
- Develop, implement, and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and ensure staff adherence.
- Oversee accurate record-keeping including vehicle checks, maintenance logs, fuel usage, and compliance data.
- Manage budgets, authorise invoices, monitor usage and expenditure, and support cost improvement plans.
- Deliver staff training, performance management, and support HR processes including recruitment and appraisals.
- Drive continuous improvement, digital transformation, and sustainability initiatives including fleet electrification and emissions reduction.
- Provide performance reports, data analysis, and recommendations to senior leadership.
About us
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust comprises Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital & Royal Liverpool University Hospital.
We are part of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, formed on 1 Nov 2024 from the coming together of LUHFT and Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust. The Group was born from a shared aim to improve the care we provide our patients.
UHLG is one of the largest employers in the region, with over 16,800 colleagues dedicated to caring for our communities - from birth and beyond.
For the 630,000 people across Merseyside, we are their local NHS. We provide general and emergency hospital care, alongside highly specialised regional services for more than two million people in the North West.
Aintree University Hospital is the single receiving site for adult major trauma patients in Cheshire and Merseyside and hosts a number of regional services including an award-winning stroke facility. Broadgreen Hospital is home to elective surgical, diagnostic and treatment services, together with specialist patient rehabilitation. Liverpool Women's Hospital specialises in the health of women and babies, delivering over 7,200 babies in the UK's largest single site maternity hospital each year. The Royal Liverpool University Hospital is the largest hospital in the country to provide inpatients with 100% single bedrooms and focuses on complex planned care and specialist services.
For roles at Liverpool Women's, visit their careers page.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Operational Leadership
- Lead the Trusts transport operations across all LUHFT sites, ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient delivery of shuttle, courier, specimen, medication, linen, stores, and equipment transport.
- Oversee daily workload allocation, route planning, driver deployment, and service coordination to meet operational and clinical needs.
- Ensure contingency arrangements and business continuity plans are maintained for transport services.
Fleet Management and Compliance
- Maintain full compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements including MOT, insurance, servicing, licensing, Road Traffic Acts, DVLA, and VOSA standards.
- Ensure all vehicles undergo routine checks, defect reporting, and planned preventative maintenance.
- Monitor telematics, vehicle tracking, utilisation data, and ensure optimal use of the fleet.
- Lead on incident investigations, root cause analysis, and implement corrective and preventative actions.
Governance, Safety, and Risk Management
- Conduct and review risk assessments for all transport activities and ensure controls are implemented and monitored.
- Keep all safety documentation up-to-date and ensure the transport service meets Trust governance standards.
- Ensure SOPs are developed, reviewed, and embedded within the service.
Digital and Performance Management
- Lead on the introduction and adoption of digital systems to support paperless reporting, scheduling, and performance monitoring.
- Produce accurate performance reports, KPIs, audit data, and analysis for senior leadership.
- Ensure high standards of data quality, transparency, and service monitoring.
People Leadership
- Line manage transport supervisors and driving teams across all sites.
- Lead recruitment, induction, appraisals, attendance management, and staff development.
- Promote a positive, inclusive, and safety-focused culture within the team.
- Provide training in policies, vehicle procedures, manual handling, and digital tools.
Financial and Contract Management
- Manage transport service budgets, authorise invoices, and monitor expenditure and usage.
- Identify and deliver efficiency opportunities and support cost improvement plans.
- Maintain oversight of external contracts including vehicle maintenance, telematics, breakdown, and route optimisation systems.
Service Development and Sustainability
- Lead service reviews and develop improvement plans to enhance efficiency, user experience, and operational effectiveness.
- Support the Trusts sustainability and Green Plan objectives including fleet electrification, emissions reduction, and fuel efficiency.
- Contribute to strategic planning, business cases, and long-term development of the transport service.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Operational Leadership
- Lead the Trusts transport operations across all LUHFT sites, ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient delivery of shuttle, courier, specimen, medication, linen, stores, and equipment transport.
- Oversee daily workload allocation, route planning, driver deployment, and service coordination to meet operational and clinical needs.
- Ensure contingency arrangements and business continuity plans are maintained for transport services.
Fleet Management and Compliance
- Maintain full compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements including MOT, insurance, servicing, licensing, Road Traffic Acts, DVLA, and VOSA standards.
- Ensure all vehicles undergo routine checks, defect reporting, and planned preventative maintenance.
- Monitor telematics, vehicle tracking, utilisation data, and ensure optimal use of the fleet.
- Lead on incident investigations, root cause analysis, and implement corrective and preventative actions.
Governance, Safety, and Risk Management
- Conduct and review risk assessments for all transport activities and ensure controls are implemented and monitored.
- Keep all safety documentation up-to-date and ensure the transport service meets Trust governance standards.
- Ensure SOPs are developed, reviewed, and embedded within the service.
Digital and Performance Management
- Lead on the introduction and adoption of digital systems to support paperless reporting, scheduling, and performance monitoring.
- Produce accurate performance reports, KPIs, audit data, and analysis for senior leadership.
- Ensure high standards of data quality, transparency, and service monitoring.
People Leadership
- Line manage transport supervisors and driving teams across all sites.
- Lead recruitment, induction, appraisals, attendance management, and staff development.
- Promote a positive, inclusive, and safety-focused culture within the team.
- Provide training in policies, vehicle procedures, manual handling, and digital tools.
Financial and Contract Management
- Manage transport service budgets, authorise invoices, and monitor expenditure and usage.
- Identify and deliver efficiency opportunities and support cost improvement plans.
- Maintain oversight of external contracts including vehicle maintenance, telematics, breakdown, and route optimisation systems.
Service Development and Sustainability
- Lead service reviews and develop improvement plans to enhance efficiency, user experience, and operational effectiveness.
- Support the Trusts sustainability and Green Plan objectives including fleet electrification, emissions reduction, and fuel efficiency.
- Contribute to strategic planning, business cases, and long-term development of the transport service.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A Postgraduate Diploma (Level 7) in Management or an equivalent qualification or demonstrated experience
Desirable
- NEBOSH / IOSH Health and Safety qualification
Experience
Essential
- Evidence of continuing personal development
- Experience of working in an estates/facilities role withing a large complex organisation
- Experience in developing organisational policies and procedures
- The ability to manage complex cross-site teams
- Experience of setting up and maintaining systems and processes
- Experience with auditing systems and processes
Knowledge
Essential
- Good understanding of Health and Safety
- Knowledge of NHS estates operations or public sector facilities management
Skills
Essential
- Proactive and reliable with a methodical approach to inspections
- Good communication and interpersonal skills
- Able to work independently and manage time effectively
- Strong sense of responsibility and commitment to maintaining safety and compliance standards
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A Postgraduate Diploma (Level 7) in Management or an equivalent qualification or demonstrated experience
Desirable
- NEBOSH / IOSH Health and Safety qualification
Experience
Essential
- Evidence of continuing personal development
- Experience of working in an estates/facilities role withing a large complex organisation
- Experience in developing organisational policies and procedures
- The ability to manage complex cross-site teams
- Experience of setting up and maintaining systems and processes
- Experience with auditing systems and processes
Knowledge
Essential
- Good understanding of Health and Safety
- Knowledge of NHS estates operations or public sector facilities management
Skills
Essential
- Proactive and reliable with a methodical approach to inspections
- Good communication and interpersonal skills
- Able to work independently and manage time effectively
- Strong sense of responsibility and commitment to maintaining safety and compliance standards
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
