The Director of Transportation provides strategic and operational leadership in managing the food bank’s fleet, supervising transportation staff, and optimizing logistics systems that support food distribution across the organization’s service area. This role requires strong logistical acumen, a deep understanding of transportation and fleet operations, and the ability to build and lead a team in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.
The Director will ensure there is an ongoing focus to ensure the transportation team adopts best practices, accepts and champions innovation as well as maintains high standards, supported by Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and metrics for reach role.
This position works collaboratively with internal departments including warehouse operations, inventory management, agency relations, and programs, as well as with external partners such as food donors, recipient agencies, vendors, and regulatory agencies. The Director of Transportation plays a vital part in helping the food bank fulfill its mission by ensuring food moves smoothly, safely, and cost-effectively from source to table.
Effective Communication: conveys information clearly, with respect and integrity, using a professional manner and the appropriate means and channels for audience and subject matter.
Accountability: reliable, honest, and transparent; regularly makes commitments and takes ownership of responsibilities.
Integrity: being honest and showing a consistent upholding of strong moral and ethical business values; striving to do what’s right.
Interactions: displays a positive and constructive attitude, demonstrates good personal and professional conduct, and provides good customer service to internal and external stakeholders.
Collaboration: develops relationships and works effectively with people across the organization, regardless of location or background, to achieve organization goals.
Agility: maintains efficiency in a changing work environment; adjusts effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements, or cultures.
Quality: Work is organized, accurate and neat. The employee displays a commitment to excellence, checks work and learns from mistakes, and seeks feedback to improve quality as needed.
Urgency: high degree of productivity, uses time wisely and can prioritize effectively; actively seeks out new assignments, and supports others when available.
Judgement: uses proper judgement to make sound decisions, analyze and solve problems, and considers short and long-term impact to other team members, processes, etc.
Engagement: contributes to the success of the organization by embracing teamwork, taking initiative on tasks and problem-resolution, and seeking out learning opportunities.
Directly responsible for the development of leadership within the teams. Effective feedback, counseling, performance management, and career development support on an ongoing basis.
Predict immediate and future workforce needs to ensure appropriate support is available, this includes but is not limited to, work planning, attendance, performance, training, and staffing.
Ensures strong and effective communication within the team and with other departments as well as prepare reports, updates and educational information for the Chief Operations Officer and Senior Leadership team.
Ensure transportation budgets are managed and aligned with requirements. Leads the development of the annual budget, monthly and quarterly reporting process of program outcomes and measurement. This includes forecasting and compliance.
Drives effective Fleet Management practices by ensuring all vehicles are safe, operational, and compliant. Ensure preventative maintenance schedules, repairs, vehicle inspections, and replacement planning. Maintain accurate records on vehicle use, mileage, fuel consumption, service history, and costs.
Ensure all transportation activities comply with DOT, FMCSA, OSHA, and other applicable laws and regulations. Develop and enforce safety protocols, including food handling, vehicle operation, and emergency procedures. Accountability for logging drivers’ hours and related reporting.
Collaborate with program teams to adapt transportation strategies to meet changing community needs, such as emergency distributions, mobile markets, or pop-up pantries.
Build and maintain strong relationships with external vendors, including maintenance providers, fuel suppliers, and leasing companies, as well as transportation partners.
Evaluate the need for third-party logistics (3PL) or contracted transportation support to manage volume surges or special project requirements effectively.
Utilize transportation management systems and route optimization tools to enhance delivery efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Analyze transportation data to identify trends, reduce downtime, and improve service levels.
Develop and maintain contingency plans for transportation disruptions, including weather events, vehicle breakdowns, and road closures, to ensure continuity of service.
Explore opportunities to reduce the fleet’s environmental impact through fuel-efficient practices and route optimization.
Promote a culture of accountability, respect, safety and high performance.
Responsible for supporting and aligning with Philabundance Cultural pillars. Ensure communications, actions and interactions reflect a focus on People, Partnerships, Professionalism, and Progress.
Must have the ability to be available evenings, weekends, and take on extended hours as business demands.
Occasionally, must be willing to travel within and outside of the service area (employees can use public transportation, rideshare services, personal vehicle or other means). Must be physically compatible with travel, office events, and meetings.
A valid driver’s license with a clean driving record is required to be eligible to drive Philabundance vehicles.
Bend, stop, crouch, climb, stand, sit, walk, and turn/pivot throughout an 8-hour shift, 5 days a week.
Move/lower, push/pull and carry objects/parcels no greater than 50 pounds; when moving/lowering, pushing/pulling and carrying objects/parcels greater than 50 pounds use 2 people or mechanical.
Ability to work inside a freezer with a temperature in the range of -10 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit as well as in a humid warehouse.
Ability to operate pallet jack, both manual and power, and ride jack to load/unload trucks.
Reach, grasp, and maintain control of items and materials used to perform activities associated with delivering and picking up packages.
Perform additional tasks using simple hand grasp, fine hand manipulation, and reach associated with assigned tasks such as keying.
Work in an environment that will contain variable temperatures and humidity, outside weather conditions, exposure to noise, dust/dirt, confined work areas.
See, hear, and speak with sufficient capability to perform assigned tasks and maintain proper safety conditions.
Demonstrate cognitive ability to: provide direction as well as follow directions and routines, work independently with appropriate judgment, read words and numbers, concentrate, memorize, recall, identify logical connections and determine sequence of response, process proactively and identify near and long-term future needs as well as evaluate problems and escalate/inform as is necessary.