Fleet Manager - Working for Essex

About the role

Fleet Manager

Permanent, Full Time

£44,952 - £52,884 Per Annum

Location: Chelmsford

Closing Date: 16/08/2026

Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this role. Applicants must have a current, unrestricted right to work in the UK.

Interviews for this role will be held on 01/09/2026 & 02/09/2026.

The Opportunity

Drive the Future of Fleet Operations in Essex!

Are you a strategic leader with a passion for commercial vehicles, operational excellence, and delivering outstanding service? Do you thrive in a dynamic environment where innovation and impact go hand in hand? If so, we want you on our team.

Business Support provides a range of customer focused administration, transactional and support services for citizens, internal customers, partners, and suppliers of the Council.

The Fleet Manager will lead a team of Business support staff who undertake administration support from within a Business Centre. They are also responsible for leading the effectiveness of the vehicle leasing service, ensuring that team members are fully trained, developed and motivated to provide excellent customer service.

The manager will also be required to have excellent operational leadership and contract management skills to ensure that both fleet and car provision suppliers relationships are maintained to deliver valued service to Essex County Council. The ability to collaborate with colleagues and key stakeholders to develop and make improvements to processes using continuous improvement methodologies. Creativity, innovation, flexibility, and the ability gather performance data are key.

To learn firsthand about what a day in the life of a Fleet Manager entails, please click following link https://workingforessex.com/blog/fleet-manager

Accountabilities

Lead, coach, motivate and inspire a team of Business Support staff to deliver high quality and professional administration and fleet leasing support.
To be the Essex County Council ‘O’ licence holder ensuring the industry standards required are maintained for both vehicle maintenance and person good repute.
Ensure vehicle leasing services delivers its outputs, ensuring best value for money and accurate 3-year forecasting of spend.
Engage with appropriate stakeholders to understand requirements and achieve quality and value for money services through continuous improvement and adoption of technology.
Provide expert departmental advice and guidance to Directors and Heads of Service as required.
Ensure compliance with all external and internal regulation and contribute to wider ECC strategy.
To be responsible for the organisation of specifications, vehicle replacement and maintenance schedules.
Ensure vehicle leasing service adheres to external (DVLA) and internal audit requirements with appropriate levels of governance and controls.
Develop clear and consistent processes and effectively manage the quality of outputs.
Drives a high performing culture, drawing on specialist skills and expertise to challenge practice and bring together diverse capabilities to achieve shared objectives.
Identify and develop career opportunities for Business Support staff to forge a career at ECC through proactive development and succession planning in collaboration with colleagues.
Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined within the performance management framework.

The Experience You Will Bring

This post will be responsible for Essex County Council ‘O’ licensing and as such should hold or be willing to obtain a Certificate of Professional Competence for both National Passenger Transport and National Freight.
Experience of working within the motor vehicle industry to VOSA standard and related legislation.
Evidence of continuing professional development and commitment to learning through theory and practice.
Proven experience of evaluating service quality and identifying improvement opportunities using lean six sigma methodology and a continuous improvement mindset.
Demonstrable experience of leading a team with the ability to motivate, engage and develop the team to achieve high performance and outstanding business results.
Demonstrates a passion for delivering excellent customer experiences, using creativity and innovation.
Strong operational management skills including demand and resource management.
Experience of analysing data to support strategic planning and problem solving.
Flexible in approach and ability to work under pressure.
Experience in onboarding new staff from a range of backgrounds including those with neurodiversity, work experience placements and apprenticeships.

This role goes beyond fleet management—it’s about enabling essential services. From ensuring a school minibus is road-ready to supporting mobile libraries and community transport, your work will directly impact lives across Essex.

If you're ready to lead with purpose, innovate with impact, and help shape the future of fleet operations - apply now and be part of something that truly matters.

To read more about our business area, please visit: Corporate Services

Why Essex?

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

In March 2026, the Government announced that councils in Greater Essex will be reorganised into five new unitary authorities from April 2028. In addition to this, Greater Essex has been accepted on to the devolution priority programme, where we will work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority. You can read more about these changes, and what this may mean for this role, on our careers site.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please contact Wade.Harding@essex.gov.uk

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