Fleet and Port Operations Officer

Role title Logistics Manager (Fleet and Port Operations) Department Supply Chain and Fulfilment / Fleet, Transport and Export Logistics Location Field-based across Complete Farmer operating territories, with frequent travel to farms, aggregation points, fulfilment centres, carrier yards, border posts, ports, airports and other trade-execution locations Grade Manager level; final internal grade and band subject to the approved job-grading framework Reports to Supply Chain Director Direct reports Fleet Officers and Port Operations Officers; may also coordinate drivers, third-party carriers, freight forwarders, customs brokers, shipping lines and temporary trade-execution teams through approved contractual arrangements Role purpose and strategic context

Primary Mandate

Build and run a safe, controlled and scalable fleet and port operating system that moves every authorized crop, input and finished shipment through the Complete Farmer network in full, on time, intact, traceable, compliant and at the approved cost. Detailed responsibilities S&OP translation and logistics planning

• Translate the approved buyer demand, crop pickup plan, fulfilment schedule, input-distribution plan and export calendar into a rolling transport, fleet, freight and port plan by crop, lot, route, location, mode, vehicle/container type and required handover date.
• Maintain one integrated movement view covering confirmed cargo readiness, quantity, origin, destination, pickup and delivery windows, QA gate, vehicle/carrier, driver, route, load configuration, booking, port or border cut-off, documentation status, cost, risk and contingency.
• Validate logistics feasibility before execution commitments are confirmed, including capacity, route condition, transit time, vehicle suitability, border/port calendar, cold-chain need, documentation lead time, Incoterms, cost and contingency.
• Run fleet and port inputs to the S&OP and trade-execution cadences, clearly distinguishing confirmed, probable, at-risk and unavailable capacity or milestones.
• Apply planning freezes and change control; quantify the service, cost, safety, documentation and port implications of late changes and escalate decisions with evidence.
• Reserve seasonal and peak capacity early enough to protect trade windows without creating unjustified idle assets, minimum-volume exposure or unapproved commitments. Fleet strategy, asset governance and capacity
• Develop the fleet strategy and the approved mix of owned, leased, dedicated and spot third-party capacity based on crop seasonality, route economics, service risk, payload, temperature control, terrain and expansion plans.
• Specify vehicle, body, container, refrigeration, handling, tracking, security and load-restraint requirements for each cargo and route with Operations, QA and Safety input.
• Maintain a complete fleet and carrier register covering ownership, assignment, capacity, licences, insurance, inspection, service history, tyres, telematics, fuel controls, permits and expiry dates.
• Set preventive-maintenance, inspection, cleaning, sanitation, calibration and defect-management standards; remove unsafe or unsuitable vehicles from service and arrange approved replacement capacity.
• Approve vehicle allocation and carrier selection within delegated authority using service history, cargo suitability, total cost, safety, compliance and contingency rather than price alone.
• Develop replacement, disposal, lease-renewal and capacity-expansion recommendations supported by utilization, downtime, lifecycle cost, reliability and risk evidence. Dispatch, route and delivery execution
• Direct Fleet Officers to convert the movement plan into trip assignments, route plans, loading slots, dispatch documentation, driver briefs, check calls and delivery milestones.
• Confirm that cargo is staged, identified, weighed, packaged, released by QA and supported by approved documents before loading; prohibit movement of quarantined, rejected, untraceable or unauthorized product.
• Enforce pre-trip checks covering vehicle roadworthiness, cleanliness, cargo compatibility, payload, load distribution, restraints, seals, temperature settings, fuel, permits, driver fitness and emergency equipment.
• Monitor active trips through GPS, telematics, driver communication and milestone evidence; compare actual progress with route and ETA and intervene early when service, cargo, safety or security is at risk.
• Coordinate safe loading, cross-docking, transfer and unloading handovers and ensure quantity, condition, seal and document discrepancies are recorded at the point of custody change.
• Obtain timely proof of delivery or handover, close each trip against plan and investigate shortages, delays, rejections, route deviations, tampering, damage, temperature excursions and undocumented stops. Port, export and customs-clearance coordination
• Lead Port Operations Officers in creating a shipment execution file and backward plan from contractual delivery terms, buyer instructions, carrier booking, terminal cut-offs, inspection requirements and destination documentation.
• Coordinate approved freight forwarders, customs brokers, shipping lines, airlines, terminals, port authorities, inspection bodies and regulatory agencies while maintaining Complete Farmer's documentation and approval controls.
• Ensure commercial invoices, packing lists, certificates of origin, phytosanitary or health documents, quality/inspection certificates, export declarations, bookings, shipping instructions, bills of lading or air waybills, insurance and other destination-specific documents are accurate, consistent and ready by the internal gate.
• Verify container, reefer, pallet, fumigation, ventilation, seal, labelling, load and documentation requirements before cargo enters the port or terminal process.
• Track inspection, gate-in, customs examination, clearance, stuffing, weighing, terminal receipt, vessel/flight acceptance, loading and document-issuance milestones until the contractual handover is complete.
• Prevent and recover customs holds, missed cut-offs, cargo rollover, demurrage, detention, storage, amendment fees and document discrepancies; establish root cause, owner, financial treatment and preventive action.
• Maintain complete shipment files and reconcile provisional documents with final carrier, customs, port and buyer records before operational closure and payment support. Cross-border, multimodal and partner coordination
• Plan road, sea, air and approved multimodal movements around border operating hours, axle and payload limits, route restrictions, ferry/terminal schedules, regional documentation and destination-specific requirements.
• Qualify and manage carriers, freight forwarders, clearing agents, depots, cold-chain partners, container yards and other providers through due diligence, contracts, SLAs, rate cards, performance scorecards and corrective actions.
• Ensure third parties do not subcontract, change routes, combine incompatible cargo, alter documents or introduce unapproved charges without prior authorization.
• Maintain proportionate backup capacity, alternative routes, alternate brokers/forwarders and escalation contacts for critical crops, corridors and trade windows.
• Lead regular partner reviews covering OTIF, safety, cargo integrity, documentation, claims, cost, capacity, ethics and continuous improvement; suspend or re-source persistent high-risk performance. Cargo integrity, quality and chain of custody
• Define transport handling, vehicle sanitation, cargo compatibility, stacking, ventilation, temperature, humidity, sealing, security and maximum transit-time controls with QA and the relevant operational owners.
• Maintain documented chain of custody from authorized pickup through every transfer, port or terminal milestone and final handover, including lot/batch, quantity, condition, time, location, custodian and seal status.